Introduced in the Philippines in 2005, the variety – ICGV 86564 – was developed by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) based in Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India.
ICRISAT is currently headed by Dr. William D. Dar, former Agriculture Secretary and the first director of the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR).
Known in India as ASHA, which means "hope" in the Hindi language, the variety is gaining popularity among groundnut farmers in the Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. It has been released as WALAWE in Sri Lanka and is at the pre-release stage in Malaysia.
In the Philippines, its adaptability and agronomic performance have been evaluated and compared with those of commercially grown peanut varieties in Cagayan Valley.
BAR, headed by Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar, is coordinating the project, which is titled "Introduction, Promotion, and Efficient Seed Support System of ICRISAT ‘ASHA’ Peanut Variety in Region 2".
Fully supported by Agriculture Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban, the project is being implemented in selected areas in Cagayan and Isabela by the DA-Cagayan Valley Integrated Agricultural Research Center (CVIARC) and the DA-Cagayan Valley Lowland and Marine Research Outreach Station (CVLMROS) in collaboration with ICRISAT.
"Initial tests indicated that the variety is commercially viable in the Philippines," ICRISAT stated in a progress report.
ASHA, with its three tons per hectare yield, gave 41-77 percent higher pod yield than farmers’ varieties in region 2.
Dr. Dar said ICRISAT and its National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) partners, including that of the Philippines, have identified several confectionery varieties for the benefit of groundnut farmers in Asia.
Seeds of these varieties can be eaten raw, boiled, or roasted. They can also be used in food products, candies and confections. – Rudy A. Fernandez