AR-NAFAKA Project Maize Based Systems Component: 2016–2017 Progress (original) (raw)
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1990
This publication is the ninth of the Research Report. Series of the Institute of Agricultural Research MAR). Research reports are designed to present findings of the different, research activities carried out. by the IAR staff. these reports also help demonstrate the application of different methods used to tackle a particular researchable problem. Kmpiric.al evidence to substantiate the conclusions is presented. This research report examines the development, of an earlymat.uring maize variety, (into. to solve farmers' seasonal food shortages in the Bako area of Welega and Western Hhewa administrative regions. In 1986. an i nt.erd i sc i pi i nary team conducted a survey of farmers in the area and seasonal food shortage was identified as one of the principal problems farmers face. Maize breeders tested earlv-maturi ng maize varieties and the best performing variety was released in 1988. On-farm verification trials in 1988/1989 confirmed the high degree of accept.abi 1 i tv of the variety among farmers. This report highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing improved technologies for smallholders. I t. is hoped that the report will prove useful to those concerned with increasing the productivity of Kt.hiopian agriculture. The institute would welcome any comments and suggestions on the report; they should be directed to the authors. Seme Debela General Manager iv ACK NOW I iKIXJKM KNTS The authors wish t.o thank Ato Tesema Tesso and Ato Bekele (iftmechu. Agricultural Kconomics Division. Bako. for their great efforts in conducting surveys and on-farm trials. The authors are also grateful to Douglas Tanner, Agronomist. International Maize and Wheat Improvement, (' enter (CIMMYT). Addis Abeha and Y i 1 ma Kehede, Sorghum Team header. IAN.. for reviewing the paper and making many valuable comments. Hinally. our thanks go to Wt. Meskerem Haile Mariam for typing the report and to Ato Amare Mol la. for editing it.
10. NERIICA PARTNNER CROPS cropping systems mohammed askia et a)
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the sustainability of upland rice "New Rice for Africa" (NERICA) based cropping systems in order to recommend improved crop production technologies to farmers in the Guinea Savannah Zone (GSZ) of Ghana. On station experiments were carried out during the 2010 and 2011 cropping seasons at the upland trial fields of the CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, at Nyankpala, Ghana. Two cultivars each of four crops were evaluated in partnership with NERICAs 1 & 2. The design was a split-split plot arrangement. The main plot factors were NERICAs, while the sub-plot factors were the NERICA partner crops -viz: two cultivars (cvs.) each of maize cvs. Dorke SR & Dodzi, cowpea cvs. Marfo tuya & Apagbala, soybeans cvs. Jenguma & Quarshie and pepper cvs. Shito adope & Akonfem.
African agriculture is highly diverse, with major farming systems matched to the major agroecologies. In each country or region there are localised agroecological gradients, and large differences between regions in terms of access to markets. Within each village a wide diversity of farming livelihoods can be found-differing in production objectives and resource endowments. Differences in soil fertility are partly derived from inherent differences in properties (the 'soilscape') but are strongly influenced by past management, particularly by the rates and quality of organic manures added to the soils. It is clear that 'one-size-fits-all' or silver bullet solutions that are generally applicable for enhancement of soil fertility simply do not exist. Further, although research has focused on 'best bet' technologies for different regions, a better conceptualization is 'best fit' technologies for specific situations. Although the heterogeneity in African farming is at first sight bewildering, systematic analysis across farming systems in West, East and southern Africa reveals repeating patterns of management. These repeating patterns of allocation of nutrient resources and management methods lead to self-organization among smallholder farms. The past management of fields leads to extreme differences in fertilizer use efficiency, e.g. from 5 kg grain kg N-1 to 50 kg grain kg N-1 between fields of the same farm. By categorizing field types within agroecological zones in simple terms, easily recognizable by farmers, 'rules-of-thumb' can be derived for highly-efficient management of scarce nutrient resources in these heterogeneous environments. Success of legume-based technologies for soil fertility improvement, such as grain legume/cereal rotations or legumes for animal fodder also varies enormously depending on the soil fertility status of fields. New approaches for enhancing productivity in Africa must take account of, and harness, the dynamic nature of farming systems and the heterogeneity between regions, farmers and their fields. Our proposed approach represents a substantial shift in concept from traditional 'blanket recommendations' to focus on the targeting of bestfit technologies to different farmers and crops within production systems using simple 'rules-of-thumb' derived from scientific principles and local farmers' knowledge.
An intercropping practice of maize with forages were demonstrated at Adami Tulu Jiddo kombolcha district of East shoa zone with the participation of farmers in collaboration with district office of agriculture. The objectives were to create awareness on maize forage intercropping, to evaluate grain and biomass yield of the intercropped maize and forage varieties under farmers condition, to analyze the cost-benefit of the demonstrated practices and to assess farmers' and other stakeholders' feedbacks for further technology development/improvement. The activity was implemented on 13 trial farmers land used as demonstration plots or replications. On one trial farmer all the three treatments were sown side by side. The treatments were maize intercropped with lablab, maize intercropped with cowpea and sole maize. The results indicated that the forage intercropping practice have no significant effect on maize yield. Numerically better yield was obtained from sole maize (62.23qt/ha) followed by Maize intercropped with lablab (61.45qt/ha). Maize intercropped with cowpea gave the least maize grain yield (55.2qt/ha). However, the forage intercropping practices gave more than 4 ton/ha of forge biomass yield without significantly affecting the yield of Maize crop. Furthermore, intercropping maize with Lablab weighed better than intercropping maize with cowpea in terms of its grain yield, dry matter yield as well as financial performance. Therefore, further wider scaling up works on Maize lablab intercropping is recommended.
Intercropping of legumes and cereals, an old practice since ancient civilization, plays pivotal role to increase land use efficiency, improve income and food production per unit area and minimize the risks of crop failure for small scale farmers. Thus, field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of intercropping of legumes and rates of nitrogen fertilizer on yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment consisted of 0, 23, 46, 69 and 92 kg•N•ha −1 and sole maize, maize + commom bean, maize + common bean − mung bean cropping systems with Random Complete Block Design factorial experiment in three replications using maize variety, "BH-140", common bean variety (Hawassadume) and mung bean variety. Maximum plant heights, dry matter and grain yield, were observed from sole cropped maize and maize + common bean, when applying 92 kg•N•ha −1. Significantly higher total Land Equivalent Ratio of 2.2, Gross Monetary Value of 87,191 birr ha −1 , Monetary Advantage of 47,068.2 Birr ha −1 , total productivity (80,568.49 birr) and net return (55,214.0 birr) were recorded from maize + common bean − mung bean. The, maximum marginal rate of return was obtained from maize + common bean − mung bean and applying 69 kg•N•ha −1 (1080%). Thus, farmers should be advised to practice cropping of maize + common bean − mung with 69 kg•N•ha −1 to get economical maize production.
Agriculture-Environment Series : Maize Systems
2014
LAND AVAILIBILITY: Maize cropland is expanding; in SSA the area doubled (15.5 to 30.9 Mha) from 1961-2010. Particularly in SSA, maize is often grown on shallow, nutrient-poor soils. SOIL FERTILITY: Especially in SSA, low soil fertility is the most severe and widespread constraint to maize production. Soil erosion contributes to nutrient loss, while repeated harvests deplete soil nutrients. WATER CONSTRAINTS (WC) and BIOTIC FACTORS (BF): Water availability and drought, along with crop damage from pests, weeds and diseases substantially compromise maize production in both SSA and SA.
Agricultural Systems
Sustainable intensification (SI) has been regarded as the basis for environmentally sound and equitable agricultural development. Field based assessment of technologies needs to move beyond production and economic performance to include environment, social and human condition. In this study we systematically consider all five domains of SI based on participatory action research (PAR) initiated in 2012 at three Central Malawi sites that varied in agroecology from low to high potential. Fifteen SI indicators were assessed for four technologies: sole maize (Zea mays L.) with 0 and recommended fertilization (69 kg N ha − 1 and 9 kg P ha − 1), pigeonpea (Cajanus Cajun (L.) Millsp.)-maize intercrop (half rate fertilizer), and doubled up legume rotation (DLR, a pigeonpea-groundnut intercrop) sequenced with maize at half rate fertilizer in that phase. Through radar charts SI performance and tradeoffs were visualized, and causal loop analysis allowed identification of research gaps. SI indicator assessments included crop performance from on-farm trials, profitability, modeled probability of food sufficiency, risk of crop failure and ratings of technologies by women farmers who were engaged in evaluation of technologies through participatory research. The PAR included six mother trials, 236 baby trial farmers and a survey that was carried out with 324 farmers (baby trial farmers plus control farmers) to document socioeconomic factors and management practices on focal fields. Replicated mother trials further provided the basis for simulation modeling (APSIM) of weather-associated crop failure risk and slow processes such as soil carbon (C) accrual. Radar charts were used to visualize SI performance of the technologies. Environmental performance of the two pigeonpea-diversified technologies was variable, but generally high compared with sole maize systems, due to gains in vegetative biomass, duration of cover and biological nitrogen (N) fixation. Maize production and economic assessment varied by site, and with steeper tradeoffs for legume diversification in the mesic site, less so in the marginal site. The domains of social and human capacity building were superior for legume integration, notably in terms of diverse diet, food security and farmer preferences (notably, female farmers generally favored legume crops). Performance varied by site with legume systems most beneficial at the most marginal site, including less risk of crop failure than unfertilized maize. Causal loop analyses identified regulators of SI that require further attention, notably: crop-livestock conflicts and opportunities, male-female control of legume crop production, and residue management. Overall, the SI indicators framework provided a systematic means to consider tradeoffs and opportunities associated with novel crop combinations and management practices.