An Overview and Economic Assessment of Sorghum Improvement in Mali (original) (raw)
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An Economic Assessment of Sorghum Improvement in Mali, Impact Assessment Report No. 2
2016
Since the Sahelian droughts of the 1970s and 1980s, raising sorghum productivity through development of higher-yielding varieties has been a policy priority for the Government of Mali, in partnership with ICRISAT. ICRISAT’s involvement in sorghum improvement in the Sahel dates to 1975. Sorghum is one of the two main dryland cereals (the other is pearl millet) produced in Mali, and is both a food staple and ready source of cash for majority of the country’s predominantly rural population. This report consists of two analytical components, (a) a census of sorghum variety and hybrid seed use in 58 villages in the Cercles of Dioila, Kati, and Koutiala, where new sorghum materials have been tested in farmers’ fields; and (b) an assessment of the economic impact of major varieties of improved sorghum released since the study by Yapi et al. (2000), including recently released sorghum hybrids, based on an economic surplus model. The report also presents an ex post assessment of returns to r...
Learning from farmers to improve sorghum breeding objectives and adoption in Mali
Journal of Crop Improvement, 2018
Many efforts have been made to improve sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] varieties, but adoption of improved varieties remains low. Sorghum has diverse panicle architecture and grain qualities that vary within and between races, and utilization and adoption may depend on these traits. Recent efforts in West Africa to improve local guinea race germplasm as a base material have diversified potential options: there are breeding materials with a range of panicle types with increased grain number per panicle and a range of droopiness, as well as laxness and threshability. This study was designed to expand our understanding about sorghum grain and panicle traits that are important for farmers in the Sudan savanna zone of Mali. We combined a sorghum panicle sorting activity with qualitative interviews in Mande and Dioïla to understand farmers' knowledge and preferences about sorghum characteristics. A total of 20 panicle sorting activities and 20 interviews were conducted with men and women sorghum producers. Based on their roles and responsibilities in sorghum production and processing, farmers associated specific panicle types, plant types, and grain traits with aspects of pest control, threshability, storage duration, and yield. Farmers preferred open panicles and droopy architecture for disease and pest control; hard grains for storage and appropriate ratios of flour and grits; high density of grain on the panicle for yield; and specific glume qualities for threshability. Breeding programs need to consider these regional preferences and gender roles to develop appropriate material and increase adoption of productive varieties.
Farmer Choice of Sorghum Varieties in Southern Mali
Human Ecology, 2006
In southern Mali and throughout the semiarid tropics, small-scale family farmers are faced with the challenge of producing adequate harvests in difficult biophysical and socioeconomic environments. Professional plant breeders have had much difficulty developing modern varieties that outperform farmers' traditional varieties in these environments, in part because of an incomplete understanding of why farmers choose the varieties they grow. Improved understanding of farmers' varietal choices can contribute to collaboration between farmers and formal plant breeders. Based on a 15-month field study in Dissan, Mali, we examine farmer's choices among their traditional sorghum varieties in terms of one or more than one variety, and short-cycle or long cycle varieties, and the interaction between these two choices. Results support our general hypothesis that farmers choose varieties to optimize outputs in the face of variation in the growing environment and in human managed inputs such as labor and tools.
Atlas of Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench): Production in Eastern and Southern Africa
2009
Preface Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a major crop in many parts of Africa and is noted for its versatility and diversity. It is adapted over a wide range of precipitation and temperature levels and is produced at sea level to above 2000 m altitude. In eastern and southern Africa, it is primarily a crop of resource-poor, small-scale farmers and is typically produced under adverse conditions such as low input use and marginal lands. There are numerous biotic and abiotic constraints to production. The grain and stover are used in many different ways with localized preferences. Much information is needed to effectively address the problems and opportunities of this diverse crop. The Atlas of Sorghum Production in Eastern and Southern Africa presents information on sorghum in nine countries to serve information needs of researchers, extension and rural development specialists, policy makers, and emergency relief personnel. It accounts for 85% of the sorghum production on an area basis, or 3,400,000 ha, from Ethiopia south to Mozambique with most of the uncovered production in Somalia (FAOSTAT, 2008). Numerous researchers and others knowledgeable of sorghum in their country contributed information and expert opinions for the Atlas. The Atlas presents information in maps and tables for 39 sorghum production areas in nine countries addressing production constraints, cropping systems, management, uses, preferences, gender roles, and marketing.
2009
Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a major crop in many parts of Africa and is noted for its versatility and diversity. It is adapted over a wide range of precipitation and temperature levels and is produced at sea level to above 2000 m altitude. In eastern and southern Africa, it is primarily a crop of resource-poor, small-scale farmers and is typically produced under adverse conditions such as low input use and marginal lands. There are numerous biotic and abiotic constraints to production. The grain and stover are used in many different ways with localized preferences. Much information is needed to effectively address the problems and opportunities of this diverse crop. The Atlas of Sorghum Production in Eastern and Southern Africa presents information on sorghum in nine countries to serve information needs of researchers, extension and rural development specialists, policy makers, and emergency relief personnel. It accounts for 85% of the sorghum production on an are...
Sorghum cultivation and improvement in West and Central Africa
Burleigh Dodds series in agricultural science, 2018
Introduction 2 Overview of sorghum production systems in West and Central Africa 3 Intensification and sustainability of sorghum production systems in WCA 4 Biological constraints encountered in specific growth phases 5 Genetic diversity and genetic enhancement of sorghum in WCA 6 Sorghum and seed system development 7 Conclusion 8 Where to look for further information 9 Acknowledgements 10 References Chapter taken from: Rooney, W. (ed.), Achieving sustainable cultivation of sorghum Volume 2: Sorghum utilization around the world,
African Journal of Agricultural Research, 2020
This work was conducted to study the performance of eight sorghum varieties that contrasted with intensified practices in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Mali. Two experiments were carried out in 2018 and 2019 rainy seasons at Sotuba Agricultural Research Station in Mali. The experimental design used was a Split-split-plot with three replications and three factors including two plant densities (D1: 26666 plants ha-1 and D2: 53333 plants ha-1) as the main plot, three nitrogen levels (0, 41 and 82 kg N ha-1) as the subplot and varieties as the sub-subplot. Measurements focused on growth and physiological parameters, grain yield and yield components. The results showed that sorghum grain yield was positively correlated with straw yield, leaf area index, grain number per panicle, panicle number per m 2 , panicle weight per m 2 in N0D1 (0 kg N ha-1 and 26666 plants ha-1) and N2D2 (178 kg N ha-1 and 53 333 plants ha-1). Furthermore, straw yield was positively correlated with the leaf area index and panicle weight m-² in N0D1 and in N2D2. Analysis of variance showed that plant density, nitrogen and variety effect on grain and straw yields were significant. The interaction density x nitrogen x variety effect was also significant on grain and straw yields. Grain and straw yields were high in the N2D2 treatment for eight varieties compared to the N0D1 treatment. GRINKAN, C2_075-15 and C2_007-03 varieties had the highest grain and straw yields in N0D1. These caudatum-type varieties could be recommended in less intensive sorghum production areas in Mali. The FADDA variety produced high grain and straw yields in N2D2. Guinea-type hybrid FADDA may be recommended for grain and straw production in intensive sorghum production areas in Mali.
African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2016
Rural Malians depend on sorghum as a staple food. Despite long-term investment in sorghum improvement, achieving major gains in sorghum yields has posed challenges. We assessed the potential economic impact of the first Guinea-race sorghum hybrids developed and diffused using participatory plant breeding with decentralised, farmer-based seed systems. We compared this approach to formal plant breeding with a centralised, state-managed seed system – the sole approach pursued in Mali prior to 2000. To incorporate risk, we augmented the economic surplus model by applying Monte Carlo sampling to simulate distributions of model parameters. A census of sorghum varieties in 58 villages of the Sudanese Savanna served as the adoption baseline. Our findings indicate that research on sorghum hybrids with the new approach is a sound investment. Public and private actors need to continue investing in innovative ways to expand the sorghum seed system. The sensitivity of results to the price elasti...
Assessing the Performance of Sorghum Varieties in the Guinea Savanna Zone of Ghana
Asian Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 2014
800x600 Two field experiments were conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture Research Farm, University for Development Studies, Nyankpala during the two successive growing seasons of 2011 and 2012 cropping. The objective of the study was to evaluate new hybrids of sorghum (Pannar sorghum) and their level of performance in the Guinea savannah zones of Ghana. The experiment was laid in a randomised complete block design with five treatments for the 2011 seasons and ten treatments for the 2012 season. They were all replicated four times. Parameters measured include plant height, number of leaves, days to 50% flowering, stalk lodging, number of panicle per plot, biomass at harvest, panicle dry weight, 1000 grain weight and grain yield. From the obtained results, Pannar varieties performed better compared to the landrace in terms of growth and yield parameters. From these studies, famers are encouraged to cultivate more of the Pannar 606 and Macia varieties for higher grain production. No...