Africa RISING Malawi experiences

Regis Chikowo, Wezi Mhango, Desta Lulseged, Isaac Nyoka, Sieg Snapp

28 May 2013

LUAN

AR

Malawi Agric Extension Services

CIAT

ICRAF

Agro-ecological intensification of smallholder agriculture through action

research

What we know…the facts

• smallholder farmers have traditionally developed risk-averse management practices in an effort to ensure meeting their subsistence food needs

• practices are largely sub-optimal even under favourable climatic conditions

The intensification strategy..

• Produce surplus food in favourable seasons and have less shocks in future bad seasons – The link between agricultural intensification and

building of local safety nets in a changing climate

•more resilient communities

Are technological options to achieve this available?

Yes/oui

Any problem then?• Yes – inappropriate packaging• Farmers fail to relate well with nice

technologies– inappropriate learning platforms– technologies coming as rigid packages, •Wholesome uptake unlikely• rigidity stifling local innovation

Research questions• What are the current biophysical and socio-economic constraints to

increase quality, quantity and diversity of crop and livestock products? (RO1)

• What are the agricultural technology options that are amenable to sustainable intensification and concurrently alleviate poverty, improve nutrition and ecosystem stability? (RO1)

• How effective are the different technological options under different biophysical and socioeconomic conditions in achieving poverty alleviation, improve nutrition and ecosystem stability? (RO2)

• What are the major factors that determine farmers’ participation in field-based learning platforms and subsequent influence on their use of soil fertility and livestock production intensification technologies? (RO2)

• What are the key ingredients for effective co-learning, technology adaptation, scaling and delivery to farmers in heterogeneous farming systems?

Making experimentation with farmers (action

research) a joy ...

Ntcheu sites

Dedza sites

Snapp, 1998

‘Mother and baby’ trial design

Mother trial treatment structure • Maize control – no nutrients added• Maize fertilized with 70 kg N and 21 kg P [FULL rate]• Maize fertilized with NPK compost or manure (3-5 t/ha) • Groundnut or soyabean or cowpea or pigeon pea fertilized

with 5 kg P/ha [HALF rate]• Maize/pigeon pea intercrop fertilized with 70 kg N and 21

kg P• Maize/field bean intercrop fertilized with 70 kg N and 21 kg

P• Doubled-up legumes A: Pigeon pea/groundnut intercrop

fertilized with 5 kg P]• Doubled-up legumes B: Pigeon pea/soybean intercrop

fertilized with 5 kg P]• Doubled-up legumes C: Pigeon pea/cowpea intercrop

fertilized with 5 kg P]

Rationale

• Unfertilized maize – for establishing base yields depending soil resource base

• Maize + mineral fertilizers NPKS – for establishing water limited yield potential

• Maize + manure/compost + NPKS – for establishing water limited yield potential with inorganic -organic nutrient sources combinations

Baby trial formulation and management • Action groups were formulated around each of the 8 mother

trials, resulting in 2 action groups per intervention site• Action groups comprised of at least 38 farmers, who actively

participated in the establishment of the mother trials. • Action group members subsequently established baby trials

based on the following rules:– No more than 4 treatments were to be selected from the

mother trial they had established,

– Two treatments were mandatory• Fertilized maize plot - farmers were not given any

fertilizer – they had to source using own resources, including fertilizers from the subsidy program• Doubled-up legume: selection from any of those

included in the mother trial

Details on mother and baby trialsDistrict Action sites

(EPA)Mother trial host farmer

Maize varieties used

Cowpea Pigeon pea Groundnut Soybean

Dedza Linthipe Chiyembekezo Chayera (38)

PAN 53 Sudan 1 Mwaiwathu alimi

CG7 Makwacha

Alfred Jason(39)

DKC 9089 IT82E-16 Sauma Nsinjiro Nasoko

Golomoti Josephine Pindu (52)

SC403 Nkanakaufiti Sauma Nsinjiro Nasoko

Benedict Damson (55)

DKC 8053 Nkanakaufiti Mwaiwathu alimi

CG7 Makwacha

Ntcheu Kandeu Florence Odile(90)

SC627 Sudan 1 Mwaiwathu alimi

Nsinjiro Makwacha

Green(97) Charlie

DKC 8053 IT82E-16 Sauma CG7 Nasoko

Nsipe Peter Msowoya(39)

SC627 Sudan 1 Mwaiwathu alimi

CG7 Makwacha

Mary Mkundo(38)

DKC 8053 IT82E-16 Mwaiwathu alimi

Nsinjiro Nasoko

Nsipe action group _November 2013

Diversification …intensification

• Crop diversification as one of the major themes of the ‘mother and baby’ approach

Doubled-up legumes – intercropping 2 legumes that are complementary/have little competition for

resources

Great mixture...

Maize +pigeon pea

After harvesting companion crop, pigeon pea continues growth

...and produces its own grain

.... plus soil fertility replenishment

Livestock = protein

Food and nutritional security

Soyabean has the best per capita

protein production compared to any

known agricultural enterprise!

Chonde = soil organic matter

Exposing farmers to agric intensification technologies ......

.. and IITA, USAID, and MSU administrators in the field to see our intensification ideas at work

Irmgard in Linthipe, Dedza ..

.... Farmers and researchers determine yields together

Postharvest issues

Aflatoxin contamination worsened by storage of grain at high

moisture content

Grain moisture and aflatoxin – can we invest in moisture meters

Poor but happy at last ..

We invest in training extension

Dedza, Nov 2012 workshop

Dry bones can live again ...

Thank you