Problems, Progress and Partnerships
A. Bationo
Problems, Progress and Partnerships
A. Bationo
Combating Soil Fertility Degradation in the
Desert Margins of Africa
Combating Soil Fertility Degradation in the
Desert Margins of Africa
Why Focus on Soils in the desert margins of Africa
Why Focus on Soils in the desert margins of Africa
Low /declining/ unstable land productivity
Interactions with the other factors such as
climate change, water quality, C sequestration
Limited returns to crop breeding
Lot of soil research initiatives. What is NEW?
Low /declining/ unstable land productivity
Interactions with the other factors such as
climate change, water quality, C sequestration
Limited returns to crop breeding
Lot of soil research initiatives. What is NEW?
Soil Degradation in AfricaSoil Degradation in Africa
227
187
62
19
0
50
100
150
200
250
(mill
ion h
a)
Water erosion Wind erosion Chemicaldegradation
Other physicaldegradation
Percentage decreases in soil fertility in farmers’ fields under continuous cultivation in
the savanna zone of Nigeria
Percentage decreases in soil fertility in farmers’ fields under continuous cultivation in
the savanna zone of Nigeria
Zones Ca Mg K pH
Sudan 21 32 25 4
Northern Guinea 19 27 33 4
Southern Guinea 46 51 50 10
Annual losses rates of soil organic carbon measured at farm level in WASAT
Annual losses rates of soil organic carbon measured at farm level in WASAT
Site Clay +
silt (%)
Annual losses
(K) (%)
Bambay 3 7
Saria (non eroded) 12 2
Saria eroded 19 6
Growth rate of millet 1979-1994Growth rate of millet 1979-1994
Country Area
(%)/ yr
Yield (%)/ yr Production
(%)/ yr
Production/ hbt
(%)/ yr
WA 4.7 - 0.4 4.2 1.2
Mali 5.1 - 1.0 4.0 2.3
Niger 3.9 - 1.0 2.8 - 1.3
Nigeria 7.7 - 2.3 5.2 2.2
B.F 3.8 2.0 5.9 3.0
Greater Yield Increase Due to Land Expansion than to Crop Improvement Potential
Greater Yield Increase Due to Land Expansion than to Crop Improvement Potential
Crops Area Yield Production
Cassava 2.6 0.7 3.3
Maize 0.8 0.2 1.0
Yam 7.2 0.4 7.6
Cowpea 7.6 -1.1 6.5
Soybean -0.1 4.8 4.7
Plantain 1.9 0.0 2.0Based on three-year average for 1988-1990 and 1998-2000. FAO database.
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
Maize Soybean Cowpea
Gra
in y
ield
(t
ha-1)
Farmer
Researcher
Derived Savanna
The Yield Gap From Station and On-farm FieldsThe Yield Gap From Station and On-farm Fields
N,P,K Application Versus Loss in AfricaN,P,K Application Versus Loss in Africa
4.4
0.5
3.0
0.8
0.3 0.2
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
N P KNutrients
Mill
ion
tons
per
yea
r
Loss
Applied
Fertilizer Prices 1998/99 -- DAP
Location Price per ton ($)
USA (Kansas) 260Pakistan 283Bangladesh 286South Africa 348 Central Ethiopia 350C. Kenya 415 Malawi 470Uganda 550
Fertilizer Prices 1998/99 -- DAP
Location Price per ton ($)
USA (Kansas) 260Pakistan 283Bangladesh 286South Africa 348 Central Ethiopia 350C. Kenya 415 Malawi 470Uganda 550
Total millet dry matter yield as affected by long-termapplication of crop residues and fertilizer, Sadore, Niger
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
19821984198619881990199219941996
Year
To
ta
l m
ille
t d
ry
m
atte
r (k
g h
a-1 )
Control
Crop residues
Fertilizer
Crop residues + fertilizer
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
withoutcrop
residues
with cropresidues
Dry
m
atte
r / N
a
pp
lie
d (k
g k
g-1 )
Integrated Nutrient BenefitsIntegrated Nutrient Benefits
Sources of Organic MatterSources of Organic Matter
Residues
Oil palm Manure
Imperata
Integrated Soil Fertility Management StrategyIntegrated Soil Fertility Management Strategy
Resilient Germplasm /Fertilizer(org+Inorg)
Ecosystem Services
Integrated Pest Management
Entry point
Entry point
Soil ConservationWater Management
ISFM
Strategies ISFMStrategies ISFM
ISFM
Enabling policies
Farmerparticipation
Market/Seed/Fertilizer
Water use (WU), grain yield (GY) and water use efficiency (WUE) for millet in NigerWater use (WU), grain yield (GY) and water use efficiency (WUE) for millet in Niger
Treatments SADORE DOSSO
GY WUE GY WUE
- Fertilizers 460 1.25 780 2.04
+Fertilizers 1570 4.14 1700 4.25
Improved soil fertility enhances the water use efficiency of
crops in the Sahel
Grain response to N levels at degraded and non-degraded sitesGrain response to N levels at degraded and non-degraded sites
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
0 15 P 30 PP rate
Gra
in y
ield
0N (ND)
0N (D)
60N (ND)
60N (D)
N and P use efficiency at Karabedji, Niger 1998-2002N and P use efficiency at Karabedji, Niger 1998-2002Degraded 8.6 Nitrogen
(N) at 60
Non-degraded 15.3
Degraded 50 Phosphorus (P) at 30
Non-degraded 58
Farmers managed trials at Gaya, 2002 rainy seasonFarmers managed trials at Gaya, 2002 rainy season
Treatments Millet grain yield
(kg/ha)
Millet TDM yield
(kg/ha) 1=farmers’ practices
280
1419
2=NPK HP 573 2309
3=DAP HP 423 1832
4=PRT+NPK HP 736 2775
SE 10 25
NPK: 15-15-15 compound fertilizers DAP: Diammonium phosphate HP: hill placement at 4 kg P/ha PRT: Tahoua Phosphate rock broadcast at 13 kg P/ha
Effect of P sources and placement on cowpea yield and P use efficiency (PUE)Effect of P sources and placement on cowpea yield and P use efficiency (PUE)
Treatments Cowpea
P sources and methods of placement
Fodder (kg/ha)
PUE (kg/kg P)
Control 1688
SSP (bc) 2375 134
PRK (BC) 2469 141
PRK (BC) + 15-15-15 (HP)
3688
180
SSP: Single Superphosphate ,15-15-15: N2 P2O5 K2O compound fertilizer
BC: Broadcast at 13 kg P/ha, HP: hill placed at 4 kg P/ha; PUE: P use efficiency kg yield/kg P applied
Farmers managed trials at Karabedji, 2002 rainy seasonFarmers managed trials at Karabedji, 2002 rainy season
Treatments Millet grain yield
(kg/ha)
Millet TDM yield
(kg/ha) 1=farmers’ practices
237 2129
2=NPK HP 632 3244
3=DAP HP 582 3089
4=PRT+NPK HP 854 3868
SE 8 26
NPK: 15-15-15 compound fertilizers DAP: Diammonium phosphate HP: hill placement at 4 kg P/ha PRT: Tahona Phosphate rock broadcast at 13 kg P/ha
Millet grain yield response to P and manure applied at different rates, Banizoumbou, Niger, 2002 rainy seasonMillet grain yield response to P and manure applied at different rates, Banizoumbou, Niger, 2002 rainy season
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
0 13 26
P rates (kg P/ha)
Mille
t g
rain
yie
ld (
kg
/ha
)
0t/ha manure
2t/ha manure
4t/ha manure
Optimum combinations of Inorganic and Organic at Gaya and Karabedji, Niger,2002.
Optimum combinations of Inorganic and Organic at Gaya and Karabedji, Niger,2002.
0
200400
600800
1000
12001400
1600
100Inorg/ 0
Org
75Inorg/25 Org
50Inorg/50 Org
25Inorg/75 Org
0 Inorg/100 Org
Treatment
Gra
in y
ield
(kg
/ha)
Karabedji
Gaya
Fertilizer equivalency of manure at Banizoumbou, Niger, 2002 cropping season
Fertilizer equivalency of manure at Banizoumbou, Niger, 2002 cropping season
Parameters Grain (kg/ha) Total dry
matter (kg/ha)
N FE (%) at 2t/ha of manure 25 41
N FE (%) at 4t/ha of manure 77 52
P FE (%) at 2t/ha of manure 136 113
P FE (%) at 4t/ha of manure 92 75
Cowpea grain yield response to P and manure applied at different rates and methods, Karabedji, Niger, 2002 rainy seasonCowpea grain yield response to P and manure applied at different rates and methods, Karabedji, Niger, 2002 rainy season
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
0 6,5 13
P rates (kg P/ha)
Co
wp
ea g
rain
yie
ld (
kg
/ha)
control
6t/ha broadcast
6t/ha hill placed
Long term effect of fertilizer, CR and soil physical management on pearl millet grain yield, Sadore, 1998-2002Long term effect of fertilizer, CR and soil physical management on pearl millet grain yield, Sadore, 1998-2002
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
947 956 979 1289 1509
Environmental mean (kg/ha)
Mille
t g
rain
yie
ld (
kg
/ha
)
traditional
P+HC+sole crop+CR+N+rotation
P+AT+intercropping+CR+N+rotation
PartnershipsPartnerships
NetworkingNetworking
To exchange information and combine collective experience of professionals in the same field
To achieve economies of scale and efficiency by concentrating scarce human, financial and other resources on key national and regional problems
To minimize duplication
Provide increase bargaining power with external partners
Joint capacity building
To exchange information and combine collective experience of professionals in the same field
To achieve economies of scale and efficiency by concentrating scarce human, financial and other resources on key national and regional problems
To minimize duplication
Provide increase bargaining power with external partners
Joint capacity building
African Network of the Soil Biology African Network of the Soil Biology and Fertility Institute (AfNet)and Fertility Institute (AfNet)African Network of the Soil Biology African Network of the Soil Biology and Fertility Institute (AfNet)and Fertility Institute (AfNet)
• Established in 1988Established in 1988
• Single most important implementing agent Single most important implementing agent of of TSBF programmeTSBF programme • Network of scientists collaborating with Network of scientists collaborating with NGOs NGOs in Africa (120 from NARS, 70 from in Africa (120 from NARS, 70 from Universities)Universities)
• Individual membership with 157 male Individual membership with 157 male scientistsscientists and 33 female scientists, very few Social and 33 female scientists, very few Social ScientistsScientists
AfNet Overall GoalAfNet Overall Goal
To strengthen and sustain To strengthen and sustain
stakeholder capacity to generate, stakeholder capacity to generate,
share and apply soil fertility share and apply soil fertility
management knowledge and skills management knowledge and skills
to contribute to the welfare of to contribute to the welfare of
farming communitiesfarming communities
To strengthen and sustain To strengthen and sustain
stakeholder capacity to generate, stakeholder capacity to generate,
share and apply soil fertility share and apply soil fertility
management knowledge and skills management knowledge and skills
to contribute to the welfare of to contribute to the welfare of
farming communitiesfarming communities
1023
3548 51
80
200
0153045607590
105120135150165180195210
<89 89-90 91-92 93-95 96-98 99-00 >02
Year
No
. of
Sc
ien
tis
ts
AfNet member registrations since inception (1988)
101 from East and Central Africa68 from Southern Africa31 from West Africa
AfNetAfNetAfNetAfNet
13 14
1516191817
207 1 2
45 3
11
10
East and Central AfricaEast and Central Africa1.1. Uganda Uganda (28)(28)2.2. Kenya Kenya (55)(55)3.3. Tanzania Tanzania (11)(11)4.4. Rwanda Rwanda (1)(1)5.5. Burundi Burundi (9)(9)6.6. Ethiopia Ethiopia (2)(2)7.7. DRC DRC (8)(8)8.8. Madagascar Madagascar (1)(1)
Southern AfricaSouthern Africa9.9. Zambia Zambia (12)(12)10.10. Malawi Malawi (1)(1)11.11. Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (14)(14)12.12. South Africa South Africa (5)(5)
West AfricaWest Africa13.13. Mali Mali (2)(2)14.14. Niger Niger (1)(1)15.15. Nigeria Nigeria (6)(6)16.16. Burkina Faso Burkina Faso (4)(4)17.17. Cote D’Ivoire Cote D’Ivoire (4)(4)18.18. Ghana Ghana (4)(4)19.19. Togo Togo (1)(1)20.20. Cameroon Cameroon (5)(5)21.21. Sierra LeoneSierra Leone (1)(1)22.22. SenegalSenegal (2)(2)23.23. BeninBenin (2)(2)
12
6
AfNet participating countries, 2003
89
21
2223
Number in parenthesis represent the number of AfNet participants in the particular country
Network ExperimentsNetwork Experiments
Key research themes of regional/ international
importance (benchmarks and satellites)
Use of standard methods
Extrapolation of research results through DSS,
GIS and modeling
Key research themes of regional/ international
importance (benchmarks and satellites)
Use of standard methods
Extrapolation of research results through DSS,
GIS and modeling
Research topics addressed in the network trials in 2002/3Research topics addressed in the network trials in 2002/3 Long-term Soil Fertility Management
Optimum Management of Low Quality Organic Resources
Optimum N and P Management in Legume-cereal Rotations
Long-term Soil Fertility Management
Optimum Management of Low Quality Organic Resources
Optimum N and P Management in Legume-cereal Rotations
Research topics…Research topics…
Optimum Combination of Organic and Inorganic Nutrient Sources
Scaling up/ out soil fertility restoration technologies
Improving manure management
Farmer empowerment to combat land degradation
Optimum Combination of Organic and Inorganic Nutrient Sources
Scaling up/ out soil fertility restoration technologies
Improving manure management
Farmer empowerment to combat land degradation
Research topics…Research topics…
Below-ground biodiversity
Conservation tillage
Biological nitrogen fixation
Use of PR as a capital investment to replenish soil fertility
Below-ground biodiversity
Conservation tillage
Biological nitrogen fixation
Use of PR as a capital investment to replenish soil fertility
1
2
3
4
76
5
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
1. Mali2. Niger3. Nigeria4. Burkina Faso5. Cote D’Ivoire6. Ghana7. Togo8. Cameroon9. Congo (DR)
AfNet participating countries and research sites
Koulikoro**,Fana** Niono(ICRISAT, IER)
University ofAbidjan-CocodyLamto**
Kumasi**
Farakou-Ba**,Kouare** (INERA)
Sadore**, Banizoumbou**Karabedji**, Gaya**, Gobery** (ICRISAT)
Zaria**
Lome**
10. Uganda11. Kenya12. Tanzania13. Zambia14. Zimbabwe15. South Africa16. Madagascar
** Established 2002
Mlingano,Sokoine university
Egerton university,Nairobi university,KAR-KEFRI-ICRAF
Ndere dance TroupeMakerere universityNARO
University of Zimbabwe
Misamfu Research Centre, Chilanga
University of Kisangani
IRAD, University of Yaounde
15University of WitwatersrandUniversity of Fort Hare
16 FOFIFA
17 Chitedze
The Way ForwardThe Way Forward
Restructuring AfNet to be a cornerstone
network in soil research for Africa
Strengthening AfNet to pursue its role in
process research on soil biology and fertility
Restructuring AfNet to be a cornerstone
network in soil research for Africa
Strengthening AfNet to pursue its role in
process research on soil biology and fertility
The Way Forward… The Way Forward…
Contributing towards the development of
methodologies for scaling up and reaching out
soil fertility restoration technologies
Building capacity of stakeholders through
relevant research and training activities and
information dissemination
Contributing towards the development of
methodologies for scaling up and reaching out
soil fertility restoration technologies
Building capacity of stakeholders through
relevant research and training activities and
information dissemination
Reaching the Millions? Reaching the Millions?
Best bet technologies
Research
Research Delivery Delivery Capacity building Capacity building
?
?
Scaling up, out, down? Missing links?Scaling up, out, down? Missing links?
IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH PARTNERSHIP
COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMMESAHI SoilFertNet ANAFE DMP SWMNet
ECABREN and IAEA
TSBF NetworksAfNet SARNet MIS BGBD
TSBFCORE
SCIENCEPROGRAMME