Download Integrated Fruit Trees-Cereals

Integrated Fruit Trees-CerealsVegetables Systems
• Fruit and vegetables can add value to
irrigated agriculture production systems
resulting in intensification of irrigated
agriculture
• Intercropping is a common practice in
agriculture systems of the developing
world
• Incorporation of fruit trees and
vegetables into irrigated mono-culture
systems such as rice is an entry point for
largescale adoption of the high value
crops
• This proposal is based on a farmers’
innovation initiative at the Gaya region of
Niger
• A local farm cooperative developed over a
period of 20 years an intricate production
system based on year round integrated
cultivation of trees, rice and vegetables
• Rows of fruit trees mainly citrus and
mangoes are planted at wide spacing
sometimes on elevated ridges
• In the rainy season trees are intercropped
with rice. In the dry season rice is
replaced by vegetables
Fruit trees intercropped
with onions
Fruit trees with rice
• The principal role of cereals is to
suppress soil born diseases and
weeds thus allowing production of
vegetables such as onions over a
long period of time
• This system guarantees optimal
conditions for fruit trees production
since the fruit trees benefit from the
ample water and fertilizers given to
the vegetables and rice
•Each farmer cultivates an area of
2,500m²
•Preliminary study of the system shows
that this system is very profitable
• This system can replace low-profit rice
monoculture schemes such as the Office
du Niger project in Mali (40,000 hectares)
or used to intensify small scale irrigation
• It can also be used to further intensify
current vegetables production systems
such as the onion-sorghum system in
Niger
Research needs
• Identification of best cereal varieties (short
duration, high yield) and management practices
• Study the effect of the cereal on soil health
• Study the performance of fruit trees (species,
rootstocks and varieties) in the system
• Develop optimal management practices for fruit
trees (spacing, pruning, ridge planting etc)
• Identify best mix of vegetable species for
various scenarios
• Devise optimal management practices for
vegetables
• Study water and land productivity aspects
• Devise appropriate irrigation and water
technologies
• Creation of partnerships with private sector for
processing of fruit and vegetables (especially
for large irrigation schemes in regions distant
from markets)
• Study constrains to upscaling
• Feasibility studies under various scenarios for
the new integrated systems
Critical Needs for Collaborative Research
• The integrated fruit-cereal-vegetables approach
can be applied in all eco-climatic regions of the
developing world (tropics, semi arid tropics and
dry subtropics). Species and varieties
composition as well as system design will vary
from region to region
• Study and development of the systems requires
tight collaboration among institutes engaged in
irrigation, vegetables and fruit research, cereal
research and economics
Thank You