Download Sustainable Intensification of Cereal

Sustainable Intensification of CerealLegume Farming Systems in the
Sudano-Sahelian Savanna Zone of
Ghana
A.Y Kamara
Systems Agronomist
IITA-Kano
Sustainable Intensification of Cereal-based Farming Systems in the Sudano-Sahelian
Zone of West Africa: Project Design Workshop, Tamale, Ghana, 9-12 January 2012
Introduction
• The northern Regions of Ghana are characterized by
small land holdings of low input-output farming systems
• This adversely impact food security in terms of
availability, access and quality
• The crops in the Ghana savannas are often produced in
production systems in which soil natural resources are
steadily depleted
Effects of continous monocropping
• decreasing soil organic matter contents
• increasing populations of chronic parasitic weeds (eg.
Striga spp.)
• reduced soil biological diversity
• enhanced risk of erosion, and annual nutrient losses
• Average on-farm maize yields (1-2t/ha) are well below
on-station yields (6-8t/ha)
Highlights of biophysical constraints
Striga effect on sorghum
Striga effect on rice
Striga effect on cowpea
Striga effect on maize
Highlights of biophysical constraints
Highlights of biophysical constraints
Drought effect on soybean
Alectra effect on cowpea
Striga effect on cowpea
Drought effect on maize
Highlights of biophysical constraints
Poor soil fertility
Effects of continous monocropping
• The poverty profile also depicts the three northern
regions as the most poverty stricken and hunger spots in
Ghana
• Gender inequalities are also apparent in these regions
where women have less access to resources and
capacity to generate income
• Infrastructure development in marketing and transport,
access to social services, such as education and health
are poor in the three northern regions
Drivers of Food insecurity in
northern Ghana
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Erratic rainfall distribution and recurrent drought,
Floods and crop failures leading to poor yields,
High post-harvest losses,
Lack of improved storage structures and market for farm
produce,
Limited access to productive resources such as land,
irrigable land, labour,
Poor access to improved livestock breeds and crop
varieties,
Inadequate water for dry season irrigated agriculture
Inadequate human resource for development and
transfer of agricultural technologies.
General Objective of the Project
• Increase productivity of maize-legume and
crop/tree/livestock systems in the Sudan
savanna zone of Ghana
Specific Objectives
• Promote and strengthen partnerships for implementing
sustainable initiatives in the maize-legume systems of
northern Ghana
• Improve land, water, and natural resource management
for increased systems productivity
• Develop and improve the adoption of productive and
resilient agronomic practices and local innovation
systems for system intensification
• Improve rural incomes through improved market linkages
for rural farmers
• Improve nutritional status of populations improved
through increased nutritional awareness interventions
and promotion of dietary diversity
Geographical Focus
• Northern Region- Karaga, Cheroponi, and
Tolon-Kumbungu
• Upper West Region-Kassena-Nankana
and Bawku West
• Upper East Region-Wa East and Nadowli
Project outputs
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Functional innovation platform (IPs) operating with capacity of
partners strengthened at different levels to resolve community
problems
Land, water, and natural resource management technologies identified
and promoted
Improved cropping systems for sustainable agricultural productivity
identified and promoted among smallholder farmers
Improved rural incomes through improved input-output marketing for
smallholder farmers
Nutritional status of populations improved through increased
nutritional awareness interventions and promotion of dietary diversity
Functional innovation platform (IPs) operating with capacity of
partners strengthened at different levels to resolve community
problems
• Identification of districts and communities to participate
in project activities
• Identification of potential IP partners
• Workshops to agree modalities, procedures,
responsibilities, tasks and interaction among IP
members
• Undertake community and livelihood analysis to identify
and priortize constraints and opportunities
• Monitor IP activities and review protocols
• Identify training needs of project stakeholders and
conduct training as needed
• Provide graduate training for members of research
institutions participating in the project
Land, water, and natural resource management
technologies identified and promoted
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Evaluate impacts of soil and water conservation strategies on system
productivity compared to traditional cultural practices
Assess the performance of tree crops with fertilizer rations, fodder and fruit
tree species
Generate information on soil health and the key tree crops for food security
and CDM projects
Develop knowledge and options for growth resources sharing between
annual and perennial components in agroforestry systems
• Assess the potential of surface and groundwater pump irrigation for
dry season farming and supplemental irrigation
• Identify the actual and potential spatial spread of pump irrigation
practices along major rivers in the three Northern Regions
Land, water, and natural resource management
technologies identified and promoted
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Evaluate options of land use changes and land management practices
which would prevent land degradation,
Identify approaches and technologies needed to improve rainwater
harvesting and use
Identify and evaluate models for conducting water balance estimates at
watershed scales in study sites
Determine the potential increases in crop yields attainable through improved
rainwater harvesting and supplemental irrigation
Select best varieties of soybean for high N2-fixation capacity and adaptation
to abiotic and biotic stresses (pests and diseases).
Identify best-fit agronomic practices for maximizing potential benefits of
legume and inoculant technologies on increasing and stabilizing
productivity.
Evaluate contributions of improved legume varieties to best-fit agronomic
practices, system productivity and farm livelihood with specific attention to
trade-off analysis between competing agricultural enterprises
Improved cropping systems for sustainable agricultural
productivity identified and promoted among smallholder farmers
• Sourcing of improved crop varieties to mitigate farmer
identified production constraints
• Conduct on-station and on-farm trials across agroecologies to identify high-yielding, drought, pest and
disease tolerant maize and legume varieties
• Collect varietal performance data to facilitate variety
registration and release
• Establish functional community based seed production
schemes and link to seed companies
• Develop and promote improved crop management
practices that optimize yield
• Evaluate phosphorous application rate and starter N
application to soybeans, groundnuts and cowpeas
Improved cropping systems for sustainable agricultural
productivity identified and promoted among smallholder farmers
• Facilitate crop diversification to arrest environmental
degradation including declining soil fertility and
increased Striga incidence
• Evaluate IPM technologies for pest management in
legumes
• Develop and quantify the contribution of legumes to
improve the productivity and profitability of farming
systems across different agro-ecologies
• Validation of simulation models for growth and yield of
maize, cowpea, and soybean cultivars under simulated
changing climate scenarios
• Produce more feed through identification of food-feed
varieties of major crops,
Improved cropping systems for sustainable agricultural
productivity identified and promoted among smallholder farmers
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Assess tillage and biomass management options; develop smart
combination of cereal and legumes residues for improved animal
productivity
Develop options for moving feed temporarily and spatially through
promotion of fodder trade, improved storage to reduce dry season scarcity
Co-develop with farmers livestock management options that optimize
nutrient cycling and draught animal power input to cropping and transport
Identify and promote the most productive and nutritious vegetable varieties
to boost their production and optimize their unique nutritive properties
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Evaluate and promote options for the resilient production of vegetable crops
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Co-adapt with farmers available crop, soil and pest management
technologies to boost current vegetable productivity
Improved rural incomes through improved input-output marketing
for smallholder farmers
• Conduct maize and grain legume sub-sector surveys to
Identify market and investment opportunities to promote
production, processing and marketing of maize and grain
legumes in northern Ghana
• Formulate strategy to develop maize and grain legume
value chain in northern Ghana
• Carry out participatory value chain analysis to identify
constraints, needs, and solutions to vegetable market
chain inefficiencies
• Assess existing vegetable postharvest technologies and
potential for small scale processing
Nutritional status of populations improved through increased
nutritional awareness interventions and promotion of dietary
diversity
• Document traditional foods and explore ways of
modifying food preparation practices to optimize
retention of nutrients and improve bioavailability
• Document local food systems and investigate
traditional food technologies and improve food
preservation and distribution by local
entrepreneurs
• Develop evidence-based dietary strategies with
locally-adapted options and analyze their
acceptability and effectiveness
Proposed partners
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Research: IITA, IWMI, ILRI, AVRDC,, SARI, KNUST
NGOs in Ghana,
Seed companies,
soybean processors,
AGRA funded projects in northern Ghana
YARA fertilizer company,
TechnoServe, Tamale Implement Factory Ltd, “
3K&A oil mill, ADVANCE (USAID project),
Ghana Nuts oil mill and their out growers project GOAL,
Savanna Farmers Marketing Company Ltd
Options for scaling out
• The technology dissemination approach of this project is
based upon a series of proven developmental models
including group training in technology extension,
Participatory Research and Development, communitybased outreach through farmer collective action, and the
support for agricultural value chains.
• Innovation Platforms that include broad partnership
involving researchers, extension system, marketers,
policy makers
• Use of GIS tools, modelling to scale-out workable
technologies to broader areas
• Support to community seed production and linkage with
seed companies to enhance adoption