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CROPS AND PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN THE TROPICS
Georg-August-University GöttingenFaculty of Agricultural SciencesDepartment for Crop SciencesWorking Group - Crop Production Systems in the TropicsGrisebachstr. 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
Intensification options for resource constrained, smallholder farmers
Co-ordinatorProf. Dr. Anthony Whitbread; [email protected]
+ Lectures delivered byDr. Ronald Kühne [email protected]. Dr. Martin Worbes; [email protected]
Departmental Secretary:Frau. Francoli [email protected] 39 3752
Lectures will be found at:
http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/306465.html
Lectures in WS 2012/13 Crops and production systems in the tropicsDate Topic Lecturer Venue
22/10/12 10:15 Free – Orientation day, Central Campus L31823/10/12 14:15 Introduction Whit/Kü/Wo L31829/10/12 10:15 Crop production systems in the tropics Whitbread L31830/10/12 14:15 Intensification options for resource poor farmers Whitbread L31805/11/12 10:15 Introduction to Agroforestry Systems Worbes L31806/11/12 14:15 Pulses Whitbread L31812/11/12 10:15 Maize 1 Kühne L31813/11/12 14:15 Maize 2 Kühne L31819/11/12 10:15 Tropical climates Worbes L31820/11/12 14:15 Climate change Worbes L31826/11/12 10:15 Biofuels Worbes L31827/11/12 14:15 Mixed crop-livestock production systems-semi arid tropics Whitbread L31803/12/12 10:15 Ecosystem services in agroecosystems Clough/Whit L31804/12/12 14:15 Intercropping Kühne L31810/12/12 10:15 Wheat production systems in semi-arid tropics Whitbread L31811/12/12 14:15 Analysing yield gaps in cereal production systems Hoffman/Whit L31817/12/12 10:15 Tuber crops Cassava 1 Kühne L31818/12/12 14:15 Tuber crops Cassava 2 Kühne L31824/12/12 10:15 Christmas holiday - -25/12/12 14:15 Christmas holiday - -31/12/12 10:15 New Year holiday - -01/01/13 14:15 New Year holiday - -07/01/13 10:15 Sheltered crop production (exotic vegetables & fruits) Kühne L31808/01/13 14:15 Nutrient management in oil palm Gerendas/Wh L31814/01/13 10:15 Flooded soils Kühne L31815/01/13 14:15 Rice Kühne L31821/01/13 10:15 Rice Kühne L31822/01/13 14:15 GMO (golden rice, soybean zero tillage) Kühne L31828/01/13 10:15 Fruit production citrus Kühne L31829/01/13 14:15 Fruit production citrus Kühne L31804/02/13 10:15 Questions/consulting Wo/Kü/Whit L31805/02/13 14:15 Written exam Wo/Kü/Whit L07
Kü=Kühne; Whit=Witbread; Wo= Worbes; 11/04/13 13:00 Thursday; oral exam and resit written exam16/05/13 13:00 Thursday; oral exam resit
A day in the life of an Odisha rice farmer
Bhuan
Sam Mohanty with Gagan and other farmers
• 30 years farming• 0.7 ha (two patches) = 0.4 ha shared• rice, gram, mushrooms, potato, gourd• 1 cow, 2 calves, 1 bullock• >90 d labourer for others
Source: Doberman 2012Tropentag presentation.Reproduced with permission
Example 1: Odisha , Orissa State, India
A day in the life of an Odisha rice farmer
• 06:00-07:00: collect cow dung; tea and puffed rice; feed cows, house chores
• 07:00-09:00: carry manure to the field, 200 m away; 10 trips with basket, total of 200 kg
• 09:00-10:00 bowl of rice, fried potatoes, and onions• 10:00-12:30 field work: clean bunds, weeding• 12:30-15:00 bath in river, lunch at home, 1-hour nap• 15:00-18:00 field work: land preparation for irrigation• 18:00-23:00: go to village market, feed cattle, jobs around the
house, play some cards with friends
Contrast of poor and rich farmer
Source: PhD thesis of Dr Shamie Zingore, 2003, WageningenReproduced with permission
Example 2: Zimbabwe,
Martha (3 people)
Labour: 1 person
Owns 2.3 ac
~550kg Maize
+ other grains
No implements
No cattle
Little outside income
Zingore, 2003 Ph.D student WUR
Thomas (4 people)
Labour 2+ hired
8 ac.
11 Cattle
2 goats
11 Chickens
Implements
Fertiliser use
Zingore, 2003 Ph.D student WUR
Crops and Production Systems in the Tropics
Classification of Tropical Farming Systems*
-where annual crops are a dominant/important component
1. Shifting cultivation systems2. Semi-intensive rainfed systems3. Intensive rainfed systems
Examples of possible intensification in the context of resource poor farming in dry areas (examples from semi-arid sub-Saharan systems):
a. Micro-dosing (top-dressing small amounts of N)b. Conservation agriculture (CA), including Direct seeded Direct
Seeded Mulch Based Cropping Systems (DMC)c. Cash crops (covered in Pulses lecture, 6/11/12)
Others: water harvesting, micro-irrigation, integrated soil fertility management (ISFM)
Cropping frequency increases
A: Low doses of N fertiliser (micro-dosing)
Maize yield
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
0 20 40 60 80 100
N rate (kgN/ha)
Yiel
d
Experiments give different results in different seasons
N response in different seasons
Experiments give different results in different seasons
Chisepo seasonal rainfall variation
565
159285
586
865
366493
786
558
57
648629
811853
525647
827
634
842
613642577
719575
402
707580
429
858722717
461570
666
510
1361
619
0
200
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1967
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2002
2003 Avg
Season of harvest
Oct
ober
to M
ay ra
infa
ll (m
m)
Why do researchers use models ?Experiments give different results in different locations
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
N applied (kg/ha)
Gra
in y
ield
(kg/
ha)
RushingaZvimbaNdabazindunaGutu
How much fertiliser should we advise farmers to apply?
Are we asking the right question?
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 50 100 150 200 250
Gra
in y
ield
(kg/
ha)
Fertilier N rate (kg/ha)
Low rainfallHigh rainfall
How much
Are we asking the right question?
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 50 100 150 200 250
Gra
in y
ield
(kg/
ha)
Fertilier N rate (kg/ha)
Low rainfallHigh rainfall
The current use and capacity
Recommendation from research and/or advisor
Problem: Adoption of broadcast fertilizer use is low due to high costs
Micro-dosing
Inorganic % of farmers using
Application rate
Recommended rate
Inorganic 5 50 kg/ha 250-350 kg/ha
Manure 40 4 t/ha 20-40 t/ha
Typical fertiliser use in sub-Saharan Africa
Source: Dimes et.al. (2005) Omanya GO and Pasternak D. (eds.) 2005. Sustainable Agriculture Systems for the Drylands. Proceedings of the International Symposium for Sustainable DrylandAgriculture Systems, 2–5 December 2003, Niamey, Niger. Niamey BP 12404, Niger: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). 336 pp. ISBN 92-9066-477-0.
Problem: Adoption of broadcast fertilizer use is low due to high costs
Solution: Under some circumstances, micro dosing may enable resource poor farmers utilise small amounts of fertiliser:• reduced investment costs• plants show more rapid early growth• plants have larger root systems and therefore more tolerant
against droughts• fertilization is very targeted
But: micro-dosing is part of a package – access to fertiliser, information and good agronomy are all required
Micro-dosinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amPurPQv98w
618472
914734
1109
751
Mali Burkina Faso
Millet grain yield(kg/ha)
Controlrecommended ratesmicro dosing
683503
1061
787
1250
823
Mali Burkina Faso
Sorghum grain yield(kg/ha)
Controlrecommended ratesmicro dosing
Source: Tabo et al. (2008). In: Proceedings of the Workshop on Increasing the Productivity and Sustainability of RainfedCropping Systems of Poor, Smallholder Farmers, Tamale, Ghana, 22‐25 September 2008
Effects of micro-dosing on grain yield of millet and sorghum
Source: Twomlow et al. 2008. Micro-dosing as a pathway to Africa’s green revolution: evidence from broad-scale on-farm trials. Nutrient Cycing in Agroecosystems , DOI 10.1007/s10705-008-9200-4.
Effects of micro-dosing on grain yield of maize millet and sorghum- Zimbabwe
Modelled Fertiliser response – units are additional bags of grain for one bag of nitrogen fertiliser (15 kg N/ha)
Sowing window from 1 Nova 1 Decb Plant population (/m2) 2.0d 3.5c 2.0 3.5
Weed control good poore good poor good poor good poor Soil Depth Soil fertility
Shallow (50 cm) low 10 1 3 0 8 1 2 0 mod 9 3 9 1 7 3 6 1 high 7 4 8 2 5 3 5 1
Medium (100 cm) low 17 5 14 1 15 4 11 0 mod 11 6 16 5 11 7 15 5 high 9 6 14 6 8 7 13 6
Deep (>150 cm) low 16 6 17 2 15 0 15 2 mod 11 7 17 7 10 8 15 8 high 8 6 14 8 8 6 13 9
very low risk (one year in 10) medium risk (one year in 5)high risk situations (>1 year in 5)
Conservation Agriculture (CA)
Underpinned by three principles:1. Continuous minimum mechanical soil disturbance.2. Permanent organic soil cover. 3. Diversified Crop Rotations
Conservation Agriculture on smallholder farms in Africa
‘…a concept for resource-saving agricultural crop production that strives to achieve acceptable profits together with high and sustainable production levels while conserving the environment.” (FAO 2007)
http://www.pps.wur.nl/UK/CA/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdn3PgA97E4
Problem: Tillage leaves soils vulnerable to erosion and reduces soil organic matter content.
Solution: Conservation farming techniques may• Improve rainfall infiltration and conserve more moisture• Increase and maintain higher soil organic matter (over time)• Reduce overall labour requirement• Reduce risk and increase crop yields
But: Conservation farming relies on:No tillage- therefore planting machinery is requiredCover –in many situations crop residues are needed by livestock
Conservation Agriculture:
Effects of clearing and cultivation for cereal on soil carbon- SE Qld AustraliaDecrease in C (0-10 cm) with period of cultivation
Source: reproduced from Dalal and Mayer (1986)
Infiltration
0
30
60
90
120
Sow1994
Sow1995
Harvest1995
Sow1996
Infil
trat
ion
(mm
/h)
-R
+R
Soil CarbonCT CL L CMI
______mg/g____
Uncropped 25.22 5.31 0.21 100
1995 - R 6.41 0.89 0.16 16+ R 6.87 1.01 0.17 18
1996 - R 5.93 1.04 0.22 19+ R 6.51 1.38 0.27 27
Potassium Balance
-150
-110
-70
-30
10
50
K B
alan
ce (k
g/ha
)
199519941993
Lucerne Chickpea Medic Fallow
-F +F -F +F -F +F -F +F-R +R -R +R -R +R -R +R -R +R -R +R -R +R -R +R
No-till, animal-traction direct seeder for conservation agriculture in ZimbabweFarmer Mr Mufuka, far left, from Pindukai, Shamva District, Mashonaland Central, Zimbabwe, demonstrates a no-till, animal-traction direct seeder used in conservation agriculture (CA). These seeders originate from Brazil, but have been introduced to Africa through CIMMYT's CA program, and are a key tool towards small-scale farmer mechanization in Southern Africa. They are being demonstrated to and used by farmers in various areas of Southern Africa, and locally produced and purchased by farmers in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Mufaka has been a demonstration farmer under CA projects since 2004, helping disseminate CA to other farmers. Photo credit: Thomas Lumpkin/CIMMYT.
Happy Seeder: The burning of rice stubbles is widely practiced in many regions of South Asia, espially in rice-wheat systems of the Indo-Gangetic plains. While burning is a rapid and cheap solution and allows quick turn around between crops, it has consequences on health due to air pollution and reduces soil fertility due to nutrient loss. The Happy Seeder overcomes many of the technical problems associated with direct drilling into rice residues. http://aciar.gov.au/files/node/13991/happy_seeder_technology_39223.pdf
Conservation farming relies on:
• No tillage- therefore planting machinery is required.
• Cover – in most dryland situations, crop residues are needed by livestock and there are usually no fences with open access to communally grazed herds.
• The use of forages and zero-grazing systems may overcome some of these aspects.
Some Trade-offs in Conservation farming:• Increased reliance on herbicides to control weeds.• Higher levels of management & investment required• Yield advantages of CA may be small but in the longer term,
larger due to higher soil quality and sustainability.
Direct Seeded Mulch Based Cropping Systems (DMC)
• Similar concept and principles to CA, but with a greater focus on the use of cover or mulch crops to provide additional cover and utilise ‘recycle’ nutrients and water.
• Promoted by CIRAD researchers in places such as Northern Vietnam and Madagascar
Conservation farming relies on:
• No tillage- therefore planting machinery is required.
• Cover – in most dryland situations, crop residues are needed by livestock and there are usually no fences with open access to communally grazed herds.
• The use of forages and zero-grazing systems may overcome some of these aspects.
Some Trade-offs in Conservation farming:• Increased reliance on herbicides to control weeds.• Higher levels of management & investment required• Yield advantages of CA may be small but in the longer term,
larger due to higher soil quality and sustainability.
Direct Seeded Mulch Based Cropping Systems (DMC)
• Promoted by CIRAD researchers in places such as Northern Vietnam and Madagascar
• Similar concept and principles to CA, but with a greater focus on the use of cover or mulch crops to provide additional cover and utilise ‘recycle’ nutrients and water.
• The use of multiple ‘complementary’ spp. to maximise cover, utilise rainfall and influence the soil environment.
Source: http://agroecologie.cirad.fr
Example of crop associations and inter-annual successions (climate with a long dry season).
Example of a system with living mulch (e.g. Desmodium, Kikuyu) Source: http://agroecologie.cirad.fr
Direct Seeded Mulch Based Cropping Systems (DMC)
• Adoption of such systems has remained very limited to date probably due to the higher labour and management demands.
• Affholder et al. (2010) found that labour requirement for mulch establishment was a major barrier – could be potentially overcome by use of herbicides, but high cost prohibitive
• Suggested subsidies if US$ 50 to 200/ha would be required/
The comparison of labour requirements in upland rice systems using the conventional (farmer practice) and direct mulch cropping (DMC) systemsSource: Affholder et al. (2010). Agricultural Systems 103, 51-62.
