Tackling key issues for smallholder farmers: the Farmer Research Network approach

Bettina I.G. HaussmannUniversity of Hohenheim, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany

Bettina.Haussmann@uni-hohenheim.de

Previously:

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The Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP)

• Vision: CCRP seeks to contribute to a world where all have access to nutritious food that is sustainably produced by local people.

• Mission: We do this through collaborative agro-ecological systems research and knowledge-sharing that strengthen the capacities of smallholder farmers, research institutions and development organizations.

http://www.ccrp.org/

• Presently: 4 Communities of Practice (CoPs), 12 countries

• West Africa CoP since 2006 on sorghum- & pearl millet-based systems

Andes

Eastern Africa

Southern Africa

Western Africa

Target countries & N of CCRP projects:

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West Africa Regional Context• Target countries: Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, ranking 175, 185

and 187, for 2016 HDI, out of 188• 51-66% living below 1.25 US$ /d• Human population growth rates up to 3.8% (Niger)

Projection: N of inhabitants in Niger will more than triple between now and 2050 (to 55m)

• 64-83% dependency on agriculture – smallholder farmers!• Farming systems based on sorghum & pearl millet (and partially

maize), associated with legumes (cowpea, groundnut, bambaranut), combined with minor crops (fonio, sesame, hibiscus…), animal production and trees or shrubs.

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Major Constraints• High inter-annual rainfall variability (for example

400-1000 mm/year at same site)• Low soil fertility (low P availability, low N, low

organic matter)• Increasing pressure on land, land degradation• Biotic production constraints (Downy mildew,

headminer, Midge, Striga…)• Repeated food insecurity, high vulnerability• Severe malnutrition and hidden hunger• Fragmented markets

Total annual rainfall at Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso (years 1930-2010)

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CCRP Strategic priorities for West Africa• Agro-ecological intensification (AEI) which

comprises legume intensification, crop-tree-livestock integration, systems-oriented breeding (eg for intercropping , fodder or dual use), IPM, local seed systems, local value chain develop-ment, gender- and nutrition-informed research , risk management (don’t do any harm!)

• Diverse, context-specific options to serve hetero-geneity of farmers, including vulnerable and poor

• Strong farmer participation, farmer-led research to increase research relevance and change power relations, experimenting with farmer research network approaches

• Diversified partnerships• Integration of students & young scientistsDO N

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Farmer Research Network (FRN) approach - Rationale

• Limited success of present R&D system• Heterogeneity of socio-ecological contexts

of target farmers – understanding requires large scale of operation

• Need a representative data base on agro-ecological intensification (AEI) options –also requires large scale

• Farmer organizations, NGOs and development projects (and private sector) form collective infrastructure and social capital which could support research at scale

• Need to link technical and social innovations as well as local and global knowledge

(Nelson, R., R. Coe, B.I.G. Haussmann, 2016, Exp. Agr.)

Small moderate largeScale (N)

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Conventionalag research(1920+)

ParticipatoryResearch(1985+)

Farmer Research Networks for AEI (2015+)

A large scale is needed in complex andheterogeneous situations (R. Coe)

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Farmer Research Network approachVision: To transform the way that much of agricultural R+D is done, to engage (rural, but also peri-urban and urban) people in prioritization, observation, experimentation and utilization of research results.• Transforming agriculture and food systems

• Context-specific agro-ecological intensification• Care for culture, production ecology, equity• Improved yields, nutrition, and sustainability

• Transforming the way we do research and development• Research as part of development, not as basis• “Extension”: from blanket recommendations to support for

understanding of principles and better decision making• Support farmers to bundle agro-ecological options Farmer-researcher co-creation

(Photo Credit: KvBrocke)

(Source: Rebecca Nelson, Scientific Director of CCRP)DO N

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Scientific KnowledgeScientific Innovations,

modeling, trade-off analysis, literature

Local knowledge

Scientific knowledge

Facilitation, negotiation,

Local Knowledge & social capital

Local innovation, evidence,

experience, collective action, local adaptation

of options

Basket of AEI

Options & Principles

Farmer Research Network approach

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Joint Data base, participatory data analysis and interpretation

Large-scale farmer experimentation

(Source: CCRP Leadership Team)DO N

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Principles for Farmer Research NetworksAbout… Principles

FarmersFarmers who represent the social and biophysical diversity of their communities participate in the whole research process

Research

Research is rigorous, democratized, and useful, providing practical benefits to farmers as well as scientific evidence and insights on biophysical and social variation

NetworkingNetworks foster collaboration and opportunities for learning and knowledge sharing

(Source: CCRP Leadership Team)DO N

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Farmer Research Network related to variety testing and seed production around the farmer organization ULPC (Mali)

(Source: E. Weltzien, S. Guindo, M. Sidbe, CCRP Seed systems project)

Privatesector

Network functions:• Production and decentralized

commercialization of sorghum (OPVs & hybrids) & legume seed

• Digital data collection tools• Establishment of databases on

varietal performance and seedproduction/marketing

• Joint interpretation of results and planning of seed production

• Development of farmer-friendly information and communication tools

Eva Weltzien-Rattundewith sorghum farmer in

Mali

Farmer-managed seed cooperatives to increase smallholder farmers’ access to quality seed in West Africa!

Sustainable business models?

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Farm typology, identification of specific constraints and opportunities

Diagnosis, identification of global constraints and opportunities in

target areas (PRA)

Offer a basket of AEI options, Large-N on-farm trials

Farmers choose options and test

Farmer appraisal : feedback sessions -

multi-criteria assessment of options

Farmer appraisal : farmer field day

Annualresearch

cycleExploration and ex-ante assessment of producti-vity, profitability & risks

of options (trade-off analysis) using modeling tools

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b

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Innovation platform: Interactions with

other actors along the value chain

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Farmer Research Network to determine Pathways to AEI(WUR, IER, AMEDD, ICRISAT, farmers in the Koutiala region, Mali)

Scaling…

(Source: Descheemaeker et al. 2014;CCRP « Pathways to AEI » project)

Link to global knowledge

Local knowledge,context-specific options

Describe, Explain, Explore, Design (DEED) cycle

Modeling at field, farm and landscape levelsDO NOT C

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• Network of 2 farmer federations, INRAN, 4 universities, 2 CGIAR centers, several projects

• Focus on pearl millet-based production systems in the Sahel

• Evolved since 2002 (long-term engagement!)

• Basket of options tested, large-N trials, use of ODK for digital data collection

Ongoing developments:• FRN App• Farmer typology • Data base

• Large-N trials (N=2655 tests in 2017)• Communication tools

• Scaling is embedded in the process!

Farmer Research Network around the Farmer FederationFUMA Gaskiya (Niger)

(Source: A.M. Aminou, H. Moussa, B. Haussmann, 2017)

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Selected learnings:1. „Performance“ means more than grain yield on a plot basis!

Depending on the farmers‘ individual context and production objective, performance of a genotype (or any ag option) can mean, e.g.:• Final food yield (not grain yield per se)• Nutritional quality and taste acceptability• Early maturity to provide grain in hungry period• Suitability as dual purpose or fodder crop• Yield & effect on associated crop in an intercrop• Profitability• Risk reduction potential (stable yield)• Provision of ecosystem services• Fit in the overall farming operations (costs, labor)

Importance of grain processing and culinary tests DO NOT C

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2. Need to extend GxExM to GxExMxS(or to “genotype x context” interaction, GxC)

Farmers’ performance indicators and specific preferences are influenced by individual farmers‘ social context, e.g.:• Gender• Ethnic group• Production objective (food security versus marketing)• Access to markets• Farm type (with/without animals)• Farm resource endowment• Risk aversion

Need to understand smallholder farmers heterogeneity!Need to get away from“ Best-bet“ to „best fit“!There are no one-size-fits-all options for smallholder farmers!DO N

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3. Include the genetic correlation between performance in selection versus target environment (rG) in the response to selection formula!

• Heterogeneity of smallholder farmers – selection is not always done in target context!

• Relative efficiency of indirect selection (Ri) versus direct selection (Rd), assuming same sel. intensities:

Ri/Rd= rG x hi/hd

In case of cross-over GxC interaction, the correlation coefficient rG is close to zero or even negative; resulting in zero or negative gains from selection!

Factors that may cause cross-over GxC inter-action for various performance indicators:• High-input „in-fields“ versus low-input „out-

fields“, low-P versus high-P conditions• Early planting versus late planting• Healthy location versus biotic stress hotspot• Pure stand versus intercrop• Food security versus marketing objective• Food, beer, or fodder production objective• Women’s versus men’s preferences• Farmer with / without animals

Context including social factors

Need to understand GxC interactions to be abe to develop appropriate varietaldiversity for the diversity of farmers!DO N

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4. „Baskets of options“ instead of fixed recommendations

• Smallholder farmers‘ individual contexts are heterogeneous and dynamic, changing

• Access to a „Basket of options“ that can be applied in flexible ways and adapted to local contexts and individual situations may serve smallholder farmers‘ needs better than fixed recommendations and so-called “best-bet” packages

• Promoting farmer experimentation at scale and joint exploration of data can lead to a better understanding of principles that explain performance variation in heterogeneous environments and can support farmers’ (and breeders’) decision making processesDO N

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Further selected learnings related to sorghum research targeting smallholder farmers in West AfricaLearning ReferencesPhotoperiod sensitivity is an important trait to cope with rainfall variability in West Africa

Haussmann et al. 2012; Rattunde et al. 2013Rami O307, Teme O79

Guinea-race sorghum hybrids are a game-changing option for smallholders in Mali (30% yield increase over wide range of E)

Rattunde et al. 2013; Kante et al. 2017; Kante O76; Nebie O355

Sorghum adaption to low-P conditions requires direct selection under low-P conditions

Leiser et al. 2012; 2017; Kante O76

Farmer participatory, on-farm early-generation yield testing of sorghum is possible and increases gains from selection in farmers’ fields

Rattunde et al. 2016

Consumption of whole grain sorghum has the potential to reduce malnutrition

Bauchspies et al. 2017; CCRP AnBeJigi project

Strengthening local village-based value chains contributes to women empowerment, income generation and better nutrition in rural areas

Moussa O345; HamakerO130DO N

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Final plea

Paradigm change: Consider smallholder farmers as equal research partners and no longer as „beneficiaries” or “passive adopters” of “best-bet” technologies developed by researchers!

39 Highlights; http://tinyurl.com/ccrp-westafricaDO N

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Acknowledgements

West Africa Community of Practice

• Willmar Leiser • Moctar Kante • Baloua Nebie• C. Tom Hash • Ali M Aminou• Katrien Descheemeaker• Kirsten vom Brocke• Anja Christinck• All CCRP colleagues and grantees

Thank you for your attention!

Eva Weltzien & Fred Rattunde, Justus von Liebig Award forWorld Nutrition 2015

Farmer Federation FUMA Gaskiya:UNDP Equator Prize 2014

Partner Farmer Oganizations in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali

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