Intensification of maize-legume based systems in the semi-arid areas of Tanzania to

increase farm productivity and improve farming natural resource base

Ganga Rao, NVRP, Kimaro, A, Makumbi, D, Mponda, O., Msangi, R., Rubanza, C.D., Seetha, A., Swai, E. and

Okori, P.

Africa RISING East and Southern Africa annual review and planning meeting,

Lilongwe, Malawi, 3-5 September 2013

Kongwa- Kiteto Consortium

ARI-Hombolo

PRC-Kongwa

Tuboreshe Chakula project

NAFAKA

Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives

ARI Naliendele

Dep. of Agric Kiteto & Kongwa

Project Sites: Environment

Kongwa District is found in Dodoma Region. We are working in Mlali ward with a population of about 28,000 people

Kiteto district is found in the Manyara region with an estimated

population of 152,757

Challenges to increased production/productivity

1. Fragile farming environments • Erosion prone farms • Degraded land scapes • Low soils fertility

2. Degradative farming (crop/livestock) pracices

• Overgrazing • Limited integration

3. Low production potential varieties grown 4. Local demand for legumes (consumption) is low

Context of the Interventions

Project Theory of Change

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Novel & multidisciplinary approaches used to improve agricultural innovation

Strengthened M&E and learning in place for team

Team operations is at optimum and well supported

High quality staff motivated to work for project success

Preconditions among project partners

Output 1 Introduce, & evaluate improved varieties of maize and grain legumes

Output 2 Deploy ISFT to improve plant nutrition, yields and agro-ecosystem resilience

Output 3 Validate & promote land management options for sustainable intensification

Output 4 Post-harvest processing utilization and food safety for improved nutrition outcomes

Project outputs

Smallholder farm households especially women and children move out of poverty, food and nutritional insecurity while maintaining and/or improving ecosystem stability and overall agricultural productivity

Development Impact

Government policy is supportive of investments in agriculture

Opportunities for improved access to seed and innovations support intensification

Existing land tenure systems support farm to landscape level interventions

Farmer organizations are functional & supportive of the project

Preconditions amongst in action site

Outcome 1 Increased crop yields in maize-legume farming systems by up to 100% for cereals and 80% for legumes.

Outcome 2 Improved land productivity and agro-ecology robustness support productive and sustainable agriculture

Project level outcomes

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Research approach • RO1 to inform investment.

• Increased productivity

(new varieties- at scale), land use for livestock and poultry

• Increase land productivity (nutrient use, decrease degradation)

• Address household nutrition and food security

• 560 FARMHOUSE HOLDS ENGAGED IN YEAR 1

Scaling up and roll-out

Experiment

Scaling-up

Validate + Scaling up

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Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Problem identification and targeting

Participatory technology evaluation

Adaptation Scaling up and or out.

Research output 1: Underpinning food security and safety work

Average crop productivity (kg/ha) by crop and

district

Crop Kongwa Kiteto Total

Maize 782.3 623.4 753.3

Sunflower 391.3 555.2 433.4

Groundnut 608.9 450.8 529.9

Pigeonpea 200.3 117.3 158.8

Sorghum 323.5 207.2 314.6

Bambara 332.7 160.6 295.1

• Productivity at 50% of potential yield for above crops • Farmers involved in extensive farming using mechanized agriculture

• 46% of farmers have adequate food to last 12 months (334 respondents)

• Jan (21%), Feb (22%) & March (17%) are the most lean months

• Cash purchases (62%), labour exchange for food (28%) are major coping strategies for food insecurity

Village

% house holds with enough food to last 12 months

Yes No

Moleti 29.6 70.4

Mlali 46.8 53.2

Laikala 45.8 54.2

Chitego 54.7 45.3

Njoro 50.8 53.9

FOOD SECURITY

Food insecurity: Limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods

or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.

Food safety and knowledge access • Food safety: Aflatoxins 1. 19% of households are aware of aflatoxin with 28% in groundnut

& 26% in maize 2. Use of gradeout grain

– 15% throw away – 45% eat roasted & as groundnut flour – 30% make flour (maize)

• Farm credit. (12%) in Kongwa and (25%) in Kiteto • Extension: 40% received extension services on general crop

production with 4% on groundnuts

• Farmer organisation: 9% of respondents were members of farmers clubs

Research Output 2 Research Output 2

Biophysical characterisation • A sentinel block of 10 km2 established in

Kongwa for landscape assessment of soil and vegetation using the land degradation surveillance framework

• Infiltration measurement in one of the plots

• Soil sampling and analysis is ongoing

WP 1: On-farm evaluation of improved legume & cereals varieties

PVS on groundnuts

• Best bet varieties for semi-arid areas of central Tanzania identified

• Seed production on-going

Varieties Yield (tons/ha)

1. ICGV-SM 99568 0.55 0.44

2. ICGV-SM 02724 1.50 1.28

3. MANGAKA 0.73 0.35

4. PENDO 0.61 0.28

5.MNANJE 0.87 0.77

6. LOCAL LANDRACES 0.27 0.17

WP 1: On-farm evaluation of improved legume & cereals varieties

• ICEAP0557, ICEAP 554 selected early medium maturity group

• Seed production: community seed systems groundnuts and pigeonpea piloted

• Maize evaluations slated for 2013-2014

• 2012-2013 used to promoted released

materials

Research output 2: WP 2. ISFT

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Phosphorus application rate (kg P ha-1)

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) Phosphorus application rate (kg P ha-1)

(a) • Optimum P rate for maize is 30 kg P ha-1 (Fig. a, b)

• Farmers, may apply 15 kg P ha-1 without losing maize yield.

• Maize response to N

fertilizer was poor, suggesting other compounding factors factors, (Fig. 1c, d).

Njoro in Kiteto

Mlali Village Kiteto

Research output 2: WP 3. Land management (soil and water conservation)

• Soil moisture challenge: Insitu water harvesting technologies tested and show yield advantage

• Deep tillage improved yields • Ox-ripper and ox-ridger tillage increased

yield by 25% % and 30 % respectively.

• Higher yields with tractor drawn implements (mainly in Kiteto)

• Scope to improve insitu water harvesting and better targeting

Res. Output 2: WP 4. Processing, utilization & nutrition

Aflatoxtin detected in most crops - bambara

Crop Number of samples

Aflatoxin (ppb)- incidence & levels

Groundnut 163 70% up to 4000 ppb

Maize 366 20% up to 340 ppb

Bambara 78 43.5 % 1ppb to 411ppb

Pigeonpea 29 0 %

Beans 4 0 %

P. Millet 35 0 %

Sorghum 64 11% (>10 ppb)

Sunflower 143 13% upto 293 ppb

Groundnut:Mrk 28 100% up to 504 ppb

Maize: Mkt 23 26 % (>10ppb)

Safety: < 4 ppb or 20 ppb

Res. Output 2: WP 5. Crop/livestock/poultry integration

• Typology of livestock management systems for semi- arid agro-ecologies

• Feed resource quality –fodder quality of promising tree/shrub plant species

– Explorations to collect plant samples for analysis for- biomass and nutrient quality of pastures and crop residues

– Characterizing the grazing systems.

Research deliverables

1. Products 1. Evaluated 6 new and or novel

varieties/ lines selected best 2 for each crop

2. Fodder / fertilizer tree and shrub species for target propagation

2. Technologies/ processes

transferred… 1. Pest management p. pea

(farmers) 2. Agronomy groundnuts. P. pea

Research deliverables

1. Capacity building – Field days and training- 560

farmers – ARI Hombolo PVS, Diagnostic

surveys

2. Links with other projects/partners … – Tuboreshe Chakula – Nafaka – IITA – Aflatoxin work

Lessons learned/projections/challenges

1. Partnerships convergence & complementarity: Complement of partners is fluid. Pre-season engagement is critical for buy-in….. Can be costly

2. Benchmarks are critical: Targeting within investment domains easily compounded by fluidity/complexity of subsistent agriculture especially resource endowments (12% can access credit). This may affect scaling up and out..one size fits all

1. Champions for change: Alternative models for diffusion. 9% of farmers engaged are member of farmer organisations. Champions at community level are essential. This may compound design of evaluations because such people are usually targeted by others.

If we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find that we

have lost the future

Sir Winston Churchill

2013-2014 Planning

1. High yielding

and nutrient

rich crops varieties

2. ISFM land & water

management

Increased productivit

y

3. Improved crop

management

Improved agricultural productivity and nutrition

outcomes

• Confirmation/ evaluations all technologies • Design validation • Community Contexts • Emergent issues (food

supply- vegetables)

• Scale issues: seed increase, FO support -limited extension

• Integration:- Livestock/poultry systems

• Capacity strengthening • Seed production • Agronomy • Aflatoxin • S&T strengthening