scholarly journals Intensification of common bean and maize production through rotations to improve food security for smallholder farmers

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 100040
Author(s):  
Eliakira Kisetu Nassary ◽  
Frederick Baijukya ◽  
Patrick Alois Ndakidemi
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Common Bean ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Improve Food Security

scholarly journals Drought-tolerant Varieties as an Adaptation Strategy in the Context of Climate Change: Insight from Maize Production Systems in Benin

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Mohamed Nasser Baco
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
Drought Tolerant ◽  
Agro Ecological Zones

Previous studies suggested that maize is set to become a cash crop while ensuring food security better than any other crop. However, climate change has become one of the key production constraints that are now hampering and threatening the sustainability of maize production systems. We conducted a study to better understand changes here defined as adaptations made by smallholder farmers to ensure food security and improve income through maize production in a climate change context. Our results show that maize farmers in northern Benin mainly rely on traditional seeds. Drought as abiotic stress is perceived by farmers in many agro-ecological zones as a disruptive factor for crop production, including maize. When drought is associated with pest damages, both the quantity (i.e. yield) and the quality (i.e. attributes) of products/harvests are negatively affected. The adverse effects of drought continue to reduce production in different agro-ecological zones of the country, because of the lack of widespread adoption of tolerant varieties. The study suggests actions towards the production of drought-tolerant maize seeds, a promotion of seed companies, the organization of actors and value chains. Apart from climate change, the promotion of value chains is also emerging as one of the important aspects to take into account to sustain maize production in Benin.

scholarly journals Potentials of hybrid maize varieties for small-holder farmers in Kenya: A review based on swot analysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (57) ◽  
pp. 7562-7586
Author(s):  
C Schroeder ◽  
◽  
T Onyango K’Oloo ◽  
NB Ranabhat ◽  
NA Jick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Marginal Areas ◽  
Maize Varieties ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Hybrid Maize

Maize is the primary staple crop in Kenya and plays an important role in the livelihood of the people of Kenya. Its availability and abundance determines the level of welfare and food security in the country. In Kenya, future increases in maize production to meet domestic demand will have to rely on improvements in yield per hectare rather than on the expansion of maize production area. Enhanced maize productivity can be achieved by increased use of modern production techniques such as the adoption of hybrid maize varieties, the use of chemicals and fertilizer application. Small-scale maize prodcution plays a major role in Kenya’s maize economy and adoption of hybrid technology by small-scale farmers would have the potential to address sustainability and supply issues. However, such modern technologies are still rarely used by Kenya’s small-scale farmers, particularly by those in marginal areas. This study, therefore, tries to review the reasons for the low rate of adoption of hybrid maize varieties among small-scale farmers with focus on those smallholders in Kenya’s marginal areas. Lack of awareness of existing or newly released hybrid varieties, lack of hybrid varieties adapted to marginal areas, lack of confidence in the quality of some hybrid maize seeds, poor access to stockists, low profitability due to high seed cost, inadequate access to credit, the need for fertilizer application and low literacy level have been found to be important factors explaining the low adoption rates by smallholder maize producers in marginal areas. In addition, these constraints might also explain the widespread practice of recycling hybrid grain among small-scale farmers once they have adopted hybrid maize varieties. Therefore, it is hoped that by overcoming these constraints, the adoption of hybrid maize varieties among smallholder farmers could be greatly enhanced, which in turn could lead to a significant positive impact on the country’s food security situation.

Multiple-bean varieties as a strategy for minimizing production risk and enhancing yield stability in smallholder systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-47
Author(s):  
Hannington O. Ochieng ◽  
John O. Ojiem ◽  
Simon M. Kamwana ◽  
Joyce C. Mutai ◽  
James W. Nyongesa
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Common Bean ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Yield Stability ◽  
Grain Legume ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Resource Poor ◽  
Smallholder Systems ◽  
Production Risks

AbstractCommon bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is perhaps the most important grain legume in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) smallholder systems for food security and household income. Although a wide choice of varieties is available, smallholder farmers in western Kenya realize yields that are low and variable since they operate in risky production environments. Significant seasonal variations exist in rainfall and severity of pests and diseases. This situation is worsened by the low and declining soil fertility, coupled with low capacity of farmers to purchase production inputs such as fertilizers, fungicides and insecticides, and land scarcity. The objective of this study was to investigate whether growing multiple-bean varieties instead of a single variety can enable farmers enhance yield stability over seasons and ensure food security. Five common bean varieties were evaluated in multiple farms for 11 seasons at Kapkerer in Nandi County, western Kenya. Data were collected on grain yield, days to 50% flowering and major diseases. In addition, daily rainfall was recorded throughout the growing seasons. The five varieties were combined in all possible ways to create 31 single- and multiple-bean production strategies. The strategies were evaluated for grain yield performance and yield stability over seasons to determine the risk of not attaining a particular yield target. Results indicated that cropping multiple-bean varieties can be an effective way for reducing production risks in heterogeneous smallholder systems. Yield stability can be greatly enhanced across diverse environments, leading to improved food security, especially for the resource-poor smallholder farmers operating in risk-prone environments. Although the results show that some of the single-bean variety strategies were high yielding, their yield stability was generally lower than those of multiple strategies. Resource-poor risk averse farmers can greatly increase the probability of exceeding their yield targets by cropping multiple-bean varieties with relatively low yields but high grain yield stability. Trading-off high grain yield for yield stability might be an important strategy for minimizing bean production risks.

scholarly journals The Impact of Farm Forestry on Poverty alleviation and Food Security in Uganda

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaac Kiyingi ◽  
A. Edriss ◽  
M. Phiri ◽  
M. Buyinza ◽  
H. Agaba
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Plantation Forestry ◽  
Consumption Expenditure ◽  
Switching Regression ◽  
Carbon Forestry ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Improve Food Security

<p>To address the problem of high rural poverty and food insecurity, government and international donors have funded on-farm plantation forestry projects as one of the tools for improving the welfare of rural communities. In the wake of climate change, on-farm plantation forestry has evolved to include carbon forestry, with the dual purpose of sequestering carbon and improving rural livelihoods. However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence regarding whether and under what conditions on-farm plantation forestry can deliver favorable livelihood outcomes.</p>Therefore, Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and endogenous switching regression models were used to estimate the average treatment effects of adopting eucalyptus and carbon forestry woodlots (under the planvivo system) on consumption expenditure per adult equivalent and daily calorie acquisition per adult equivalent. PSM and switching regression results consistently indicated that adoption of eucalyptus woodlots increased consumption expenditure by 32 and 28.3% respectively. PSM and switching regression results also indicated that adoption of eucalyptus woodlots increased calorie acquisition per adult equivalent by 36 and 13.1% respectively. Results also indicated that adoption of carbon forestry increased calorie acquisition per adult equivalent by between 22 and 26.9% but the impact on consumption expenditure per adult equivalent was mixed. The findings of this study provide empirical evidence that adoption of on-farm eucalyptus woodlots is an important pathway for smallholder farmers to escape poverty and improve food security. Similarly, adoption of carbon forestry woodlots under the planvivo system can improve food security. However, previous on-farm plantation forestry projects were not well targeted to the poor households.

scholarly journals Cooperative Farming Potential for Establishing Food Security within Rural Bangladesh

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 2067-2074 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Milovanovic ◽  
Luboš Smutka ◽  
Gent Jusufi
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Rice Farming ◽  
Rural Bangladesh ◽  
The Future ◽  
Informal Community ◽  
Improve Food Security

Cooperative farming led by smallholder farmers might be the future of Bangladesh’s agriculture. The paper examines rice‑farming surveys from Kurigram Sadar, Bangladesh, and explores the potential of cooperative farming and mechanization. It reveals that a number of informal, community‑supported cooperative practices are already in place, although rice farming is still labor intensive and inefficient. The paper argues that mechanization of key activities and institutionalization of cooperative farming may reverse the situation and improve food security. Kurigram Sadar rice farming is relevant to other parts of rural Bangladesh as well, as most of the country is employing similar agricultural practices.

scholarly journals The importance of the traditional milpa in food security and nutritional self-sufficiency in the highlands of Oaxaca, Mexico

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0246281
Author(s):  
Ivan P. Novotny ◽  
Pablo Tittonell ◽  
Mariela H. Fuentes-Ponce ◽  
Santiago López-Ridaura ◽  
Walter A. H. Rossing
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Common Bean ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Subsistence Farmers ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
The Common ◽  
Global Food

Around 30% of global food is produced by smallholder farmers, yet they constitute the most food-insecure group. In Mexico, food self-sufficiency is declining. Rural policies in the country have stimulated the production of cash crops to the detriment of the traditional intercropping system, the milpa. Such a decline may have negative consequences for the food security of subsistence farmers. This study aimed to assess changes in nutritional self-sufficiency over the last 30 years and the role of milpa systems in food security for two communities in the highlands of Oaxaca, Mexico. The study used satellite images, censuses, and field data to estimate food production. Three cropping systems, monoculture of maize, monoculture of common bean, and the milpa were compared in terms of nutrients and vitamins produced. Furthermore, a household typology was developed for each community to contrast nutritional self-sufficiency levels between the different household types. Results showed that the milpa produced more volume of food per area compared to the other systems. The milpa also produced all the nutrients and vitamins (except for B12) required to feed at least 2 persons ha-1. Monocultures of maize lacked vitamins A, B9, B12, and C, and the common bean lacked vitamins A, B12, and C. While farmers recognized the importance of the milpa, they preferred monocultures due to the reduced labor demands of this system. Households that obtained most of their income from off-farm activities had the lowest nutritional self-sufficiency. Enhancing nutritional self-sufficiency through crop diversification has the potential to not only improve the nutrition of subsistence farmers, but also to enhance ecosystem service provision, promote biodiversity conservation and restoration, and improve resilience to climate change.

Status of Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease in Zambia

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Doreen Chomba ◽  
◽  
Msiska K. K. ◽  
Abass M. S. ◽  
Mudenda M. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Mosaic Virus ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Chlorotic Mottle Virus ◽  
Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus ◽  
Chlorotic Mottle ◽  
The Status

Maize is a staple food in Zambia and contributes immensely to food security for smallholder farmers. Disease outbreaks such as Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND) can be a key constraint to maize production. This disease is caused by synergistic co-infection with Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus (MCMV) and any virus from the family Potyviridae, particularly, Sugarcane Mosaic Virus (SCMV), Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus (MDMV) or Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (WSMV). In 2011, an outbreak of MLND affecting almost all of the currently grown commercial varieties posed a challenge to maize production in Kenya and it has since been reported in DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda causing yield losses of up to 100%. Despite MLND having been reported in some neighboring countries, there is no information on the status of the disease in Zambia. Additionally, there is a lot of grain and seed trade between Zambia and other countries among which MLND has been reported. The aim of this study was to establish: (a) the status of MCMV; (b) agricultural practices used by farmers and (c) insect vectors associated with MLND. A survey was conducted in nine (9) provinces of Zambia during 2014/2015 and 2015/ 2016 cropping seasons. Farmers’ maize fields were sampled at every five to ten-kilometer interval and tested using rapid diagnostic kits capable of detecting MCMV. Four hundred and nineteen samples collected all tested negative for MCMV. Zambian Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), with all stakeholders in the maize value chain should continue implementing measures aimed at preventing the introduction of MLND in Zambia. Key words: Survey, MLND, Losses, food security

scholarly journals Better Agronomic Management Increases Climate Resilience of Maize to Drought in Tanzania

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 982
Author(s):  
Wei Xiong ◽  
Elena Tarnavsky
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Regional Food ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Agronomic Management ◽  
Yield Responses

Improved access to better seeds and other inputs, as well as to market and financing, provides greater harvest security for smallholder farmers in Africa, boosting their incomes and increasing food security. Since 2015, a variety of agronomic measures have been introduced and adopted by smallholder farmers under a program led by the United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) called the Patient Procurement Platform (PPP). Here, we integrate a variety of agronomic measures proposed by the PPP to more than 20,000 smallholder farmers in Tanzania into 18 management strategies. We apply these across the country through grid-based crop model (DSSAT) simulations in order to quantify their benefits and risk to regional food security and smallholder farmers’ livelihoods. The simulation demonstrates current maize yields are far below potential yields in the country. Simulated yields across the nation were slightly higher than the mean of reported values from 1984 to 2014. Periodic droughts delayed farmers’ sowing and reduced maize yield, leading to high risk and low sustainability of maize production in most of the maize areas of the country. Better agronomic management strategies, particularly the combination of long-maturity, drought tolerance cultivars, with high fertilizer input, can potentially increase national maize production by up to five times, promoting Tanzania as a regional breadbasket. Our study provides detailed spatial and temporal information of the yield responses and their spatial variations, facilitating the adoption of various management options for stakeholders.

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