Maize as food and feed in intensive smallholder systems: management options for improved integration in mixed farming systems of east and southern Africa

2003 ◽  
Vol 84 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 159-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.L Romney ◽  
P Thorne ◽  
B Lukuyu ◽  
P.K Thornton
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Systems Management ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Mixed Farming ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
Smallholder Systems

Modelling the comparative growth, water use and productivity of the perennial legumes, tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var. albomarginata) and lucerne (Medicago sativa) in dryland mixed farming systems

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Chen ◽  
Andrew Smith ◽  
Phil Ward ◽  
Andrew Fletcher ◽  
Roger Lawes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Mixed Farming ◽  
Bituminaria Bituminosa

Tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var. albomarginata) has been proposed as an alternative perennial forage legume to lucerne in the mixed farming zone of Australia. Simulation of growth and production of tedera would be a useful tool for assessing its integration into Australian farming systems and agronomic and management options. This paper describes the development and testing of a model of the growth and development of tedera in Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM). The existing APSIM-Lucerne was modified to develop APSIM-Tedera. The key physiological parameters for tedera were obtained from the literature or by measuring and comparing the phenology and growth characteristics of tedera and lucerne in glasshouse experiments and partially from field experiments. The model was tested using data from a diverse range of soil and climatic conditions. Using the modelling approach, the production of tedera and lucerne was also assessed with long-term (1951–2015) weather data at Arthur River, Western Australia. Biomass simulations of tedera (n = 26, observed mean = 510 kg dry mass ha–1) explained 66% of the observed variation in field experiments (root mean square deviation = 212 kg dry mass ha–1). Long-term simulations of a 4-year pasture phase showed that more total annual biomass (5600 kg ha–1) would be obtained from lucerne than tedera if the pasture forage was harvested four times a year. Less biomass (400 kg ha–1) was also simulated for tedera in summer under this management. When the pasture forage was harvested when biomass was more than 2000 kg ha–1, tedera and lucerne produced similar accumulated biomass in the second (8000 kg ha–1), third (12 000 kg ha–1) and fourth (15 000 kg ha–1) years, but much less in the first 2 years for tedera. The model can be used for assessing tedera production, agronomic and management options in the Mediterranean climate of Australia. The present preliminary study indicates that tedera is not as effective as lucerne for total biomass production, but it may provide useful feed in situations where the summer-autumn feed gap is a major constraint to production. Further research is also necessary to determine the potential role of tedera in areas where lucerne is not well adapted.

Constraints and options to sustainably intensifying smallholder maize farming systems in southern Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Nelson ◽  
Munir Hoffmann ◽  
Carlotta May ◽  
Frederick Mashao ◽  
Kingsley Ayisi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Planting Density ◽  
Rooting Depth ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Smallholder Systems

<p>In southern Africa, sustainable intensification (SI) of low input farming is promoted as a key strategy to improve the livelihoods and food security of smallholder farmers. It has been argued, however, that due to the severity and frequency of droughts, irrigation is a prerequisite for sustainable yield improvement and stability, and less crop failures. Restricted access to water for such farmers in the study region necessitates the investigation of alternative adaptive management options suited to smallholder systems. Using the Limpopo province South Africa as a case study, we use a combination of survey data (140 households) and detailed quantitative agronomic measurements and observations (116 georeferenced on-farm plots) to understand yield limitations in maize-based smallholder systems. Data was collected from five villages in the Mopani district representing a distinct climate gradient. Agronomic measurements included soil characteristics such as CN ratio, texture, rooting depth and management aspects such as weed type and soil cover, as well as maize planting density, biomass and yield. Combined insights from the interviews and detailed on-farm observations were used to benchmark the agro-ecosystem model APSIM, which was then setup for different technology levels. These were defined through combinations of advanced crop and soil management practices plus the status quo as observed through the ground-truthing campaign with no irrigation, zero to low fertilisation, little weeding, no pest management, and low planting density. Advanced practices involved higher input levels including irrigation and fertiliser, as well as management aspects such as increased planting density and intense weeding.</p><p>Survey results showed that farmers adjusted sowing time and planting density according to rainfall availability and perceived risk. Overall, input intensity levels were low (fertiliser and density) and all villages expressed similar challenges to adapt to climate variability. It appeared most farmers lacked knowledge about drought avoidance measures, and only very few had access to water for crop irrigation.</p><p>Our simulation results showed that irrigation could increase maize grain yields by around two tons ha<sup>-1</sup> over a three-year average for a moderately wet site under current management practices. For the driest site, this led to an increase of just over one ton ha<sup>-1</sup>. If irrigation is applied it necessitates an increase in biotic stress management, as failing to do so can compromise potential yield gains. Higher labour input, increased input costs and possibly associated increased economic risks make such intensification strategies unattractive for some farmers depending on their age and household economic security.</p><p>For this case study, we outlined and implemented a novel method of linking survey and agro-ecosystem modelling data to assess ex-ante potential impacts of SI in smallholder cropping systems vulnerable to climate-induced risk.</p>

scholarly journals Prevalence and mitigation of aflatoxins in Kenya (1960-to date)

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.K. Mutegi ◽  
P.J. Cotty ◽  
R. Bandyopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Public Awareness ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Learning Networks ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Documented Information ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
Safe Food ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

Aflatoxins are highly toxic metabolites of several Aspergillus species widely distributed throughout the environment. These toxins have adverse effects on humans and livestock at a few micrograms per kilogram (μg/kg) concentrations. Strict regulations on the concentrations of aflatoxins allowed in food and feed exist in many nations in the developing world. Loopholes in implementing regulations result in the consumption of dangerous concentrations of aflatoxins. In Kenya, where ‘farm-to-mouth’ crops become severely contaminated, solutions to the aflatoxins problem are needed. Across the decades, aflatoxins have repeatedly caused loss of human and animal life. A prerequisite to developing viable solutions for managing aflatoxins is understanding the geographical distribution and severity of food and feed contamination, and the impact on lives. This review discusses the scope of the aflatoxins problem and management efforts by various players in Kenya. Economic drivers likely to influence the choice of aflatoxins management options include historical adverse health effects on humans and animals, cost of intervention for mitigation of aflatoxins, knowledge about aflatoxins and their impact, incentives for aflatoxins safe food and intended scope of use of interventions. It also highlights knowledge gaps that can direct future management efforts. These include: sparse documented information on human exposure; few robust tools to accurately measure economic impact in widely unstructured value chains; lack of long-term impact studies on benefits of aflatoxins mitigation; inadequate sampling mechanisms in smallholder farms and grain holding stores/containers; overlooking social learning networks in technology uptake and lack of in-depth studies on an array of aflatoxins control measures followed in households. The review proposes improved linkages between agriculture, nutrition and health sectors to address aflatoxins contamination better. Sustained public awareness at all levels, capacity building and aflatoxins related policies are necessary to support management initiatives.

Economic performance of small ruminants in mixed-farming systems of Southern Ethiopia

2010 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 1531-1539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Getahun Legesse ◽  
Marianna Siegmund-Schultze ◽  
Girma Abebe ◽  
Anne Valle Zárate
Keyword(s):  
Economic Performance ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Mixed Farming

scholarly journals Benefits and Limitations of Decision Support Systems (DSS) with a Special Emphasis on Weeds

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis Kanatas ◽  
Ilias S. Travlos ◽  
Ioannis Gazoulis ◽  
Alexandros Tataridas ◽  
Anastasia Tsekoura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Decision Support Systems ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Support Systems ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Management Options ◽  
The Right

Decision support systems (DSS) have the potential to support farmers to make the right decisions in weed management. DSSs can select the appropriate herbicides for a given field and suggest the minimum dose rates for an herbicide application that can result in optimum weed control. Given that the adoption of DSSs may lead to decreased herbicide inputs in crop production, their potential for creating eco-friendly and profitable weed management strategies is obvious and desirable for the re-designing of farming systems on a more sustainable basis. Nevertheless, it is difficult to stimulate farmers to use DSSs as it has been noticed that farmers have different expectations of decision-making tools depending on their farming styles and usual practices. The function of DSSs requires accurate assessments of weeds within a field as input data; however, capturing the data can be problematic. The development of future DSSs should target to enhance weed management tactics which are less reliant on herbicides. DSSs should also provide information regarding weed seedbank dynamics in the soil in order to suggest management options not only within a single period but also in a rotational view. More aspects ought to be taken into account and further research is needed in order to optimize the practical use of DSSs for supporting farmers regarding weed management issues in various crops and under various soil and climatic conditions.

scholarly journals ASSESSING LIVESTOCK WATER PRODUCTIVITY IN MIXED FARMING SYSTEMS OF GUMARA WATERSHED, ETHIOPIA

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 684-698
Author(s):  
MENGISTU ALEMAYEHU ◽  
TILAHUN AMEDE ◽  
DON PEDEN ◽  
TESFAYE KUMSA ◽  
MICHAEL H. BÖHME ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Lower Altitude ◽  
Mixed Farming ◽  
Natural Pasture ◽  
Gumara Watershed

SUMMARYA monitoring study was carried out in Gumara watershed, upper Blue Nile basin, with the objective of evaluating livestock water productivity (LWP) using a life cycle assessment method. Sixty two smallholder farmers were selected for the study implemented between November 2006 and February 2008. Data on crop and livestock production were collected to allow assessment of livestock water productivity. Study sites were situated in three different rainfed mixed crop/livestock farming systems; barley/potato based system (BPS), tef/finger-millet based system (TMS), and rice/noug based system (RNS). LWP was found to be significantly lower (p < 0.01) in RNS (0.057 USD m−3 water) than in TMS (0.066 USD m−3 water) or in BPS (0.066 USD m−3 water). Notably, water requirement per kg live weight of cattle increased towards the lower altitude area (in RNS) mainly because of increased evapo-transpiration. As a result, 20% more water was required per kg live weight of cattle in the low ground RNS compared to BPS situated in the upstream parts of the study area. Cattle herd management that involved early offtake increased LWP by 28% over the practice of late offtake. Crop water productivity expressed in monetary units (0.39 USD m−3 water) was higher than LWP (0.063 USD m−3 water) across the mixed farming systems of Gumara watershed. Strategies for improving LWP, from its present low level, could include keeping only the more productive animals, increasing pasture productivity and linking production to marketing. These strategies would also ease the imbalance between the existing high livestock population and the declining carrying capacity of natural pasture.

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