Farm level best fit rainwater management strategies and soil improvement methods for seed and...

Andes • Ganges • Limpopo • Mekong • Nile • Volta

Farm level best fit rainwater management strategies and soil improvement methods for seed and biomass yield in a maize-soy bean intercrop. 1Panyan, E.K., 1Karbo N., 1Avornyo, F.K., 2Ayantunde, A.,Kizito3, F

and 1Tengan, K.

1Animal Research Institute, P.O. Box 52, Nyankpala near Tamale, Ghana 2International Livestock Research Institute, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

3International Water Management Institute, Accra, Ghana


PRESENTATION OUTLINE: Key message Objective of the study Methodology Results Lessons Conclusions


KEY MESSAGE: Integrated rainwater management strategies can

close yield gabs on smallholder farms In the event of scaling up, the internal and external

inputs become crucial and should be addressed The PAR as a tool has the potential to build the

adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers


OBJECTIVE OF STUDY: The main V2 project objective is to identify,

evaluate, adapt and disseminate best-fit integrated rainwater management strategies targeted to different biophysical and socio-economic domains in the Volta basin in northern Ghana.


METHODOLOGYParticipatory Action Research: Innovation Platforms to validate value chain commodities

and the problems identified from PRAs IPs and researchers designed PAR protocol in workshop Training of farmer experimenters and extension agents on

protocol Farmer field cross visits


METHODOLOGY CONTD.On-farm experimentation:Study location and farmer engagement; Two districts ( Lawra and Tolon) Two communities per district (4 communities) 32 Farmer experimenters (16 men 16 women) for all

locations 5 Treatments per farmer with 3 replicates on 10m

x10m sub-plotOn-station experimentation Experiment repeated with 2 additional treatments

(7 treatments).


Explanation of treatments applied on farmers’ fields

Treatment Soil water management Soil fertility management

Tied ridges Contour bunds Organic manure

Inorganic fertilizer

1

2 √ √

3 √ √

4 √ √ √

5 √ √ √

All farmers sowed maize/soy bean intercrop


METHODOLOGY CONTD.Measurements:Dependent variables monitored; Net grain yield(maize & soybean) Crop residue yield (bulk dry matter)Cost benefit analysis of interventionsStatistical analysis: SAS was used to analyze the data and Student

Newman-Keuls used to separate the means with p<0.05 being significant.


ResultsMaize and soy seed and biomass, Treatments

Lawra and Tolon


RESULTS CONTD.Maize and soy seed and biomass, communities

Lawra and Tolon


RESULTS CONTD.MAIZE & SOY SEED AND BIOMASS LAWRA AND TOLON


RESULTS CONTD.Maize and soy seed and biomass, gender

Lawra and Tolon


Treatments and average net profits

Treatments Average net profit ($) across sites (N=28)

Average net profit ($) for Lawra site (N=12)

Average net profit ($) for Tolon site (N=16)

T1 -8.00 -64.00 32.00

T2 61.00 -19.00 123.00

T3 16.00 -59.00 73.00

T4 56.00 84.00 34.00

T5 116.00 62.00 156.00

N=Number of farmers used in computation


LESSONS LEARNED: Farmer experimenters appeared more willing to put

interventions on poorer lands. IPs are important in PAR for problem identification

and information sharing. Farmers are motivated by increased yield to have a

voice in selection of treatments. For the resource poor, good agronomic cultural

practices could be a means to achieving good yield.


CONCLUSIONS Integrated rainwater management strategies at

farm level have potential to close yield gabs with food security outcomes.

Colossal plant biomass generated has potential to address livestock dry season feed needs and sustain crop-livestock systems.

Where economic decisions are paramount Rainwater management strategies may require site-specific recommendations.


THANK YOU!

Farm level best fit rainwater management strategies and soil improvement methods for seed and...

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