HighlightsN2-fixation depends on genetic, environmental, management and socio-economic factors.More productive and wealthier farmers benefit most from soybean-maize crop rotation.Soybean-maize rotations should be promoted with integrated soil and crop management.

SUMMARYSoybean yields on smallholder farmers’ fields in Malawi are constrained by poor soil fertility, limited application of external inputs and poor crop husbandry. We tested crop management practices through on-farm experimentation and participatory technology evaluation. Two agronomic soybean trials were established in 2009 and 2010 in three contrasting agro-ecologies resulting in 72 replications per trial. Treatments in the first trial included several combinations of inoculation withBradyrhizobium japonicum, inorganic fertiliser application and compost manure. In the second trial, farmers tested an improved variety, optimal weeding regime, increased plant population and chemical pest and disease control. A combination of inoculation, inorganic fertiliser (10 N, 8 P, 20 K in kg ha−1), and 6 t ha−1compost manure increased yields from 0.86 t ha−1under farmers’ practice to 1.56 t ha−1and resulted in average profits of US$222 ha−1. Increased plant populations and biocide spraying also resulted in substantial yield increases. Inoculation and increased plant population resulted in an average value to cost ratio (VCR) > 2. Low investment costs make inoculants, compost manure and increased plant populations interesting options, whereas adoption of inorganic fertiliser application in soybean may be limited due to high costs and low VCR. The farmers ranked eight technologies in descending order of preference as: (i) early planting, (ii) plant population, (iii) variety choice, (iv) compost manure, (v) weeding, (vi) inoculant, (vii) fertiliser and (viii) spraying. Our participatory research approach demonstrated that there is a wide range of technologies with different levels of human and financial investment costs that smallholder farmers can adopt to enhance their soybean yields and profits.

BackgroundBiofortified orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties are being promoted to reduce vitamin A deficiencies due to their higher beta-carotene content. For OFSP varieties to have impact they need to be accepted and consumed at scale amongst populations suffering from vitamin A deficiencies.ObjectiveWe investigated the sensory and cultural acceptability of OFSP varieties amongst households with children aged between 2–5 years old in two areas in Central and Southern Malawi using an integrated model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Health Belief Model (HBM).MethodsSensory acceptability was measured using a triangle, preference and acceptance test using three OFSP varieties and one control variety, among 270 adults and 60 children. Based on a food ethnographic study, a questionnaire on cultural acceptability was developed and administered to 302 caretakers. Data were analyzed by calculating Spearman’s correlations between constructs and multiple linear regression modeling.ResultsThe sensory evaluation indicates that all three OFSP varieties are accepted (scores >3 on 5-point scale), but there is a preference for the control variety over the three OFSP varieties. Almost all caretakers are intending to frequently prepare OFSP for their child in future (97%). Based on regression analysis, the constructs ‘subjective norms’ (β = 0.25, p = 0.00) reflecting social pressure, and ‘attitudes toward behavior’ (β = 0.14 p = 0.01), reflecting the feelings towards serving their child OFSP, were the best predictors for caretakers’ behavior to prepare OFSP for their child.ConclusionsOur study shows that both sensory and cultural attributes can influence acceptability of varieties and consumption amongst households with children. Considering these attributes can improve the impact of biofortified crops in future programming, by reducing Vitamin A deficiencies through the intake of these nutrient-rich crops.

No abstract