Coppicing improved fallows are profitable for maize production in striga infested soils of western Kenya

Kiwia, Abednego; Imo, Moses; Jama, Bashir; Okalebo, J. R.

doi:10.1007/s10457-009-9221-2

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Improved tree fallows do provide substantial GWP offsets through the higher C stocks from AGB compared to baseline and the other scenarios. The food production component of improved fallows might be increased by increasing the length of the cropping relative to that of the fallow phase; time-averaged yields have been higher than unfertilized controls even when tree fallows are shortened to 7 months in higher rainfall areas such as Sauri (21). The benefits of higher yields would have to be weighed against reduced mitigation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying potential synergies and trade-offs for meeting food security and climate change objectives in sub-Saharan Africa

Palm

Smukler

Sullivan

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

116

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Potential interactions between food production and climate mitigation are explored for two situations in sub-Saharan Africa, where deforestation and land degradation overlap with hunger and poverty. Three agriculture intensification scenarios for supplying nitrogen to increase crop production (mineral fertilizer , herbaceous legume cover crops— green manures —and agroforestry—legume improved tree fallows ) are compared to baseline food production, land requirements to meet basic caloric requirements, and greenhouse gas emissions. At low population densities and high land availability, food security and climate mitigation goals are met with all intensification scenarios, resulting in surplus crop area for reforestation. In contrast, for high population density and small farm sizes, attaining food security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions require mineral fertilizers to make land available for reforestation; green manure or improved tree fallows do not provide sufficient increases in yields to permit reforestation. Tree fallows sequester significant carbon on cropland, but green manures result in net carbon dioxide equivalent emissions because of nitrogen additions. Although these results are encouraging, agricultural intensification in sub-Saharan Africa with mineral fertilizers, green manures, or improved tree fallows will remain low without policies that address access, costs, and lack of incentives. Carbon financing for small-holder agriculture could increase the likelihood of success of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries programs and climate change mitigation but also promote food security in the region.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying potential synergies and trade-offs for meeting food security and climate change objectives in sub-Saharan Africa

Palm

Smukler

Sullivan

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

116

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“…Among these species, Velvet bean and cowpea have already shown to reduce Striga spp. problems (Oswald et al, 2002;van Mourik et al, 2008;Kiwia et al, 2009). Based on agronomic reasons (e.g.…”

Section: Experimental Treatments and Plant Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combined effects of cover crops, mulch, zero-tillage and resistant varieties on Striga asiatica (L.) Kuntze in rice-maize rotation systems

Randrianjafizanaka

Autfray

Andrianaivo

et al. 2018

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

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In low-input rice-maize rotation systems in the hills of central Madagascar, farmers deal with erratic rainfall, poor soils, high soil erosion risks and infestation by the parasitic weed Striga asiatica (L.) Kuntze. Practices combining zero-tillage with permanent soil cover by intercropped legumes and crop residue mulches-known as Conservation Agriculture (CA)-are proposed as remedy against soil and climatic constraints. Implications of these practices for S. asiatica are unknown. A 4-season factorial experiment compared the current farmer practice of rice-maize rotation, involving seasonal tillage and crop residue removal (CONV), with three rice-maize rotation systems following CA with different cover crops, i.e. Vigna unguiculata (cowpea) and Mucuna pruriens (CACM), Vigna umbellata (ricebean) (CARB), and Stylosanthes guianensis (CAST). Performance of two rice varieties, NERICA-4 and-9, with partial S. asiatica resistance, were compared with the locally popular B22. Parasite emergence time, numbers, and seed bank sizes were recorded. In all CA practices S. asiatica infection was significantly reduced. Best results were obtained with Stylosanthes guianensis (CAST). This species also suppressed ordinary weeds much better than other cover crops. With CAST, average parasite emergence was delayed by 7.5 days (in rice) and 6.3 days (in maize) and infection levels were reduced by 79% (in rice) and 92% (in maize) compared to the conventional farmer practice (CONV). NERICA varieties delayed S. asiatica emergence by 5.7 days (NERICA-9) and 9.7 days (NERICA-4) and reduced infection levels by 57% (NERICA-9) and 91% (NERICA-4) compared to B22. In maize the residual effect of resistance of NERICA-4 resulted in a delay of 7.5 days in S. asiatica emergence and a reduction of 60% in parasite numbers. The best combinations delay S. asiatica emergence by 17.8 days (CAST + NERICA-9) and 19.1 days (CARB + NERICA-4) and reduce the parasite infection levels by 96% (CAST + NERICA-9 or-4) to 98% (CARB + NERICA-4) in rice, compared to CONV + B22. After two full rice-maize rotation cycles S. asiatica seed numbers in the soil (0-10 cm) were 76% (CACM), 78% (CAST) and 86% (CARB) lower

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“…The latter has a positive effect on the rate of deforestation of the natural "miombo" woodland in some countries. Field studies in Kenya have demonstrated that agroforestry-based practices provide good weed control against Striga, a noxious weed due to the high contents of N added in the soil by the tree legumes species (Kiwia et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Labour inputs and financial profitability of conventional and agroforestry-based soil fertility management practices in Zambia

Ajayi¹,

Akinnifesi

Sileshi

et al. 2009

Agrekon

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Several agro-ecological practices have been developed to increase the range of soil fertility management options available to farmers, but little information is available on their labour input requirement and profitability relative to conventional practices. This study used a multiple visit cost-route method to estimate labour inputs and financial profitability of agroforestry-based and conventional (with and without fertiliser) soil fertility management practices in eastern Zambia. Results show that aggregated over a five-year cycle, labour inputs used under agroforestry practices were lower than fertilised maize fields but higher than non-fertilised continuous cropped maize. Agroforestry practices were more profitable (NPV ranging between $233 and $327 ha -1 ) than unfertilised maize fields (NPV of $130 ha -1 ) but less profitable than fertilised maize fields. The NPV for the latter is $499 ha -1 under a 50% government subsidy on fertiliser but, it fell to $349 ha -1 when the subsidy effect is removed. In terms of return per unit investment cost, agroforestry practices performed better with a benefit to cost ratio ranging between 2.77 to 3.13 in contrast to 2.65 (subsidised fertiliser) and 1.77 (non-subsidised fertiliser). The returns to labour per person day was $2.56 in (non-subsidised) fertilised maize field, $3.16 in subsidised fertiliser field, $2.63 in Gliricidia fields, $2.41 in Sesbania fields, $1.90 in Tephrosia fields, and $1.10 in non-fertilised maize fields. The results do not support the popular notion that agroforestry practices are more labour intensive. It suggests that in addition to total labour use requirements, the temporal distribution of labour use during the farming season is important. It is concluded that agroforestry practices are profitable, and could contribute to food security.

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Coppicing improved fallows are profitable for maize production in striga infested soils of western Kenya

Cited by 18 publications

References 15 publications

Identifying potential synergies and trade-offs for meeting food security and climate change objectives in sub-Saharan Africa

Identifying potential synergies and trade-offs for meeting food security and climate change objectives in sub-Saharan Africa

Combined effects of cover crops, mulch, zero-tillage and resistant varieties on Striga asiatica (L.) Kuntze in rice-maize rotation systems

Labour inputs and financial profitability of conventional and agroforestry-based soil fertility management practices in Zambia

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