Participative farmer testing of four low external input technologies, to address soil fertility decline in Mono province (Benin)

Abstract

Preface Introduction Basic soybean recipes Preface Soybean (Glycine max) is a relatively new crop in Africa. During recent years its production has increased significantly, due in part to research advances in "tropicalizing" the legume by liT A and national scientists in the region. Postharvest processing and utilization of soybean food products have also been an im'portant part of liT A's soybean research program since 1985. From 1987 to 1993 IITA's soybean utilization project, funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), developed new recipes for soybean products. The objective was to enhance the nutritional value and taste of traditional Nigerian dishes, without increasing the time or cost of preparing them. This booklet contains recipes produced by the project. liT A acknowledges with sincere gratitude the work of Osamu Nakayama in. developing and testing these recipes and successfully concluding the project.

What role can planted fallows play in the humid and sub-humid zone of West and Central Africa?

“…In contrast, Adesina et al (2000), investigating the adoption potential of alley farming in the Southwest Province of Cameroon, concluded that farmers in areas of high population density and high pressure on land are less likely to adopt alley farming. Versteeg and Koudokpon (1993) found a similar response of farmers in southern Be´nin, where Mucuna pruriens cover crop fallow was preferred over alley farming in situations with extremely high pressure on land and severely degraded soils. Tree fallows and alley cropping are technologies that require long-term land security.…”

“…Yield Aihou and Adomou (2000), , Asibuo and Osei-Bonsu (2000), Totongnon et al (2000), Akakpo et al (2000), Tian et al (2000a, b), Youri (1998, Hamadina et al (1996), Naab and Alhassan (2001), Hauser and Nolte (2002), Carsky et al (1999), Tian et al (1999), Charpentier et al (1999), Carsky et al (1998), Versteeg and Koudokpon (1993), Chikoye et al (2000), N'Goran and N'Guessan Kanga (2000). Rice; , , Dogbe (1998), .…”

Sustainable soil management options for Malawi: can smallholder farmers grow more legumes?

“…Agronomists cannot underestimate the importance of labor requirements. This is supported by other on-farm studies of organic matter technologies (Fujisaka, 1993;Versteeg and Koudokpon, 1993). Finally, we note the high level of farmer concern about seed and market access, and farmgate price (Tables 2 and 5).…”

To Meet Future Food Demands We Need to Change from Annual Grain Legumes to Multipurpose Semi-Perennial Legumes

“…Intriguingly, however, few kilometres away pigeonpea may not be found and this without apparent socio-economic, cultural or biophysical causes to explain the change. Previous research has shown that integration of pigeonpea into the maize-dominated cropping systems may be a significant low-cost, low-technological step towards increased food production, improved household diet and alleviation of soil degradation and poverty among small holders in semi-arid Africa (Jones et al, 2002;Mergeai et al, 2001;Versteeg and Koudokpon, 1993).…”