Vulnerability and adaptation strategies to drought and erratic rains as key extreme events: Insights from small scale farming households in mixed crop agro ecosystems of semi-arid eastern Kenya

Borona, Pius; Kiambi, Dionysius; Kung’u, J.B.; Gevel, Jeske van de; Farda, Carlo; Morimoto, Yasuyuki

doi:10.5897/ajar2018.13568

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 40 publications

(51 reference statements)

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“…Mululam and Melak [22] reported that 69% of farmers in North-Western Ethiopia used finger millet straw for animal feed, while 12% used the straw as a construction material. Studies in China showed that the replacement of other straws like corn straw with finger millet straw improved the growth of sheep and was recommended in fattened lamb production [57].…”

Section: Various Uses Of Finger Milletmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finger Millet Production in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Problem Diagnosis, Key Challenges and Recommendations for Breeding

et al. 2021

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Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) is a highly nutritious crop, predominantly grown in the semi-arid tropics of the world. Finger millet has a niche market opportunity due to its human health benefits and being rich in calcium, iron and dietary fiber and gluten-free. Ethiopia is the center of the genetic diversity of the crop. However, the productivity of finger millet in the country is low (<2.4 tons ha−1) compared with its potential yield (6 tons ha−1). The yield gap in Ethiopia is due to a range of biotic and abiotic stresses and socio-economic constraints that are yet to be systemically documented and prioritized to guide future production and improved variety development and release. The objective of this study was to document finger millet production opportunities, constraints and farmer-preferred traits in Ethiopia as a guide to variety design in improvement programs. A participatory rural appraisal (PRA) study was undertaken in six selected districts of the Southern Nation Nationalities People Region (SNNPR) and Oromia Region in Ethiopia. Data were collected from 240 and 180 participant farmers through a semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussion, respectively. Finger millet was the most important crop in the study areas grown mainly for a combination of uses, including for food, feed and cash (reported by 38.8% of respondent farmers), food and feed (14.5%), food and cash (13.7%), food (11.5%) and food, cash, feed and construction material (9.7%). Hand weeding was used by 59.2% of the respondent farmers, followed by hand weeding and chemical herbicides (40.8%). Finger millet was mainly planted as a sole crop (reported by 97.0% respondents), mixed (1.7%) and sole and mixed (1.3%). About 75.6% of respondent farmers only practiced finger millet rotation with other crops. Respondent farmers indicated their source of fresh seed was from the Bureau of Agriculture (49.1%), farmer-to-farmer seed exchange (22.1%), own saved seed (7.5%), local producers (7.5%), research institutions (5.8%), unknown sources (4.1%), local market (3.5%) and cooperatives (0.42%). The total cost of finger millet production per hectare was calculated at 1249 USD with a total income of 2139 USD/ha, making a benefit to cost ratio of 1.71:1.00 and indicating the relatively low yield gains using the currently grown varieties. The main constraints to finger millet production in the study areas were drought stress (reported by 41.3% respondents), lack of improved varieties (12.9%), lack of financial resources (11.3%), small land holdings (10.8%), limited access to seed (10.0%), a shortage of fertilizers (5.4%), poor soil fertility (4.6%), shortage of draught power (1.3%), labour shortages (1.3%) and high labour costs (1.3%). The most important farmer-preferred traits in a finger millet variety were high grain yield, compact head shape, ‘enjera’-making quality, high marketability and early maturity, resolved through principal component analysis. The above-mentioned production constraints and farmer-preferred traits are strategic drivers to enhance finger millet productivity and need to be incorporated into Ethiopia’s finger millet breeding and technology development.

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Section: Various Uses Of Finger Milletmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finger Millet Production in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Problem Diagnosis, Key Challenges and Recommendations for Breeding

et al. 2021

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Ecosystem-based adaptation in Africa: integrating mitigation and adaptation

Rawlins

Monteith²,

Kalaba

et al. 2023

Reg Environ Change

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Symbiotic efficiency and genetic characterization of rhizobia and non rhizobial endophytes associated with cowpea grown in semi-arid tropics of Kenya

Muindi

Muthini

Njeru

et al. 2021

Heliyon

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Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is an important multipurpose legume crop grown in arid and semi-arid areas of sub-Saharan Africa. The crop associates with a wide diversity of high ecological value rhizobia bacteria, improving biological soil fertility and crop production. Here, we evaluated the symbiotic efficiency (SE) and genetic diversity of native rhizobia isolated from root nodules of cowpea genotypes cultivated in semi-arid areas of lower Eastern Kenya. Rhizobia trapping and SE experiments were done in the greenhouse while genetic diversity was evaluated based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Twenty morphologically distinct isolates representing a total of 94 isolates were used for genetic analysis. After 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the isolates closely resembled bacteria belonging to the genus Rhizobium , Paraburkholderia and non-rhizobial endophytes ( Enterobacter , Strenotrophomonas and Pseudomonas ). This study also reports for the first time the presence of an efficient native cowpea nodulating Beta-Rhizobia ( Paraburkholderia phenoliruptrix BR3459a) in Africa. Symbiotic efficiency of the native rhizobia isolates varied (p < 0.0001) significantly. Remarkably, two isolates, M2 and M3 recorded higher SE of 82.49 % and 72.76 % respectively compared to the commercial strain Bradyrhizobium sp. USDA 3456 (67.68 %). Our results form an important step in the development of efficient microbial inoculum and sustainable food production.

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Vulnerability and adaptation strategies to drought and erratic rains as key extreme events: Insights from small scale farming households in mixed crop agro ecosystems of semi-arid eastern Kenya

Cited by 5 publications

References 40 publications

Finger Millet Production in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Problem Diagnosis, Key Challenges and Recommendations for Breeding

Finger Millet Production in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Problem Diagnosis, Key Challenges and Recommendations for Breeding

Ecosystem-based adaptation in Africa: integrating mitigation and adaptation

Symbiotic efficiency and genetic characterization of rhizobia and non rhizobial endophytes associated with cowpea grown in semi-arid tropics of Kenya

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