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Inception workshop 25 to 27 November 2013 Nairobi, Kenya

Inception workshop 25 to 27 November 2013 Nairobi, Kenya. Session: 5 10 :40 – 11.40 Scene Setting: OFRA and the progress to date Charlie Wortmann from OFRA. Topics. OFRA Optimization of fertilizer use The smallholder situation

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Inception workshop 25 to 27 November 2013 Nairobi, Kenya

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  1. Inception workshop25 to 27 November 2013Nairobi, Kenya

  2. Session: 5 10:40 – 11.40 Scene Setting: OFRA and the progress to dateCharlie Wortmann from OFRA

  3. Topics • OFRA • Optimization of fertilizer use • The smallholder situation • Crop-nutrient-rates and net financial returns (farmer profit from fertilizer use!!) • The Fertilizer Optimization Tool • Adjusting fertilizer rates for other practices • Reaching farmers • Progress to date OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  4. OFRA • Determine robust nutrient response functions for important annual food crops in important AEZs • NI, MA, BF, NG, GH, ET, KE, UG, TZ, RW, MW, ZM, MZ • Use available research results • Field research • Extrapolation of response functions with AfSIS and GYGA OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  5. OFRA models • Develop fertilizer optimization tools for AEZs: • Excel-Solver • Mobile app • Paper • Enable‘extension’to deploy tools OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  6. Optimization of fertilizer use Maximizing yield per hectare Maximizing profit per hectare Maximizing returns per small investment - Highest benefit:cost OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  7. Maximizing profitability • Apply at the rate to maximize net return per hectare if you can purchase enough fertilizer for all cropland • If you do not have enough money • Determine which combination of crop-nutrient-rate gives the best return OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

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  12. Net returns to fertilizer use: varies with crop-nutrient-rate and cost:price ratio OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

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  15. Fertilizer Optimization Tool • Determines the crop-nutrient-rate combinations that optimize return on investment • - fully field research based • - 15 response functions • - ‘whole farm’basis • - low input needs • Assumes Liebig’s Law of the Minimum is important OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  16. Enter the area to be planted for each crop and the expected grain value in field. Enter price of 50 kg, plus transport and application cost, for each fertilizer of interest. Another fertilizer, e.g. NPK 17-17-17 can be added at XXX Enter amount that the farmer can invest in fertilizer use Left click the optimize button OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  17. The application rate (kg/ha) is given for each crop and fertilizer The estimated mean effect of the recommended fertilizer application on crop yield (kg/ha) and net returns to fertilizer use (Sh/ha) are given The total net returns to the investment in fertilizer is 2,265,508 for the 100,000 invested in fertilizer use, a benefit:costof ~23 BC. Fertilizer applied to maize to optimize net returns per ha gives a benefit:costof ~4; <1/5 the benefit:cost with the optimized solution OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  18. Issues • The fertilizer rate may be very low, e.g. 12 kg/ha DAP • for maize or 6 kg KCl for groundnuts. • Maybe allocate this money to other crop-nutrients • Mix two fertilizers together for easier application • 2. Rates are often low with small investment. However, the BC is high. The expectation that the increased net return will enable gradually increasing fertilizer use for future crops. OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

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  22. Nutrient substitution opportunities OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  23. Enhancing capacity of “optimization”delivery • Training of ‘trainers’ for delivery to and technical support of ‘extension’ and farmers • ‘extension’ = government, NGO, input retailers, etc. • Content: basic principles, optimization, the tool with hands-on, ISFM adjustments, calibration, practicals with farmers • Development of other resources OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

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  26. OFRA Progress to Date-1 • Agreements signed; money flowing • Visits to TZ, MW, Zam, MZ, KE, ET • Partial team meetings but two‘full team’ meetings in MZ • ‘Full team’meeting with KARI • OFRA intro; legacy data; prioritization; protocol review and adjustment; operation plan development • Research protocol developed OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  27. OFRA Progress to Date-2 • Discussions with numerous partners to enable complementarities • Extension enablement protocol developed with improvements underway • OFRA staff recruitment underway • East & Southern Africa SFS • West Africa SFS • Soil Spatial Information Analyst (shared) • Monitoring & evaluation OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  28. OFRA Progress to Date-3 • Database development begun • Disappointing progress with ‘legacy data’!! • Discussions with Grameen Foundation on mobile phone app development • OFRA trials underway • Finger millet in Uganda OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

  29. Thank you! Questions? OPTIMISING FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AFRICA

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