Africa RISING Malawi experiences

1. Africa RISING Malawi experiences Regis Chikowo, Wezi Mhango, Desta Lulseged, Isaac Nyoka, Sieg Snapp 28 May 2013

2. CIAT LUANAR ICRAF Malawi Agric Extension Services

3. Agro-ecological intensification of smallholder agriculture through action research

4. What we know…the facts • smallholder farmers have traditionally developed risk-averse management practices in an effort to ensure meeting their subsistence food needs • practices are largely sub-optimal even under favourable climatic conditions

5. The intensification strategy.. • Produce surplus food in favourable seasons and have less shocks in future bad seasons • The link between agricultural intensification and building of local safety nets in a changing climate • more resilient communities

6. Are technological options to achieve this available? Yes/oui

7. Any problem then? • Yes – inappropriate packaging • Farmers fail to relate well with nice technologies • inappropriate learning platforms • technologies coming as rigid packages, • Wholesome uptake unlikely • rigidity stifling local innovation

8. Research questions • What are the current biophysical and socio-economic constraints to increase quality, quantity and diversity of crop and livestock products? (RO1) • What are the agricultural technology options that are amenable to sustainable intensification and concurrently alleviate poverty, improve nutrition and ecosystem stability? (RO1) • How effective are the different technological options under different biophysical and socioeconomic conditions in achieving poverty alleviation, improve nutrition and ecosystem stability? (RO2) • What are the major factors that determine farmers’ participation in field-based learning platforms and subsequent influence on their use of soil fertility and livestock production intensification technologies? (RO2) • What are the key ingredients for effective co-learning, technology adaptation, scaling and delivery to farmers in heterogeneous farming systems?

9. Making experimentation with farmers (action research) a joy ...

10. Ntcheu sites

11. Dedza sites

12. ‘Mother and baby’ trial design Snapp, 1998

13. Mother trial treatment structure • Maize control – no nutrients added • Maize fertilized with 70 kg N and 21 kg P [FULL rate] • Maize fertilized with NPK compost or manure (3-5 t/ha) • Groundnut or soyabean or cowpea or pigeon pea fertilized with 5 kg P/ha [HALF rate] • Maize/pigeon pea intercrop fertilized with 70 kg N and 21 kg P • Maize/field bean intercrop fertilized with 70 kg N and 21 kg P • Doubled-up legumes A: Pigeon pea/groundnut intercrop fertilized with 5 kg P] • Doubled-up legumes B: Pigeon pea/soybean intercrop fertilized with 5 kg P] • Doubled-up legumes C: Pigeon pea/cowpea intercrop fertilized with 5 kg P]

14. Rationale • Unfertilized maize – for establishing base yields depending soil resource base • Maize + mineral fertilizers NPKS – for establishing water limited yield potential • Maize + manure/compost + NPKS – for establishing water limited yield potential with inorganic -organic nutrient sources combinations

15. Baby trial formulation and management • Action groups were formulated around each of the 8 mother trials, resulting in 2 action groups per intervention site • Action groups comprised of at least 38 farmers, who actively participated in the establishment of the mother trials. • Action group members subsequently established baby trials based on the following rules: • No more than 4 treatments were to be selected from the mother trial they had established, • Two treatments were mandatory • Fertilized maize plot - farmers were not given any fertilizer – they had to source using own resources, including fertilizers from the subsidy program • Doubled-up legume: selection from any of those included in the mother trial

16. Details on mother and baby trials

17. Nsipe action group _November 2013

18. Diversification …intensification • Crop diversification as one of the major themes of the ‘mother and baby’ approach

19. Doubled-up legumes – intercropping 2 legumes that are complementary/have little competition for resources

20. Great mixture...

21. Maize +pigeon pea

22. After harvesting companion crop, pigeon pea continues growth

23. ...and produces its own grain

24. .... plus soil fertility replenishment

25. Livestock = protein

26. Food and nutritional security Per capita protein production through soya can remains supreme Soyabean has the best per capita protein production compared to any known agricultural enterprise!

27. Chonde = soil organic matter

28. Exposing farmers to agric intensification technologies ......

29. .. and IITA, USAID, and MSU administrators in the field to see our intensification ideas at work

30. Irmgard in Linthipe, Dedza ..

31. .... Farmers and researchers determine yields together

32. Postharvest issuesAflatoxin contamination worsened by storage of grain at high moisture content

33. Grain moisture and aflatoxin – can we invest in moisture meters

34. Poor but happy at last ..

35. We invest in training extension Dedza, Nov 2012 workshop

36. Dry bones can live again ...

37. Thank you