Enhancing the Capacity for Dissemination of Site-specific Maize Production Intensification Technologies under Variable Farm, Climatic and Soil Fertility Conditions in Kenya and Zimbabwe
IPNI-2014-SSAP-03
01 Mar 2015
Project Description
Summary
Food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) results from low crop productivity linked to very little nutrient inputs used by farmers. High uncertainty in returns to investment in fertilizer associated with variable soil fertility conditions and rainfall variability is a major factor limiting investment in fertilizer by farmers. Current fertilizer recommendations were mostly developed to maximize production and ignore the financial limitations faced by various categories of farmers. In addition, the recommendations do not systematically take into account the effects of soil fertility variability. Profound and complex heterogeneity in soil fertility due to differences in parent material and differential management of soil fertility occurs between farms in the same locality, and this has been found to have major implications on viability of fertilizer use at the household level.
There are major knowledge gaps on the agronomic and economic impacts of nutrient management practices at farm scale in SSA. The evaluation of effects of wide ranging soil fertility management technologies, including manure application, conservation agriculture and maize-legume rotations, on fertilizer use efficiency for various categories of farms has also received little attention. Unraveling the interaction between farmers’ access to resources, soil types, management history and seasonal rainfall variability on maize productivity and economic viability is an important step to develop meaningful and flexible recommendations that allow farmers to use scarce fertilizer and organic resources effectively. This project will build on the information of farmer resource use typologies generated in recent studies (e.g. Giller et al., 2011), and data from past and on-going nutrient management and conservation agriculture trials (implemented by IPNI, TSBF-CIAT, CIMMYT, and the University of Zimbabwe), and apply the Nutrient Expert (NE) decision support tools developed by IPNI to evaluate and promote site-specific nutrient management practices for maize production intensification in pilot sites in Zimbabwe and Kenya.
PROJECT DETAILS
Third Phase 2015
The project activities in 2015 will mainly focus on field validation and dissemination of site-specific nutrient management recommendations for maize production intensification in conservation and conventional tillage systems, recognizing heterogeneity in farm types. Building on the results from the first of the project (farm typology literature review and calibration of the Nutrient Expert Decision Support Tool) and the second year of the project (Field assessment of Nutrient Expert, farm surveys, and multi-location nutrient omission trials), the project activities will provide a ‘proof of concept’ on the importance of use of farm typology as a basis for targeting site-specific nutrient management recommendation for maize production intensification. On-station and on-farm field experiments initiated in 2013 to compare the effects of balanced management of N, P and K in CA and CT systems will be continued to allow multi-season evaluation of the influence of tillage systems on soil properties, soil nutrient availability and maize yields. To address the growing concern about secondary and micronutrient deficiencies in soils in smallholder farming systems in SSA, additional trials will be established to evaluate the effects of secondary and micronutrients on reducing the maize yield gaps in CA and CT systems.
The project will work closely with the SIMLESA project implemented by KARI in central Kenya and the CIMMYT’s projects in Eastern Zimbabwe to facilitate dissemination and scaling out of project outputs. The collaboration will facilitate integration of farm typology analysis and site-specific nutrient management approaches and tools to enhance effectiveness in dissemination of CA in collaborating projects. The project will also contribute to strengthen the training program for extension systems and researchers by SIMLESA and other projects implemented by the University of Zimbabwe, KARI and Kenyatta University through site-specific nutrient management training programs, field-based learning and development of extension material. A new partnership with Kenyatta University will enable engagement of Msc students to support research activities in central Kenya.
Following the validation of the Nutrient Expert Decision Support Tool, activities for the 2014/15 year will focus on training extension systems and researchers on the application of the tool to guide decision making in development and dissemination of site-specific nutrient management recommendation in central Kenya and Eastern Zimbabwe. The project will support mainstreaming of the concepts of SSNM research and development activities focusing on maize production intensification. The primary target project will be the SIMLESA project in Kenya and CIMMYT projects in Eastern Zimbabwe. The outputs will also contribute to the outputs for the Maize Agronomy Initiative funded by the BMGF, with spillover benefits in Ethiopia and Tanzania.
Final project output (= Deliverables)
· Kenya
- o New fertilizer recommendations to support the SIMLESA project developed based on on-farm nutrient omission trial data across 40 farms.
o 20 field demonstrations conducted to validate and fine-tune farm-specific nutrient management recommendation generated by NE for conventional and conservation agricultural systems.
o Socio-economic analysis conducted to establish the determinants of CA adoption and maize yield intensification and use of manure and fertilizer by farmers in various resource groups.
o Yield and soil data from long-term on-station trials compiled and analysed to determine long-term water and nutrient dynamics in CA and CT systems.
o NDVI N sensors calibrated to support precision N management in CA and CT systems in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
o At least 15 researchers, 30 extension agents and agrodealers, and 200 farmers trained on application of NE or NE guidelines for developing site-specific nutrient management recommendations.
o International peer reviewed scientific publication of field adaptation and dissemination of SSNM practices in smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa.
- o New fertilizer recommendations to support the CIMMYT CA dissemination projects developed based on on-farm nutrient omission trial data across 40 farms.
o 20 field demonstrations conducted to validate and fine-tune farm-specific nutrient management recommendation generated by NE for conventional and conservation agricultural systems.
o NDVI N sensors calibrated to support precision N management in CA and CT systems in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
o At least 10 researchers, 20 extension agents and agrodealers, and 200 farmers trained on application of NE or NE guidelines for developing site-specific nutrient management recommendations.
o International peer reviewed scientific publication of field adaptation and dissemination of SSNM practices in smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa.
· 20 scientists in 4 collaborating projects in Kenya and Zimbabwe
· 50 extension workers and agrodealers in project sites in Zimbabwe and Kenya
· At least 20 farmer groups in Zimbabwe and Kenya
Research approach and proposed research and development activities in relation to outputs
· The project will collaborate with on-going projects supporting smallholder maize production intensification, to build the linkages required to translate SSNM research into practice. Projects identified for collaboration include:
- o CIMMYT CA projects in Zimbabwe and Kenya
o IPNI Coordinated Maize Projects in Kenya and Zimbabwe
o IFAD National Accelerated Agricultural Input Program in Kenya
o Kenya Agricultural Research Institute projects in Kenya
o University of Zimbabwe research projects.
· Soil sampling and analysis guided by the distribution of different farm types will be conducted to determine the implication of variable resource management associated with farm resource endowment on soil fertility status. Fields will be selected and crop and nutrient management monitored for the second growing season.
· New trials will be established to validate NDVI sensors for determining N deficiencies and to guide precision N management for CA and CT systems. On-station trials will be established with blanked P and K application but with 5 rates of N (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 kg N/ha). NDVI readings will be collected at three periods during the growing season (3, 6, 9 weeks after emergence) and correlated with plant growth parameters and yields to establish site-specific
· NE will be used in a participatory manner with researchers, extension agents and farmers to develop nutrient management recommendations for specific sites and farm types. Analysis will be conducted based on three farm types. Field demonstrations will be conducted to validate the SSNM recommendation generated by NE for conservation and conventional agricultural systems. For each systems, farmer-managed demonstration plots will be established consisting of three treatments:
- o Farmer practice
o Current fertilizer recommendation
o NE fertilizer recommendation (based on improved fertilizer type and rate).
· Results from the synthesis of information of farm typologies and scenario analysis will be published in a peer reviewed international scientific journal to disseminate project outputs to the scientific community.
· Project-specific research and extension guidelines for dissemination of SSNM recommendations will be developed and applied in the context of maize production intensification projects.
· Information and data collected will be compiled and a scientific paper produced.