Objective
To carry out farmer-led field trials of sustainable agriculture intensifications (SAIs) maize/millet-legume cropping systems (Table 1) by integrating with innovative extension and advisory services (EASs) and institutional approaches.
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Maize- legume
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Sorghum/ millet-legume |
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Ethiopia
|
33
|
|
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Malawi
|
70
|
75
|
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Tanzania
|
|
60
|
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South-Africa
|
32
|
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Table 1: Number of farmer plots used in the case study sites
Fig. 1: Maize-legume intercropping system
Fig. 2: Cropping Systems trial in Malawi
Fig. 3: Food security response by farmers in Ethiopia (E) & Malawi (M)
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Outputs
- Greater biomass yield (>6.4 t/ha) with sorghum-legume (e.g. in Tanzania)
- Land equivalent ratio >1 under intercrop than sole crop (e.g. in South Africa)
- More than 50 percent of the respondents were food secure (Fig. 3)
- Large no. of farmers reached through EASs on SAIs, Malawi (30000), Rwanda (11000), Kenya (9000), South Africa (8000), Ethiopia (2000) and Tanzania (236)
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Outcomes/impacts
- Maize/millet-legume yield increased by 17- 49 percent than sole crop (Fig. 2)
- Enhanced food & nutrition security (Fig. 3)
- Potential to improve soil fertility
- Increased knowledge and adoptions by smallholders
- Greater climate adaptation/resilience
- Increased efficient use of land
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Table 2: Key outputs, outcomes/impacts
