1. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Objectives of the planning workshop Objectives of the planning workshop -Explain the Agronomy Master Plan -Identify main actions in each cluster -Organize each actions (provide a planning table) -Assign responsibilities (to each of the actions identified) -Fix time lines (to ensure timely deliver of outputs)

2. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa The Development-to-Research concept driving the agronomy activities of N2Africa. -‘D&D’ refers to ‘Delivery and Dissemination’ -‘R&D’ to ‘Research and Development’, -‘A&A’ to ‘Adaptation and Adoption’, and -‘M&E’ to ‘Monitoring and Evaluation’. The dotted line within the D&D circle indicates that agronomy activities are driven by learning from D&D. N2Africa project- D to R model

3. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Agronomy Master Plan The N2Africa Phase II has five major objectives – AMP addresses all the three AMP consists of four interlinked activity clusters:- Diagnosis -The Diagnosis activity clusters Researcher-managed Agro -The Researcher-managed Agronomy activity cluster -The Demonstration activity cluster Adaptation -The Adaptation activity cluster evaluates Each activity cluster contains a number of specific tasks/actions

4. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Objectives of the planning workshop -Explain the AMP -Identify main actions in each cluster -Organize each actions (provide a planning table) -Assign responsibilities (to each of the actions identified) -Fix time lines (to ensure timely deliver of outputs) Agronomy Master Plan

5. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Bridging year -Target Regions/Action Sites (Woreda)/Location 1 3 4 2 1 - 4 Woredas K 1 (district) K2K2 K3K3 -10 Woredas; 30 Kebeles; 170 plots F1F1 F2F2 F3F3 F4F4 F5F5 F1F1 F2F2 F3F3 F4F4 F5F5 Input F1F1 F2F2 F3F3 F4F4 F5F5 Var. FTC AmharaBichena Jama Yilmana Densa OromiaBako-Tibe Gubu-Seyo Sianana/Goba Shalla Adea/Chefe SNNRSBoricha Damot Gale B-GumuzMandura Target legumes -Chickpea -Faba bean -Common bean -Soybean

6. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Protocols – Bridging year I. Demo/ dissemination (Baby trials )- on individual farmers plot, non replicated Treat.LegumeVarietyDAPInoc. 1ChickpeaV1*-- 2ChickpeaV2-- 3ChickpeaV1++ 4ChickpeaV2++ II. Input trail (on FTC) -information generation but also dissemination & demo Treatment Legume VarietyDAPInoculant 1ChickpeaV1*-- 2ChickpeaV1+- 3ChickpeaV1-+ 4ChickpeaV1++ III. Varietal trail (on FTC) -replicated, -information generation but also dissemination & demo Treat.LegumeVarietyDAPInoc. 1ChickpeaV1++ 2ChickpeaV2++ 3ChickpeaV3++ 4ChickpeaV4++ nChickpeaV(n)++

7. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Agronomy Master Plan The N2Africa Phase II has five major objectives – AMP addresses the three AMP consists of four interlinked activity clusters:- Diagnosis -The Diagnosis activity clusters Researcher-managed Agro -The Researcher-managed Agronomy activity cluster -The Demonstration activity cluster Adaptation -The Adaptation activity cluster evaluates Each activity cluster contains a number of specific tasks/actions

8. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Interactions between activity clusters Demonstration (25-50/action site) Diagnosis (25-100/action site) Adaptation (200-1000/act. site) Agronomy Research Research(5)

9. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Demonstrations- bridging year Nasir / Ibado

10. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa The Diagnosis activity cluster Actions for country teams  Site selection- (trial locations) (25 – 100/Woreda (action site)  Variety choice  Establish need for inoculants (faba bean)  Procurement of materials for trial establishment (seed, fertilizer and inoculant…)  Engagement of farmers for establishing on- farm trials  Collecting of associated observations (soil, weather etc.)  Planting, managing, and harvesting the trials  Data collection R G B Y 10m / 14 rows 0.75m Plot 1. Plot 2. Plot 3. Plot 4. Ex. Plot layout for a 4 treatment trial R. Red (control) (-P-I) G. Green, (-P+I) Y.Yellow, (+P-I) B. Blue, (+P+I) Aims to identify main biophysical causes for existing yield gaps

11. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa The Agronomy research clusters Aims to generate system recommendations (non responsive soils, trial of untested varieties, input and management practices) Researcher managed and minimum number of trials -Assessment of the occurrence of non responsiveness - missing nutrient? -Agronomic trials to establish recommendation for improved legume production Based on data collected and analyzed :  Define specific hypothesis about factors limiting legume productivity  Define specific hypothesis about factors causing non-response to inputs (missing nutrient?)

12. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa The Agronomy research clusters Actions for country teams: (short –term; Missing Nutrient?)  Site selection (Where?) few in number – where non responsiveness exists  Determination of relevant treatments and experimental design  Execution of trials and data collection Actions for country teams: (long-term; systems research – rotation )  Site selection and institutional/farmer engagement (FTC?), one per region?  Establishment of trial (Treatments: control, rotation, pure legume, pure cereal), 3-5 Rep  Organize long term data collection

13. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa The Demonstration cluster Aims for large scale on-farm demonstration of tested (best-bet) technology options- legume intensification Actions for country teams:  Definition of basket of options  Site selection  Procurement of materials for trial establishment (seed, fertilizer and inoculant…)  Engaging associations/kebeles [25 – 50/Woreda (action site)]  Selection of demonstration fields and definition of subsets of options for each field  Treatment structure and experimental design  Design and planning of associated observations (soil, weather etc.)  Execution of trials and data collection  Organizing field days and communicating results

14. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Demo/ dissemination (Baby trials )- on individual farmers plot, non replicated Treat.LegumeVarietyDAPInoc. 1ChickpeaV1*-- 2ChickpeaV2-- 3ChickpeaV1++ 4ChickpeaV2++  Definition of basket of options ? Do we have options/practices currently farmers use? Do we have options/practices currently farmers use? eg. Application of manure in Uganda The Demonstration clusters

15. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa The Adaptation cluster Involves a large number (200 -1000 per site) of small fields that form de-facto satellites of the demonstration Actions for country teams:  Site selection (trial location)  Site selection (trial location)(avoid extremely bad or good soil, Take market access into account)  Engagement and registration of participating farmers  Procurement of materials for trial establishment (seed, fertilizer and inoculant…)  Prepare farmer-specific technology packages, farmers interest Always include farmers normal practice/variety as a control (Small scale experiments around the themes: variety, input, management, systems agronomy. Always include farmers normal practice/variety as a control)  Collection of farmer feed back  Selection subsets of trials for detailed monitoring and measurement

16. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Activity ClusterDiagnosisResearcher Managed AgronomyDemonstrationAdaptation Site selection Priority legumes, priority areas; Representative range of soil types. Representative soils and ecology Typical soil and ecology. 1 demonstration for each of 25-100 associations. Avoid extremely poor or good soils. Based on association/farmer interest. Varieties usedBest improvedas requiredBest improvedImproved and localBest improved No. of treatments 2-4as required3<=10 2-4 (subset of demonstration) Essential treatments control, inoculation, best fertilizer, best fertilizer + inocculation control, as required Continuous cereal, continuous legume, rotation Control, best practice, Selection from a limited set of options. Control (current farmer practice or fixed) Approx no. reps25-100/siteas required5/trial25-50200-1000/site Approx plot size10 x 10 mas required>=10 x 10 m10 x 10 m variables measured MPN, biomass, grain yield, nodulation (score+count), plant tissue analysis. as required MPN, biomass, grain yield, nodulation (score+count), plant tissue analysis (N fixation?) biomass, grain yield, BNF (nodule assessment), grain nutrient analysis grain yield (estimated and measured for a subset of farmers) associated variables weather, pests, disease, soil samples, field book as required weather, pests, disease, soil samples, trial assessment form Weather, input/output prices, Participatory feedback on biotic and a biotic stresses (standard process), field book. input/output prices, participatory feedback (standard process), field book Comments/measurements on associated variables (such as pests, disease) must be of very high quality. The number of trials of this type should be kept to a bare minimum and be reserved for testing promising solutions to important problems Engage in an overall initiative on this; there will be an overall planning meeting on this once we get funds; need to plan well. Make sure to limit the number of options as to ensure sufficient replication of treatments includes field days and exchange visits A subset of farmers should be selected for more precise and in- depth evaluation. Table 4. Specific characteristics of the different tasks

17. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Nutrition aspect: Recipe preparations, supplementary food (food processing) and awareness creation on nutritive value of the legumes, at least in collaboration with partners (e.g, Hawassa University: in collaboration with Food Science Department, etc.) for demonstration activity cluster or also others. Gender mainstreaming: Women participation in project activities (technology development, food quality and market attributes of legumes), business development for women groups (village level collective marketing), etc. Nutrition and Gender loops – also points for group work

18. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Thank you!

19. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Target legumes: Common Bean and Chickpea Project sites (Woredas) :- BorichaCommon bean:- Boricha, Halaba (?) Chickpea :- Damote Gale, Meskan (?) SNNPRS - Work Plan, Team, Roles and Responsibilities A. Boricha A. Boricha: Project location ( Kebele ), Trial location (Farmers plot ) & Team 1.Shelo Abore; 2. Shelo Elancho; 3 Belela 4. Sedomo Chala 5. ??? 2.Trial Locations (famers plots) = 50 (10/Kebele) 3.Team -Tulu Degefu -Galfato Gabiso -#1 Woreda expert ?? -#2 DAs (In the Kebele 1,2,3,4,5) Diagnosis Activity Cluster

20. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Work plan: Diagnosis Activity cluster – Boricha Actions: 1.Procurement of inputs (seeds, fertilizer, inoculant required) -Calculate amount of each needed/trial location (farmer plot) and then for 50 formers plot -Total Trial locations (Farmers Plots) = 50 (10 farmers per Kebele) -Variety = Nasir -Treatment 4 (+P+R, +P-R, -P+R, -P-R) but NPS/DAP? -P rate= 25kg/ha (DAP) 2. Selection of trials locations (10 farmers /kebele) 3. Engagement of farmers for establishment of trials 4. Collecting of associated observations (soil, weather etc.) 5. Planting, managing, and harvesting the trials 6. Data collection 7. Reporting 8. Budget 9. MoU

21. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Work plan – Diagnostic cluster (Boricha) ActionQuantityWhen Who is responsible Boricha 1. Selection of Kebeles (project locations) 5 16 April 2013 Team 2. Selection of farmers (Trial locations, 10/Kebele) 50 ????Team? 3. Procurement of Input (calculate now!) - Seeds - Fertilizer (NPS?) - Inoculant ? Kg ?????? TULU/Galfato 4. Prepare budgets sending out to ILRI - By date?? 5. Prepare research agreement (MoU) and sending out to partners for comment - By 15/5/2014 Country coordinator + N2Africa Team 6. Trial establishment - Land preparation - Planting - Management (weeding…. - Harvesting -Farmers field days ?????????? ?????????? 7. Data collection - Associated observations (soil, weather) - Plant growth, Nodulation and N fixation - Soil and plant analysis ?????? ?????? 8. Reporting ??

22. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa A. Halaba A. Halaba: Trial location (Farmers plot ) & Team Kebeles (Project location) 1.???; 2. ????; 3 ??? 4. ???? 5. ??? 2.Famers plots (Trial Locations ) = 50 (10/Kebele) 3. Team -HU/SARI (Tulu Degefu/Galfato Gabiso/SARI ?) -#1 Woreda expert ?? -#2 DAs (In the Kebele 1,2,3,4,5)

23. Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa Work plan – Diagnostic cluster (Halaba) ActionQuantityWhen Who is responsible Halaba 1. Selection of Kebeles (project locations) 5 16 April 2013 Team 2. Selection of farmers (Trial locations, 10/Kebele) 50 ????Team? 3. Procurement of Input (calculate now!) - Seeds - Fertilizer (NPS?) - Inoculant ? Kg ?????? TULU/Galfato 4. Prepare budgets sending out to ILRI - By 5. Prepare research agreement and sending out to partners for comment - By 15/5/2014 Country coordinator + N2Africa Team 6. Trial establishment - Land preparation - Planting - Management (weeding…. - Harvesting ???????? ???????? 7. Data collection - Associated observations (soil, weather) - Plant growth, Nodulation and N fixation - Soil and plant analysis ?????? ?????? 8. Reporting ?? Work Plan for Chickpea – Damot Gale, Meskan?

24. Thank you!