On-farm niches for (forage) legumes – some ideas Birthe K. Paul (CIAT Kenya) LegumeCHOICE project meeting, 12 th of January 2015

Background

Forage legume technologies Legumes are ‘picky’ regarding agroecology (altitude, rainfall, soil fertility) – site specific Research existing on: researcher managed on-station and on-farm trials, agronomic and participatory evaluations Very diverse in terms of annual/perennial, nutritive value, seed production, shade tolerance, biomass production, growth behavior etc. -> fit different niches Clitoria Vigna Desmodium Stylosanthes Canavalia Lablab

1. Grazing communal 3. Semi-zero grazing 2. Grazing private 4. Zero grazing low input Level of intensification Grazing Crop residues Planted fodder Supplements Opportunistic feed Relative use of feed Cut-carryTethered Cut-carry Grazed 5. Zero grazing commercial Different interests, constraints and needs! Land, cash, soil fertility, market opportunities, soil erosion etc.

– Herbaceous and dual-purpose legumes in fodder banks – In rotation and improved fallow for reducing pest/disease pressure and land rehabilitation – Live barriers/fences – e.g. Napier, Bracharia, Leucaena – Under-story in plantations such as banana or eucalyptus – e.g. Stylosantes, Desmodium uncinatum – Intercropping with food crops (maize) for improved soil fertility and protection and weed suppression (e.g push-pull system) – Anti-erosive grass strips, e.g. on terraces – Etc…..  Many options to fit legume into system, but little systematic guidance System integration options

Niche study DRC

Livestock and feeding systems – Sud- Kivu, DRC S. Bacigale, B.K. Paul, et al. (2014), Tropical Grasslands Local forage inventory and Feed Assessment Study (FEAST) in August 2012 Shortage of quantity and quality of feed in the dry season Only 37% of farmers cultivate forages, contributing 6% to animals’ diets Potential for intensification, but small land sizes are a challenge Grazing and collection of roadside grasses constitute main feeding system Local forages have low feeding quality Ruminants mostly grazed, small monogastric livestock fed with collected and cultivated fodder

Agronomic evaluation F. Muhimuzi, B.K. Paul et al. (2014), AACAA conference paper

Niche experimentation- DRC Legume packages and grass cuttings were availed to farmers in each Innovation Platform site Farmers were invited to integrate freely these materials in the cropping system They agreed to pass on planting materials F. Muhimuzi, B.K. Paul et al. (2014), AACAA conference paper

Niches depend on land availability, tenure, livestock system, topography

Ideas for LegumeCHOICE Main legume characteristics: annual/perennial; (non)climbing; shrub/herbaceous; (non) soil- covering; (non) tolerant to shade, low soil fertility, waterlogging, low rainfall… Main farmer needs: protein, carbohydrates, fuel, biomass, cash, fodder, soil erosion prevention, soil fertility improvement… Main farmer limitations: land, cash, labour…

Thanks