1. Developing Conservation Agriculture in Maize Legume Systems for Smallholder farmers in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique – A Beneficiary Perspective in Zambia
Chisanga. K, Kafwamfwa. N, Hamazakaza. P, Mwila. M, Sinyangwe. J and Lungu. O
Presentation Made at the Joint Pan-African Grain Legume and World Conference – Livingstone, Zambia
28th February - 4th March 2016

2. Presentation Outline Introduction Objectives Methodology
Data Collection
Results and Discussion
Conclusions

3. Introduction
Poor soil fertility and land degradation are major limitations to food security in sub-Saharan Africa
Rural poverty and the environment in developing countries have been linked as a ‘downward spiral’ by many, with population growth, economic marginalization, and more recently climatic variability and change leading to environmental degradation
The rural poor, who depend on agriculture for their livelihood and food security are particularly vulnerable to such a downward spiral as they have limited access to inputs to improve soil productivity

4. Introduction Conti...
Although Conservation Agriculture was introduced to some of the Southern African countries a couple of decades ago, its adoption in smallholder agriculture in the region as a whole package has been low
Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia are witnessing severe degradation to its farmlands
Inclusion of a legume in crop rotation has been reported a major challenge in Malawi (Ngwira et al., 2014), in Mozambique insufficient ground cover, inappropriate weed control and drought have been major challenge (Thierfelder, 2012) while spreading of crop residues as soil surface mulch is a challenge in Zambia (Umar et al., 2011).

5. Introduction Conti...
To change this situation, improved cereals and legume cropping systems design under better resource allocation and management conditions in Conservation Agriculture systems was tested across environments of Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia
This was done through on-station experiments and participatory on-farm research aiming to identify best bet resource allocation strategies that can make cropping systems more attractive to poor resource farmers involved in Conservation Agriculture

6. Objectives
To develop and validate best CA practices that will reduce risk in smallholder farming systems
To build capacity of farmers, extension workers and other partners in implementing CA oriented technologies

7. Methodology
Survey: The research started with data collection through a baseline survey in target provinces
A standard questionnaire was prepared by the research team to be used in all the three countries
The survey form was designed to cover 300 farmers within each country

8. Methodology Conti...
Soil sampling: Soil samples were collected at all farmers’ experimental sites and analysed for physical, chemical and biological parameters
Physical, chemical and biological analysis (sand, clay, pH, SOM, P and exchangeable bases) - To be done every year for the entire period of the research work

9. Methodology Conti...
Field Experiments: 18 field experiments for maize intercropped or in rotation with, soybean, cowpea and pigeon pea and groundnuts was established across three provinces; southern, copperbelt and eastern Zambia. 6 sites were installed in each region
Sites were characterized with a 0-20cm depth composite sample per block and analysed for sand, clay, pH, SOM, P and exchangeable bases
Main reduced tillage options being tried: ripping

10. Methodology Conti... Main soil cover options: Maize stover
Rotations/Intercropping; intercropping/rotating maize with adapted legumes for each proposed project location/site

11. Table 1: Treatment Combination across Trial Sites
Plot
Monze Site
Mpongwe Site
Chipata Site T1
Pigeon pea + Maize +Recommended fertilizer (intercropped) T2
Pigeon pea + Maize + D Compound fertilizer only (intercropped); T3
Pigeon pea + Maize + Half rate recommended fertilizer (intercropped); T4
Cowpea + Maize + Recommended fertilizer (intercropped);
Soybeans + Maize + Recommended fertilizer (intercropped);
Groundnuts + Maize + Recommended fertilizer (intercropped); T5
Cowpea + Maize + D Compound fertilizer only (intercropped);
Soybeans + Maize + D Compound fertilizer only (intercropped);
Groundnuts + Maize + D Compound fertilizer only (intercropped); T6
Cowpea + Maize + Half rate recommended fertilizer (intercropped);
Soybeans + Maize + Half rate recommended fertilizer (intercropped);
Groundnuts + Maize + Half rate recommended fertilizer (intercropped); T7
Maize/cowpea (rotation)
Maize/Soybeans (rotation)
Maize/Groundnuts (rotation) T8
Farmer practice
Note: In Zambia fertilizer recommendation is 200kg/ha basal and 200kg/ha Top dressing

12. Data Collection and Analysis
Maize Grain Yield
Maize grain obtained from both on-farm and on-station trials in line with the research objectives/research questions
Grain from net plots was weighed using a digital scale and moisture content measured immediately to correct the yield to 12.5% moisture

13. Data Collection and Analysis Conti...
Economic analysis:
Revenue per hectare from maize grown under conservation agriculture and conventional tillage (CT) systems was based on yield from on-farm trials conducted in the proposed communities
The net return per hectare was estimated for each maize yield observation (kg ha-1) produced by each treatment, based on the domestic maize price series and the variable costs of each treatment

14. Results and Discussion

15. Table 2: Baseline Soil Analysis Results in the Trial Sites
Guide to soil test data interpretations
N (%) < 0.1 very low
P (%) < 10 very low
K (%) < 15 very low
Soil pH < 4.5 strongly acid

16. Rainfall Performance during the Trial Period across the Research sites
Fig 1: Monze and Mpongwe sites received cumulative rainfall ranging between mm by 31st December 2014 while Chipata site received rainfall in the range of 0-200mm
Fig 2: By 31st January 2015 Monze had accumulated rainfall in the range of 0-400mm while Mpongwe and Chipata the rainfall received during the same period ranged from mm

17. Rainfall Performance during the Trial Period across the Research sites Conti…  
Fig 3: First dekad of March 2015, Monze site received below normal rainfall
Fig 4: Mpongwe and Chipata during the same period received normal rainfall. The cumulative rainfall in the period ranged from mm

18. Rainfall Performance during the Trial Period across the Research sites Conti…  
Fig 5: By 31st January 2015 Monze site had satisfactory moisture levels (50-90%) to support crop growth while Mpongwe and Chipata site recorded sufficient moisture levels (60-100%)
Fig 6: By 10th March 2015, soil water index for Monze and Chipata sites show that the trials were stressed with water levels being 10-50% in comparison to Mpongwe which had satisfactory moisture levels of 50-90%

19. TABLE 3: MONZE SITE YIELD RESULTS
 TREATMENTS
 MAIZE YIELD KG/HA
 STOVER YIELD KG/HA
 CORE YIELD KG/HA
(T1) PP + M + FRF
4341
2586
855
(T2) PP + M + D Comp
3665
2520
691
(T3) PP + M + HRF
3480
2517
692
(T4) CP + M + FRF
4469
2863
872
(T5) CP + M + D Comp
4518
2573
840
(T6) CP + M + HRF
4478
2444
776
(T7) M/CP ROT
4264
2317
771
(T8) FP
4533
2565
828
Mean
4219
2548
791
C.V
29.3
29.2
LSD (0.05)
814.9
490.3
152.5
Note: PP – Pigeon pea; FRF – Full rate fertilizer; M – Maize; D Comp – D Compound; HRF – Half rate fertilizer; CP – Cowpea; GN – Groundnut; ROT – Rotation, SB – Soybeans

20. Fig 7: GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION OF MAIZE, STOVER AND CORE YIELD KG/HA IN MONZE

21. TABLE 4: CHIPATA SITE YIELD RESULTS
 TREATMENTS
 MAIZE YIELD KG/HA
 STOVER YIELD KG/HA
 CORE YIELD KG/HA
(T1) PP + M + FRF
2811
3753
724
(T2) PP + M + D Comp
1605
2994
407
(T3) PP + M + HRF
2219
2821
577
(T4) GN + M + FRF
3038
3309
801
(T5) GN + M + D Comp
1643
3081
424
(T6) GN + M + HRF
2102
3197
543
(T7) M/GN ROT
2721
4169
694
(T8) FP
3220
3934
831
Mean
2420
3407
625
C.V
39.3
27.2
33.5
LSD (0.05)
688.5
670
151.7
Note: PP – Pigeon pea; FRF – Full rate fertilizer; M – Maize; D Comp – D Compound; HRF – Half rate fertilizer; CP – Cowpea; GN – Groundnut; ROT – Rotation, SB – Soybeans

22. FIG 8: GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION OF MAIZE, STOVER AND CORE YIELD KG/HA IN CHIPATA

23. TABLE 5: MPONGWE SITE YIELD RESULTS
 TREATMENTS
 MAIZE YIELD KG/HA
 STOVER YIELD KG/HA
 CORE YIELD KG/HA
(T1) PP + M + FRF
3619
3254
456
(T2) PP + M + D Comp
2700
2915
356
(T3) PP + M + HRF
2577
2992
524
(T4) SB + M + FRF
3204
3803
501
(T5) SB + M + D Comp
3191
3488
520
(T6) SB + M + HRF
2399
2727
414
(T7) M/SB ROT
3829
3497
574
(T8) FP
2931
2928
367
Mean
3056
3200
464
C.V
29.5
46.3
37.6
LSD (0.05)
806.2
1324.8
156.1
Note: PP – Pigeon pea; FRF – Full rate fertilizer; M – Maize; D Comp – D Compound; HRF – Half rate fertilizer; CP – Cowpea; GN – Groundnut; ROT – Rotation, SB – Soybeans

24. FIG 9: GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION OF MAIZE, STOVER AND CORE YIELD KG/HA IN MPONGWE

25. Table 6: Gross Margins Analysis for Monze Site

26. Table: 7 Gross Margins Analysis for Mpongwe Site

27. Table: 8 Gross Margins Analysis for Chipata Site

28. TABLE 9:COWPEA, SOYBEANS AND GROUNDNUTS’ YIELDS ACROSS
RESEARCH SITES

29. Gender and Youth/s Involvement
In this research work, mainstreaming of gender/addressing women/men/youth specific issues is being done by ensuring that 30% of the participants are women as enshrined in the Zambia Gender Policy Document. E.g during the baseline survey this aspect was applied during sampling for household interviews
In-terms of Gender concerns in the development and dissemination of the technology, this is being addressed by ensuring that some host farmers of the demonstrations or validation trials are lead by women
In addition there is also promotion of the development of technologies aimed at reducing the workload of women and girls i.e promotion of appropriate technologies for on farm demonstrations
This is hoped to spur interest from other women groups and get involved

30. Lessons Learnt
Technical Learnings based on the experiences of beneficiaries which could be critical to policy development point to the fact that:
Intercropping is beneficial especially where land pressure is an issue, reduces weed pressure, one can harvest two crops from the same piece of land
Farmers also noted that they were not practicing intercropping as at one time they were only encouraged to grow pure stands of Maize by extension department implying that institutional collaboration is key amongst organizations promoting CA practices to ensure same message is received by the beneficiaries

31. Lessons Learnt Conti…
Intercropping can help replenish nutrients in the soil especially if legumes are rotated regularly
Farmers want to understand the management of pigeon pea tree legume as they perceive that the shrub would interfere with the maize crop development
Aspects of food security at small holder level is associated with availability of maize in Zambia, the staple food, thus introducing any technology which excludes maize may not be feasible

32. Conclusions: Key messages for research, development and Policy
Preliminary results in this trial have revealed that intercropping of maize and cowpea with application of basal 200kg/ha produced better maize yields (4.5t/ha) than with groundnuts and soybeans (1.6t/ha and 3.2t/ha respectively)
We preliminary note that for CA oriented technologies to be taken up by farmers in Zambia there is need to strengthen the research, extension and farmer linkages through information sharing and involvement of partners throughout the research implementation

33. Conclusions: Key messages for research, development and Policy Conti…
In addition involvement of allied departments like Meteorology in weather information would be key for farmers to make informed decision as to when they would plant their crops based on accessed weather information
Possibly the weather information could also be translated in local language for easy understanding and assimilation of the prevailing weather pattern

34. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN PICTURES

35. Research Staff discussing sites to host Trials

36. Monitoring of Trials in Monze Site
Jan 2015

37. Discussing Trial Performance with host farmers during Monitoring Visits – Monze Site
Jan 2015

38. Stakeholder engagement in Monitoring – Mpongwe Site
February 2015

39. Collecting Harvest Data – Chipata Site
May 2015

40. Research staff and farmers organizing the Groundnuts harvest material – Chipata Site
May 2015

41. Farmers participate in harvesting
May 2015

42. Harvested Samples of Maize and Legumes
May 2015

43. THANK YOU!