Crop-livestock systems in West Africa: Update on past work

Shirley Tarawali

Presented at ILRI on 20 January 2012

• A shift in crop breeding/selection

• Dual purpose legumes and cereals

• Recognition of the greater systems context

• “Learning by doing”– Complementary expertise of

several centres– Work closely with farmers– Take an “INRM” or “Sustainable

Livelihoods” approach (ie not just productivity)

2000

2050

Changing humanpopulation

Source: Thornton et al. 2002Poverty & Livestock Mapping, ILRI, Kenya

2000

2050

Changingproductionsystems

Source: Thornton et al. 2002Poverty & Livestock Mapping, ILRI, Kenya

Pathways of crop-livestock integration?

Crop farmer

InputsGrain

Marginal

Fallow

Manure

Stover

Land resource

Livestock farmer

Livestock farmer

Manure

StoverCrop farmer

InputsGrain

Land resource

?

FallowX

MarginalXCrop farmerLivestock farmer

Crop-livestock systems - already integrated!

The challenge?

• To produce more crop and livestock products

• But:– don’t deplete the natural resource

base– don’t overlook farmers’

perceptions, priorities and circumstances

• Strategies of integrated natural resource management (INRM) and sustainable livelihoods (SL)

Science solutions?

• Improved crop varieties

• Soil management– Add fertilizer– Put more manure

• Livestock– Better quantity and quality feed– Kraal on fields

Science solutions?

Not just one crop speciesNot just for grain

Farmers buy limited inputsManure has to come from

livestockLivestock have to be fed

Feed comes from cropland

Crop varieties - more and better quality feedKraaling not always practical!

What next?• An integrated approach

• Need for “soft” science to better understand farmers, the systems they operate in and how these may influence adoption and adaptation

Integrated approach• Combine the “best” component

interventions– dual purpose crops (cereal +

legume)– crop management (best use of

inputs)– feed stover to livestock – manure returned to field

• Holistic assessment with farmers as co-developers

Research Development

Social, economicpolicy issues

Livestockproduction

Dual purposecrop varieties

Soilmanagement

Partner-ships including

FARMERS

Project basis•Combine component

research outputs•Develop holistically with

farmers and other stakeholders

Cropmanagement

1998:BB+ - best bet options plus minimum inputs

BB - best bet options, no inputs L - local plot of sorghum-cowpea

Livestock feeding dependent on agronomic treatments, manure returned to fields

Biophysical (grain, residue, soil, liveweight, manure quantity/quality)Economic (input and output costs)Social (semi-structured interviews)

Best bet options -the beginning

#S

#S

Ibadan

KadunaSGS

NGS

DS

Agro-Ecological Zonesin Sub-Saharan Africa

LGP 271 - 365 daysLGP 211 - 270 daysLGP 31 - 210 daysElevation 801-1600 m, Rainfall > 900 mm/yearElevation 801-1600 m, Rainfall < 900 mm/yearElevation > 1600 m

Humid ForestMoist SavannahDrier SavannahMoist Mid-AltitudeDrier Mid-AltitudeHigh AltitudeOther

(Originator: IITA GIS lab 2001 Source: CIMMYT Maize Research Atlas, 1999)

S

N

EW

Length of Growing Period (LGP) = 90 days

500 0 500 1000 1500 2000 Km

Nigeria Bichi (U.Zangi,

Minjibir)

Niger Banizoubou,

Kodey

Mali Fana and Koulikoro

Ghana Bawku E.,

Tolon Kumbungu

Burkina FasoNamaeguema,

Pobe

Intensification of integrated crop-livestock systems (Danida)

On farm livestock feeding - Nigeria 2003

Treatment Weight change(kg)

Liveweightgain (g) per gofCowpea fed

Estimatedmanure perhectare (kg/ha)

600g cp/day 0.64 1.06 473300g cp/day 0.93 3.09 1273Local 0.09Pr>F 0.58

Bran is an important

source of feed (especially for

women)

New in Niger- micro-dose

- compost pits

Compost pits are good……….but- transport to distant fields?

- complementarity with inorganic fertilizer?

In Burkina Faso:- begin with farmer evaluation of

feeding and compost options

-potential to dual purposevarieties and crop patterns

- excellent Danish partners, withexpertise in group dynamics

In Ghana:- small ruminant feeding in wet

season- a new challenge?

- begin with farmer evaluation of

feeding and compost options- opportunities to introducedual purpose varieties etc

- outstanding partnerships atgrass roots level

Elaborate social,

economic, policy and

institutional options - enabling

environment

• Highlights– format for economic data

collection and analyses, with and without family labour

– example from Niger– new issues to include– understanding enabling

environment

New issues to include

• Manure value• Soil capital• Livestock reproductive

performance• Livestock “value”• Alternate uses for crops (eg

sorghum stalks)• Grain storage (cowpea)• Value of grain as seed

Understanding the enabling environment

• Trade-offs and balances related to production and resource management– influences:

• resource base, access to market, environmental and cultural factors

• Credit– transition in Nigeria - to paying up

front (confidence and improved income?)

– not yet in Niger and Mali– opportunity for cross site

comparisons

What is new?• Bringing together the best (and not

necessarily no inputs - but maximum use of minimum inputs)

• Close interaction and continuous dialogue with farmers - changes and suggestions

• Economic evaluation - not just value of crop yields, but livestock production, manure value

• Relate to social information - for example:– livestock are important as an emergency cash

reserve; – small ruminants often managed by women– access to market makes a big difference

What have been the challenges?

• Time and discussion– why not extrapolate from on-

station?

• “Fear” of putting technologies or varieties in farmers hands

• Learning to move away from assessment of “success” in terms of yield alone

• Institutional issues– many and diverse partners and

expectations!

Lessons?• Start small and simple - BUT START• Address key issues for farmers - not

everything• Define how what is planned fits into

bigger picture (site selection)• Partners - contribute to key issues• Close communication with farmers -

modify appropriately - learn by doing• No free inputs• If no best bet option - go with what the

farmers do and learn from it • On station research for specific aspects

Lessons?• Keep the holistic balance - all aspects

are important, the aim is SUSTAINABLE improvements in productivity - so the highest production (especially of grain) is not always the “best” and the “fit” into the social and economic circumstances also needs to be considered

• Multi-site investigations demand flexibility according to farming system, BUT don’t get away from the basic principles. Have a protocol and database structure

• Learn to document process etc

• This presentation was originally prepared in 2003