Influence of Weather Elements on Phenological Stages and Yield Components of Tomato Varieties in Rainforest Ecological Zone, Nigeria

Production of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is severely affected during the peak of rainy seasons in South- western Nigeria leading to a decline in yield and fluctuation of prices. To study and identify the impacts of climate variability on phenological stages and yield components of tomato, tomato was cultivated in two separate peak rainy seasons (August to October, 2009 and May to July, 2010) in the Federal University of Technology Research Farm, Akure, Ondo State, South-west Nigeria. Climatic variables including rainfall (RR), relative humidity(R/H), maximum temperature (T_max), minimum temperature(T_min) were evaluated on four different tomato varieties (Roma VFN, Ibadan Local, Beske, UTC) with respect to tomato growth stages and quality of its yield components. The results showed that Ibadan local and Beske varieties started flowering exactly 6 Week After Transplanting (WAT) earlier than other varieties as well as varied in yield components. As seen from both planting seasons, Ibadan local (Ib.local) and Beske varieties produced significantly higher number of fruits/plant and fresh weight of fruits/plant than other varieties under the prevailing climate condition. The results show positive effects of rainfall during vegetative growth and negative effects during reproductive growth. Also, strong negative associations were observed between the yields and relative humidity. The correlations between rainfall and mean temperature with a yield of different tomato varieties were not consistent in both sign and magnitude. Fruit weight of the varieties was negatively correlated with RR, R/H and T_min with exception of Beske variety that was positively correlated with rainfall in the second planting season. In general, at significant level (? ? 0.05), second planting (May-July) is more favourable by prevailing climatic condition compared to first planting (August- October) with respect to yield quantity and quality obtained. Key word: phenological development, climatic variables and tomato varieties

Response of Sorghum Varieties to Organic and Inorganic Fertilizer Strategies in Sudan Savanna of Nigeria:Productivity, Nitrogen, and Water Use Efficiencies

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of different sorghum varieties to micro-dosing fertilization strategies on yield and yield traits, as well as the impact on nitrogen fertilizer and water use efficiency (NUE and WUE). In addition, the benefit-cost ratio of sorghum cultivation under different fertilization strategies in the Sudan savanna zone of Nigeria was analyzed. The experiment included eight fertilizer micro-application strategies as well as two control and three sorghum varieties. Our results showed that most agronomic indicators differed significantly between years, varieties, and fertilization strategies. However, the application of 100g hill-1 poultry manure plus 3g NPK hill-1 resulted in the highest average grain yield > 2000 kg ha-1 at both study sites (BUK and Minjibir). This means that the grain yield is 86% and 132% higher than the average grain yield with zero fertilization. There were extremely significant differences between NUE and WUE fertilization strategies and varieties at the two sites. At BUK and Minjibir, NPK applied with 3 g of hill-1 had the highest NUE with an average of 37.6 and 40 kg grain/kg N. Application of 100 g of poultry manure plus 3g of NPK hill-1 resulted in the highest average WUE of 6.1 and 5.6 kg grain/mm for BUK and Minjibir, respectively. BUK (3.2) and Minjibir (3.6) had the highest net income and benefit-to-cost ratios when applying 3 grams of NPK per hill. The adoption of micro-dosing fertilization strategies by smallholder farmers provides a good opportunity to prevent long-term soil fertility limitations and thereby increase sorghum productivity and farmer incomes by recommending multiple-choice fertilization strategies for improved sorghum varieties

Formation des techniciens et producteurs du projet AICCRA sur la conduite des essais, la production de semences et des techniques de collecte de données agro-climatiques

Dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre du projet AICCRA et pour permettre l’atteinte des résultats sur la mise à l’échelle des technologies d’Agriculture Intelligente face au Climat (AIC), une série de formations a été conduite au profit des acteurs en juin et août 2022 avant et pendant la saison des pluies. La première session de formation relative à la conduite des essais et la production de semences s’est tenue du 07 au 09 juin 2022 au CNRA de Bambey au profit des techniciens du projet AICCRA (Accelerating the Impact of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa). Cette formation visait à renforcer les capacités des participants pour une meilleure appropriation des technologies innovantes mises au point par l’ISRA notamment en matière de production laitière, d’embouche et de production de semences. A cet effet, l’accent a été mis sur cinq chaines de valeur à savoir l’arachide, le mil, le niébé, le lait et la viande. Quant à la seconde formation qui s’est tenue le 11 aout 2022 au CERAAS (Thiès), elle a portée sur le renforcement de capacités des producteurs des trois zones du projet sur les techniques de collecte des données agro climatiques et socio-économiques ainsi que leur importance dans l’atteinte des résultats du projet. Ainsi, l’objectif visé, était d’informer et de former les agriculteurs chefs de file et les gestionnaires de données sélectionnés pour chaque cluster sur l’importance de la gestion et de l’exactitude des données pour la promotion d’une agriculture intelligente face au climat. Le présent rapport fait l’économie de ces sessions de formation et s’articule comme suit : (i) des objectifs des sessions de formation, (ii) du contenu des sessions de formation, (iii) du déroulement des sessions de formation et (iv) des acquis des sessions de formation

Training of Trainers (ToT) on the dissemination of CSA practices and CIS toward increasing the productivity of target crops

Sustainable environmentally, economically viable, and socially acceptable ways are important factors in increasing food production and achieving food security. To achieve increasing food production, the capacity development of key stakeholders especially extension agents and youth farmers is of great necessity, toward increasing the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. The training of trainers (ToT) was organized to equip the lead beneficiary with relevant knowledge and skills on the dissemination of CSA practices and CIS towards increasing the productivity of target crops in order to increase the farmers’ adoption across the intervention villages. Specifically to; (1) review and share the experience of the 2022 on-farm participatory demonstration; (2) educate them on the importance and objectives of trials and demonstrations; (3) ensure the field technicians (ANCAR, CERAAS, identified local) in charge of setting up and supervising trials as well as demonstrations fully understand the designed protocol and monitor them to achieve good results; (4) train them on techniques of quality seed production and (5) benefit of climate-based advisories through ISAT platform for Increase productivity

Increasing the productivity of sorghum farmers in Sudan Savannah of Nigerian: Effect of Access to improved technology and market

Sorghum has assumed greater importance in the economies of several African countries especially with the renewed interest by processors who are interested in using the grain to compliment/substitute wheat and barley in the confectionery and malting industries. Low on-farm grain yields are attributed to low use of inputs including seeds and fertilizers as well as good agronomic practices. ICRISAT Nigeria, in collaboration with several partners under the Agricultural Transformation Support Project (ATASP-1) implemented several activities including thematic training, on-farm technology demonstrations, community seed production and formation of innovation platforms (IPs) for market linkages. Remarkable progress were made in enhancing access to quality seeds and other inputs to over 40,000 farmers while expanding knowledge of Improved technologies to over 100 communities. During the 2016 cropping season, farmers produced over 70,268 Mt of grains valued at N9.135billion (US$29M). The impacts of trainings resulted in about 60% improvement in the understanding of good agronomic practices and post-harvest handling by the farmers and extension agents. The use of improved technologies increased grain yields by 30 to 64% (improved varieties), 27 to 38% (seed dressing), and 20% to 55% (tillage practices). Through IPs and market linkages to large scale processors, 109.76 tons of seeds were procured, distributed and planted. Average yield obtained from improved technologies was 1.5 t/ha compared to 1.1 t/ha by other farmers giving a 40% increase. A total of 1,093 women farmers comprising of about 34.2% of the total number of participating farmers benefited directly from the project. Seed fairs, radios and audio-visual broadcasts on improved production technologies and market availability were used to reach non-participating farmers within the zones. The combination of methods stimulated adoption of improved sorghum production technologies and market linkages proofed effective in achieving both increased sorghum yields and household income

Curriculum co-development to strengthen climate risk management capacity of Senegal’s agricultural extension

Strengthening the capacity of next users – particularly the amalgam of actors who comprise Senegal’s pluralistic agricultural extension system – is a crucial part of the AICCRA strategy for benefitting millions of farmers with climate information services (CIS) and climate-smart agriculture (CSA). This brief describes an ongoing process to design, develop and implement a short curriculum to strengthen the capacity of Senegal’s extension and advisory service providers to incorporate CIS into their work with farmers and agropastoralists. By strengthening human and institutional capacity to understand, communicate and apply climate information at critical points within the agricultural system, this process aims to catalyze agricultural system transformation, enhance the welfare and resilience of Senegal’s farming population, and sustain the impacts of AICCRA intervention