Human energy requirements in Jatropha oil production for rural electrification in Tanzania

AbstractMini-grids connecting households to a generator can be a solution for providing rural communities in developing countries with electricity. Substituting diesel with locally produced Jatropha oil can improve economic and environmental sustainability of rural electrification. Jatropha is known as a labor intensive crop, but little is known about how inclusion of human energy input will affect the energy balance of production of Jatropha oil. In this study we investigate human labor requirements in rural electrification with Jatropha oil. Jatropha in this study in Tanzania was grown as living fences and provided multiple benefits. An energy flow chart of generation of electricity from Jatropha oil is presented, and it is shown that human energy expenditure in production of Jatropha oil is small relative to the overall energy in the system. Time consumption however is extensive, and 7.5hour work is required to harvest and de-hull Jatropha fruit equivalent to 1kg Jatropha oil. 1kg Jatropha oil can in turn provide the community with 2.5kWh electricity through a Multi Functional Platform connected to a local grid. Potential income from harvesting Jatropha is considered so low in the study area that farmers are reluctant to venture into it. Poorer people and children in the community are allowed by the farmers to harvest for free. Collection of seeds for Jatropha oil depends on the availability of labor willing to work for an income of approximately 0.9USD/day. Social and economic sustainability of rural electrification based on Jatropha oil can be enhanced through generous subsidy

Development and Use of a Planter for Simultaneous Application of Seed, Fertilizer and Compost in Pearl Millet Production in Niger—Effects on Labor Use, Yield and Economic Return

Sowing and application of mineral and organic fertilizer is generally done manually in the Sahel, resulting in low precision and delayed application. The objective of this paper is to present a new mechanical planter (Gangaria) for the combined application of seeds and soil amendments (mineral fertilizer, compost, etc.), and to assess the effects of using this planter in pearl millet on labor use, yield and economic return. The labor study showed that the mechanized application of seeds and compost reduced time use by a factor of more than six. The on-station experiments were completely randomized experiments with six replications and six treatments: T0 (control), T1 (0.3 g NPK hill−1), T2 (25 g compost hill−1), T3 (25 g compost + 0.3 g NPK hill−1), T4 (50 g compost hill−1) and T5 (50 g compost + 0.3 g NPK hill−1). Treatments T1 to T5 were sown by the planter with seeds that were primed in combination with coating of seeds with a fungicide/insecticide. The treatment T5 increased grain yield and economic return compared to the control by 113% and 106%, respectively. The advantages for farmers using this approach of agricultural intensification are timelier sowing of dryland cereal crops, easy application of organic fertilizer and more precise delivery of input, thereby making this cropping system more productive and less vulnerable to drought.publishedVersio

Farmers' Soil Fertility Management in Niger and Opportunities for Improvements Through Mechanization, Microdosing, and Seed Coating

The objective of this study was to characterize pearl millet production in Niger and to assess the potential impact of a low-cost production package on land- and labor productivity. The survey showed that 62% of the farmers used manure, while 22% used mineral fertilizer. Of those who used mineral fertilizer only 18% practiced microdosing. High labor demand was given as the reason why 89% of the farmers did not practice microdosing. In field experiments, we tested at three sites and over 2 years a control (no fertilizer and manual sowing) against two improved production packages consisting of mechanized sowing, seed priming, seed treatment with fungicide and NPK fertilizer in treatment 1 (T1), or phosphate coating in treatment 2 (T2). In the production package T1, seed and NPK fertilizer were mixed in a 1:1 ratio and this mixture was thereafter applied by a planter giving a fertilizer rate of 0.3 g NPK hill−1. In treatment T2, the seeds were coated with rock phosphate, and were thereafter sown by a planter giving a rate of 0.35 g rock phosphate hill−1. Compared to the control, the T1 and T2 treatments increased yield by 70.9 and 42.7%, respectively. The two improved production packages reduced time to maturity by 10 days. The net benefit increased for the T1 and T2 treatments compared to the control by 111.8 and 72.8%, respectively. This increase was particularly due to the higher grain and stover yield as well as lower weeding costs. These technologies will also render pearl millet production more resistant to climate change due to timelier sowing and weeding, a better crop establishment, and a shortened growing season.publishedVersio

Effect of tillage frequency, seed rate, and glyphosate application on teff and weeds in Tigray, Ethiopia

Field experiments were conducted in 2015 and 2016 to study the effect of tillage frequency, seed rate, and glyphosate on teff and weeds. The experiments were arranged in a split plot design with three replications consisting of tillage frequency (conventional, minimum, and zero tillage) as the main plot and the combination of seed rate (5, 15, and 25 kg ha−1) and glyphosate (with and without) as subplots. Results showed that zero tillage reduced teff biomass yield by 15% compared to minimum tillage and by 26% compared to conventional tillage. Zero tillage and minimum tillage also diminished grain yield by 21% and 13%, respectively, compared to conventional tillage. Lowering the seed rate to 5 kg ha−1 reduced biomass yield by 22% and 26% compared to 15 and 25 kg ha−1, respectively. It also reduced the grain yield by around 21% compared to 15 and 25 kg ha−1 seed rates. Conventional tillage significantly diminished weed density, dry weight, and cover by 19%, 29%, and 33%, respectively, compared to zero tillage. The highest seed rate significantly reduced total weed density, dry weight, and cover by 18%, 19%, and 15%, respectively, compared to the lowest seed rate. Glyphosate did not affect weed density but reduced weed dry weight by 14% and cover by 15%. Generally, sowing teff using minimum tillage combined with glyphosate application and seed rate of 15 kg ha−1 enhanced its productivity and minimized weed effects.publishedVersio

Adoption and extent of conservation agriculture practices among smallholder farmers in Malawi

Understanding factors affecting farmers' adoption of improved technologies is critical to success of conservation agriculture (CA) program implementation. This study, which explored the factors that determine adoption and extent of farmers' use of the three principles of CA (i.e., minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover with crop residues, and crop rotations), was conducted in 10 target communities in 8 extension planning areas in Malawi. The primary data was collected using structured questionnaires administered to individual households. Triangulation with key informant interviews, field observations, and interactive discussions with farmers and farmer groups provided information behind contextual issues underpinning the statistical inferences. From a total of 15,854 households in the study areas, it is estimated that 18% of the smallholder farmers had adopted CA, representing an area of about 678 ha (1,675 ac; 2.1% of all cultivated land). Land area under CA constituted about 30% of total cultivated land among adopters. A random sample of 151 adopters and 149 nonadopters proportional with respect to adoption rates was drawn from various communities and interviewed using structured questionnaires. A total of 30 key informant interviews were conducted with stakeholders including staff of Total Land Care, government extension workers, agroinput suppliers, and lead farmers. The first stage of the Heckman model showed that hired labor, area of land cultivated, membership to farmer group, and district influenced farmers' decisions to adopt CA. The second stage of Heckman model results suggested that total cultivated land, duration of practicing CA, and district influenced farmers' decisions to extend their land to CA. Our study can be used to show the agency and social structures that are likely to influence adoption and extent of CA. Future policy should address ways to provide access to information and long-term support to farmers to enable them to embrace the technology fully

Maize response to fertilizer dosing at three sites in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

-This study examines the agronomic response, efficiency and profitability of fertilizer microdosing in maize. An experiment with the following treatments was conducted: control without fertilizer, microdosing treatments, with the rate of 27 + 27, 53 + 53 and 80 + 80 kg ha−1, and banding of fertilizer with 100 + 100 kg ha−1 of di ammonium phosphate (DAP) + urea, applied at planting and jointing, respectively. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The experiment was conducted during the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 cropping seasons at Ziway, Melkassa and Hawassa in the semiarid central rift valley region of Ethiopia. Compared to the control, the fertilizer treatments had higher yield and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) profitably. The 27 + 27 kg ha−1 fertilizer rate increased the grain yield by 19, 45 and 46% at Hawassa, Ziway and Melkassa, respectively, and it was equivalent to the higher rates. The value cost ratio (VCR) was highest with the lowest fertilizer rate, varying between seven and 11 in the treatment with 27 + 27 kg ha−1, but two and three in the banding treatment. Similarly, FUE was highest with the lowest fertilizer rate, varying between 23 and 34 kg kg−1 but 7 and 8 kg kg−1 in the banding treatment. The improved yield, FUE, VCR and gross margin in maize with microdosing at the 27 + 27 kg ha−1 of DAP + urea rate makes it low cost, low risk, high yielding and profitable. Therefore, application of this particular rate in maize may be an option for the marginal farmers in the region with similar socioeconomic and agroecological conditions

Rural livelihood vulnerabilities, coping strategies and outcomes: a case study in Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Extensively vulnerable mixed rain-fed farming system is the underlying mainstay of livelihoods of farmers in the central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess determinants of farmers’ livelihood vulnerabilities to shocks, their coping strategies and outcomes. Cross-sectional data were collected from farmers, agricultural experts, and other development workers through formal and informal focus group discussions, key informant interviews and complemented by field observations. Results showed that natural, institutional, and physical factors are the overriding determinants triggering rural livelihood vulnerabilities to frequent food shocks. Particularly, unpredictable rainfall timing and severity, and ineffective early warning system had practically escalated livelihood vulnerabilities to food shocks. Farmers varied in their assets and socioeconomic capabilities, including wealth status, livestock and poultry holding size, farm size and its soil fertility status, participation in local social networks, and financial capital and access to credit facilities. Farmers also varied in their vulnerability to encountering food shocks and capability to coping. Strategies practiced by households to increase livelihood resilience to rainfall variability include selection of appropriate crop variety, selection of appropriate calendar for planting, intercropping, crop rotation and indigenous in situ rainwater harvesting. Sharing grains among households themselves, selling small ruminants, engaging in off-farm activities and migration were key ameliorative strategies to handle small-scale and temporary food shocks. While, institutional interventions with Food Aid and Safety Net programs were commonly used as the underlying coping strategies for severe and large-scale food shocks. The livelihood outcomes were characterized by continued endeavors to avert the inappropriate land management system, to adapt to the recurrent drought and dry spells, and to improve the inadequate early warnings condition for seasonal agro-meteorology. Therefore, authors suggest concerted efforts of stakeholder institutions and local communities to improve the livelihood outcomes that should enhance household capabilities, activities, assets and accesses; reduce vulnerabilities to shocks; and ensure sustainable agricultural production system in central Rift Valley of Ethiopia.publishedVersio

Sustainability of Improved Crop Varieties and Agricultural Practices: A Case Study in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

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On-farm seed priming and fertilizer micro-dosing: Agronomic and economic responses of maize in semi-arid Ethiopia

On‐farm seed priming has been reported to improve emergence, crop establishment, and yield besides improving economic benefits in dryland agriculture. These benefits can further be improved by fertilizer micro‐dosing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of on‐farm seed priming and fertilizer micro‐dosing on the agronomic and economic returns of maize (Zea mays L. var. Melkassa‐2) in semi‐arid agro‐ecological conditions in Ethiopia. The experiments consisted of four treatments: no priming and no fertilizer; no priming and fertilizer; priming and no fertilizer; and priming and fertilizer. The experiments were conducted in three locations viz., Melkassa, Ziway, and Hawassa in the central Rift Valley. Analysis of variance for each location was performed separately at p ˂ .05. Results of each location were similar over the experimentation years, and hence, there was no need for carrying out combined analysis. Regardless of fertilization, primed plants showed faster emergence; better uniform crop stands; more vigorous plants; earlier flowering; earlier harvest; and higher grain and stover yield than no primed plants. Germination was 2–3 days earlier, and flowering and maturation of primed plants were 10 to 13 days earlier than no primed plants. Average grain yield increased by 11, 8, and 6% in Melkassa, Ziway, and Hawassa, respectively, by priming over no priming. Fertilizer micro‐dosing combined with priming further improved most of the agronomic characters. Fertilizer micro‐dosing combined with priming increased the average grain yield by 75, 69, and 33% in Melkassa, Ziway, and Hawassa, respectively. The economic returns also increased in the same pattern as the agronomic responses for priming, micro‐dosing or their combination. To realize the potential of seed priming of increasing agronomic performances, future research and development efforts should focus on understanding the possible underling physiological and biochemical basis of this poorly understood process with the different priming techniques.publishedVersio

Helse og ernæring i Goundara (Kontela kommune)

Denne studien tar sikte på å belyse sammenhenger mellom landbruk, ernæring og helse. Den ble skrevet på oppdrag for Normisjon i forbindelse med planleggingen av et nytt utviklingsprosjekt. Selv om rapporten er skrevet for dette formålet, vil rapporten ha relevans ut over det å være et rent forprosjekt fordi rapporten beskriver grunnleggende sammenhenger mellom landbruk, ernæring og helse. Rapporten viser hvordan slik kunnskap kan brukes i forbindelse med prosjektplanlegging av integrerte prosjekter. Rapporten gir også råd om hvordan nye inntektsmuligheter kan skapes i tørrlandsområder