Effect of plant biomass and their incorporation depth on organic wheat produc-tion in Kenya

Intensive agricultural technologies introduced in Africa some six decades ago paved the way for extensive land clearing and destruction of organic materials, development of high yielding crop varieties under monoculture and replacement of landraces. Si-multaneously, pesticides and antibiotics for use in agricultural pest and disease control were being developed and soon the face of agriculture was transformed by what was termed the Green Revolution. However, the apparent success accruing from such heavy investment was short-lived since the system would easily succumb to soil erosion, reduced soil organic matter, environmental pollution and pest and disease outbreaks. The inevitable result is the inability of land to sustain food productivity and worsening poverty. In response to these dangers, organic agriculture is considered a viable approach which meets the critical need for food security, food safety, as well as human and environmental health. The use of naturally occurring and locally available farm inputs such are plant materials, animal manures and mineral nutrient rich rock ores such as rock phosphates as plant nutrient sources are instrumental in refurbish-ing soil fertility in a sustainable and economical way. In this experiment, green ma-nures derived from Tithonia diversifolia, Dolichos lablab and Tephrosia vogelli were evaluated for their effect on the performance of organically grown wheat. These mate-rials were incorporated at different soil depths namely; 0 cm (mulch), 15 cm and 30 cm deep. Rock phosphate was used as a source of phosphorus and wheat was planted 2 weeks after incorporation. Significant yield increase (15% higher than the untreated control) was observed in the Tithonia treatment. This was attributed to the high nutri-ent concentrations and the quick release of these nutrients in the tissues of Tithonia. Shallow applications of the plant materials also gave better responses than deep application. Apparently, shallow applications are appropriate for shallow rotted crops like wheat. It was concluded that locally available plant material of high nutrient con-centrations which decompose easily to release its nutrients can complement other soil management packages for organic crops in Kenya

Effect of weather on organic cropping systems in Kenya

Rainfall is the single most important factor affecting yield and biomass accumulation by crops as well as residue decomposition in the tropics. The ability to capture this resource in organic systems calls for appropriate techniques. Kenya experiences bimodal type of rainfall with two rainfall peaks; the long (730 mm) and the short (376 mm) rains. Rainfall fluctuations in both seasons are becoming more common in the recent years with a likelihood of crop failure in one out of five years. The question addressed was how to utilize the short rains for food and biomass production. Lablab (Dolichos lablab), a N-fixing legume was sown in the short rains and the seeds harvested. The effect of lablab biomass incorporation on organic maize and potatoes planted in the long rains was evaluated in comparison with farmyard manure application. The 3-year trial showed that dry matter biomass (1.95 t/ha) and grain yield (0.5 t/ha) of lablab was a factor of the amount of rainfall. The amount of lablab biomass applied was proportional to maize grain and potato tuber yields. Similarly, amount of yield and biomass in the long rains was species specific and were a factor of both rainfall amounts and distribution

The Contribution of Cereal Grains to Food Security and Sustainability in Africa: Potential Application of UAV in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, and Namibia

Africa is a net importer of food, especially cereal grains, despite the importance of agriculture in the continent. The agricultural growth in Africa has been undermined by low investment in agriculture, poor infrastructure, high population growth rate, and low adoption of technologies. The agri-food value chain in many African countries will benefit from the adoption of appropriate technologies that are available in the digital landscape to leverage the agricultural sector, make it more attractive to the teeming youth population, and to reverse rural-urban migration. Attention to indigenous cereal grains and other crops that are grown locally and processed into different local foods would ensure food security. However, the availability of these crops in the market is often reduced due to damage before harvest by pests and predators leading to economic losses for farmers. In this article, we review the literature from a multidisciplinary perspective on the relevance of African indigenous food grains to food security in general and we highlight the potential application of drones to increase the yield of cereal grains in three regions of the continent—eastern, western, and southern Africa</p

Determination of Pesticide Residues in Organic and Conventional Exotic Vegetables

Pesticides are used to protect crops from diseases and pests. Their application in agriculture has been in existence since ancient times to date. They have also been used in growing vegetables especially exotic vegetables that are more prone to pests and diseases. There have been concerns over indiscriminate use of pesticides by farmers to grow vegetables especially for local markets since there are no guidelines on Maximum residue levels. This study was done to determine the concentration of cypermethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin pesticide residues in Collard (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla). The samples included both organic and conventional vegetables that use chemical pesticides. Experimental study design was used which involved laboratory analysis of the samples. Sample extraction was done using AOAC official method 2007.01 known as Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) method. The method involves use of Acetonitrile, sodium chloride and anhydrous magnesium sulphate for extraction. Clean-up was done using dispersive-solid phase extraction method using Primary-Secondary Amine and anhydrous magnesium sulphate. Residues analysis was done using Reverse-phase High Performance Liquid chromatography. Peak areas of the curves were calculated using Motic Images plus 2.0 and data analysis was done using SPSS 22. Recovery rates of pesticide ranged from 87.78% to 97.93% for cypermethrin and 90.65% to 95.72% for lambda-cyhalothrin. The results indicated that organic vegetable samples had pesticide residues below detectable levels while conventional vegetable samples had levels ranging from 2.495mg/kg to 0.238mg/kg for cypermethrin and 0.352mg/kg to 0.119mg/kg for lambda-cyhalothrin. The residues of both pesticides were above the recommended, this is likely to cause negative health effects such as uncoordination, whole-body tremors and seizures. This indicates that conventional vegetable consumers are exposed to pesticide residues. Farmers should strictly adhere to good agricultural practice to reduce pesticide residues

The Contribution of Cereal Grains to Food Security and Sustainability in Africa:Potential Application of UAV in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, and Namibia

Africa is a net importer of food, especially cereal grains, despite the importance of agriculture in the continent. The agricultural growth in Africa has been undermined by low investment in agriculture, poor infrastructure, high population growth rate, and low adoption of technologies. The agri-food value chain in many African countries will benefit from the adoption of appropriate technologies that are available in the digital landscape to leverage the agricultural sector, make it more attractive to the teeming youth population, and to reverse rural-urban migration. Attention to indigenous cereal grains and other crops that are grown locally and processed into different local foods would ensure food security. However, the availability of these crops in the market is often reduced due to damage before harvest by pests and predators leading to economic losses for farmers. In this article, we review the literature from a multidisciplinary perspective on the relevance of African indigenous food grains to food security in general and we highlight the potential application of drones to increase the yield of cereal grains in three regions of the continent—eastern, western, and southern Africa