Doubled-Up Legume Systems Under Conservation Agriculture and Conventional Agriculture in Sinda, Chipata, and Lundazi, Zambia

This study contains data originated from on-farm trials that were conducted to test and demonstrate the crop yield and economic benefits derived from conservation agriculture (CA) systems on smallholder farms where the ridge and furrow tillage system is the traditional practice. The farm trials were conducted at six farms in Chipata, Lundazi, and Sinda districts of the eastern province of Zambia. In each site, the trials were replicated four times and had two general treatment sets:1)conservation agriculture; and 2) Conventional ridge and furrow systems. The sub-treatments were: - Sole cropping groundnuts; - Sole cropping pigeonpea. - Full population of groundnuts + half population of pigeonpea; - Full population of groundnuts and pigeon; -The trials were conducted over multiple years: - Year 1: Legume phase; - Year 2: Maize phase + legume phase; - Year 3: Legume phase + maize phase.IFPRI1; Africa Risin

Conservation Agriculture Long-Term Trial at Msekera Research Station, Zambia

The present data is from a long-term trial set at Msekera Research Station in Zambia to monitor and evaluate the long-term effects of conservation agriculture practices on soil quality, soil water dynamics, weeds, pests/diseases, and crop yield. This trial was conducted from 2012 to 2020. The ten treatments including control were: T1: Control plot 1 (CPM1): traditional farmers practice mouldboard plough on the flat, maize as a sole crop, no residue retention, stubble incorporated into the row for the following season. T2: Control plot 2 (CPM2); ridge and furrow system dug by hand, maize as a sole crop, no residue retention, stubble incorporated into the row for the following season T3: Basins (BAM), residue retention on the surface, maize as a sole crop T4: Dibble stick (DISM), residue retention on the surface, maize as a sole crop T5: Direct seeder (DSM), residue retention on the surface, maize as a sole crop T6: Direct seeding maize/cowpea intercropping (DS-M/C), 90cm rows, residue retention on the surface T7: Direct seeding cowpea (Cowpea-maize rotation) (DS-MC), residue retention on the surface T8:Direct seeding maize (Maize-cowpea rotation) (DS-CM), residue retention on the surface T9:Direct seeding soya (Soybean-maize rotation) (DS-MS), residue retention on the surface T10: Direct seeding maize (Maize-soybean rotation) (DS-SM), residue retention on the surfaceIFPRI1; Africa Risin

Gliricidia Intercropping Trial On-Station Under Conservation Agriculture

The objective of the study is to test different plant arrangements between maize and Gliricidia sepium and evaluate its effects on soil quality and productivity. Below is the list of treatments applied during the experiment. - Traditional Maize- Groundnuts rotation [with half recommended fertilizer on maize, no fertilizer on groundnuts]; - Maize-Groundnut rotation with Gliricidia [ Maize/Gliricidia (COMACO?s Gliricidia spacing: 5m x 1m) ? Groundnuts/Gliricidia]; - Doubled up Maize-Groundnut rotation with Gliricidia [Maize/Gliricidia (Dispersed shading spacing; 10m x 5m)/pigeonpea ? Groundnuts/Gliricidia/Pigeonpea].IFPRI1; Africa Risin

On-Farm Green Manure Cover Crop (GMCC) Intercropping Strategy Trial under Conservation Agriculture

This study contains data originated from on-farm trials that were conducted to provide viable options to smallholder farmers to improve soil fertility and human nutrition, to increase biomass for fodder and groundcover and to enhance the resilience of current farming systems against the negative effects of climate variability and change. Green manures or cover crop were used as the option. The trials were conducted at farms in Chipata and Lundazi districts of the eastern province of Zambia. The following treatments were used for the trial: - Sole cropping maize; - Maize ? Pigeonpea intercropping; - Maize ? Pigeonpea intercropping with 60-day cowpea; - Maize ? Dolichos Lablab intercropping; - Maize/Gliricidia sepium/pigeonpea intercrop (year 1: groundnuts/Gliricidia; Year 2 soybean/pigeonpea/Gliricidia; year 3 - Maize/Pigeonpea/GliricidiaIFPRI1; Africa Risin

Conservation Agriculture Mother Trials in Chipata, Lundazi, and Sinda, Zambia, 2020

This study contains data originated from on-farm trials that were conducted to test and demonstrate the crop yield and economic benefits derived from manual and animal traction conservation agriculture (CA) systems on smallholder farms where the ridge and furrow tillage system is the traditional practice. The farm trials were conducted at six farms in Chipata, Lundazi, and Sinda districts of the eastern province of Zambia. In each site, the trials were replicated four times and had two general treatment sets:1) manual CA; and 2) animal traction CA. The manual CA system trial consisted of three treatments and these treatments were compared with conventional ridge and furrow practice at each farmer's field. The four treatments including control were: - Conventional ridge and furrow with continuous sole maize (CRF); - No-tillage / Dibblestick CA system with continuous sole maize; - Dibblestick CA system with maize intercropped with cowpea; - The animal traction CA system consisted of two treatments that were compared with a conventional ridge and furrow practice at each farmer's field. The three treatments including control were: - Conventional ridge and furrow with continuous sole maize (CRF); - Animal traction (AT) ripline seeding with continuous sole maize; - Animal traction (AT) ripline seeding with maize rotated with legumes.IFPRI1; Africa Risin

Sustainable Intensification of Low-Input Agriculture Systems Zambia

The datasets contain field level trial data on low-input agriculture systems in Zambia. Project title: AfricaRISING- Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume-Livestock Integrated Farming Systems in East and Southern Africa Project abstract: Sustainable intensification of mixed crop-livestock systems is a key pathway towards better food security, improved livelihoods, and a healthy environment. As part of the US government?s Feed the Future initiative to address hunger and food security issues in sub-Saharan Africa, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is supporting three multi-stakeholder agricultural research projects to sustainably intensify key African farming systems. In East and Southern Africa, the project is being implemented in Tanzania and Malawi, and Zambia. In Tanzania, the project is being implemented in Babati and Kongwa districts in Manyara region of northern Tanzania and Kiteto district in Dodoma region, central Tanzania. The action sites were selected to acknowledge agro-ecological differences, allow appropriate targeting of technologies and strategies, and complement the development efforts of another USAID-supported program, the Tanzania Staples Value Chain (NAFAKA) project. In Malawi, the project is being implemented in Ntechu and Dedza districts in central Malawi where maize-based productions systems are dominant. Agroecological considerations guided the identification of research action sites. The pilot site for the study will be Eastern and Lusaka Provinces in Zambia. Project website: http://africa-rising.netIFPRI1; Africa Risin

Pigeonpea Ratooning Trial Under Conservation Agriculture, 2020

This dataset includes data generated from the on-station trial that was conducted to evaluate the various management methods that are being advocated in the Southern Africa region. The following treatments were used for this trial. - Sole maize continuous; - Full Pigeonpea/maize rotation; - Maize + Pigeonpea full growth no ratooning; - Maize + Pigeonpea, uprooting at harvest and re-seeding every year; - Maize + Pigeonpea, ratooning at harvest and at seeding; - Maize + Pigeonpea, ratooning at harvest and 2 weeks after maize seeding; - Maize + Pigeonpea, ratooning at harvest and 3 weeks after maize seeding; - Maize + Pigeonpea, strip harvest of pigeonpea pods (no ratooning), plant maize and pigeonpea at seeding time, cut pigeonpea at ground level 2 weeks after maize planting; - Maize + Pigeonpea, strip harvest of pigeonpea pods (no ratooning), delay planting of maize by a minimum of 14 days, cut pigeonpea at base, reseed pigeonpea with maize 14 days after the planting window.IFPRI1; Africa Risin

Conservation Agriculture Mother Trials in Malawi

This dataset is a result of a study that was carried out in nine on-farm sites of Central and Southern Malawi to understand and compare the effects of different cropping systems (conservation agriculture (CA) and conventional) on soil physical and chemical parameters and long-term maize productivity. Six experiments were established in each target community. Each experiment had three treatments at one farm and was treated as a replicate, plot sizes were 0.1 ha per treatment. The treatments were as follows: 1. Conventional control plot consisting of the traditional ridge and furrow land preparation planted with continuous monocrop maize (CPM). The residues were managed using methods commonly practiced in each extension planning area; i.e., the residues were incorporated into the ridges. Continuous monocrop maize was planted on the ridges. 2. CA plot with continuous monocrop maize (CAM) planted into the previous years? ridges (where they still existed) or directly into the plot without previous ridge formation. Crop residues from the previous years? harvests were retained as a surface mulch. Maize seeds were planted as sole crops in no-till methods using a pointed stick (dibble stick). 3. CA plot with maize intercropped with a legume [cowpea or pigeon pea or groundnut. Both crops were planted with the dibble stick into the previous years? ridges (where they still existed) or directly into the plot without further ridging. Crop residues were retained as surface mulch as in treatment 2.IFPRI1; Africa Risin

Improved Crop Varieties, Agronomic Practices, Soil Water Conservation Practices

Establishment of demonstration plots on improved crop varieties (maize, groundnuts, soybeans and beans) and best-bet agronomic pratices and soil and water conservation practices in Babati, Kongwa, kiteto, Mvomero, Mbozi, Kilosa and Kilolo in Tanzania. Training of lead farmers and extension staff to empower them with knowledge on improved technologies so that they can also train others. This study contains data from different cereal legume rotation systems in northern Ghana. Project title: Enhancing Partnership among Africa RISING (AR), NAFAKA and TUBORESHE CHAKULA (TUBOCHA) Programs for Fast-Tracking Delivery and Scaling of Agricultural Technologies in Tanzania. Project abstract: This project is implemented in partnership between Africa RISING research team and NAFAKA and focuses on scaling of agricultural technologies that include deployment of improved maize varieties and legumes (beans, soybean, groundnuts), deployment of improved water and soil conservation practices and improved good agricultural practices in Babati, Kongwa, Kiteto, Kilosa, Mvomero, Mbozi and Kilolo districts of Tanzania. The project is implemented by CIMMYT, IITA, CIAT, ICRAF, ARI-Hombolo, AMINATA Quality Seeds compnay, Meru Agro-Tours and Cosultants seed company, NAFAKA and Selian Agricultural Research Institute. Project website: http://africa-rising.netIFPRI1; Africa Risin