How to take advantage of a new crop?: the experience of Melanesian smallholders

Coconut-based agroforestry systems have a central role in livelihoods on Malo Island in the South Pacific. These mixed plantations provide households with both food and a cash income, thanks to the association in space and time of root crops, vegetables, and cash crops (coconut, cocoa and vanilla). Vanilla has been developed on the island since the year 2000. Farmers have tried to adapt their production systems to include it, with some choosing to do so by associating vanilla with their main cash crop, coconut. A survey of these innovative practices and their economic results conducted in 2005 resulted in an economic modelling of this new agroforestry system with the software Olympe. This study illustrates the use of economic modelling with Olympe to simulate and test new agricultural practices in complex agroforestry systems. The software proved to suit agroforestry systems very well and provided useful information, particularly on economic aspects

Determining the distributions of soil carbon and nitrogen in particle size fractions using near-infrared reflectance spectrum of bulk soil samples

This study aimed at assessing the potential of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for determining the distribution of soil organic matter (SOM) in particle size fractions, which has rarely been attempted. This was done on sandy soils from Burkina Faso (three sites) and Congo-Brazzaville (one site). Over the total sample set, NIRS accurately predicted carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations (g kg(-1) fraction) in the fraction <20 mu m. When considering Burkina Faso only, predictions were improved in general; those of C and N amounts (g kg(-1) soil) became accurate for the fraction <20 mu m but not for the coarser fractions, probably due to heterogeneous SOM repartition. However, most SOM being <20 mu m in general, NIRS could be considered promising for determining SOM size distribution

Principes et fonctionnement des écosystèmes cultivés en semis direct sur couverture végétale permanente.

Ouvrage de vulgarisation In : Manuel pratique du semis direct à Madagascar. Volume I. Chapitre 1. CIRAD-GSDM, Antananarivo

La gestion des écosystèmes cultivés en semis direct sur couverture végétale permanente.

Ouvrage de vulgarisation In : Manuel pratique du semis direct à Madagascar. Volume I. Chapitre 2. CIRAD-GSDM, Antananarivo

La mise en place de systèmes de culture en semis direct.

Manuel SCV Madagascar Volume II Chapitre 3. CIRAD-GSDM, Antananarivo

Maïs ou sorgho associé à une légumineuse alimentaire volubile (Dolique, Niébé ou Vigna umbellata).

Ouvrage de vulgarisation In Manuel pratique du semis direct à Madagascar. Volume V. Chapitre 1. § 2.1. Antananarivo : CIRAD

Le choix des itinéraires techniques : Chapitre 2. La mise en place de systèmes de culture en semis direct.

Ouvrage de vulgarisation In : Manuel pratique du semis direct à Madagascar. Volume II . Antananarivo : CIRAD, 2009

Striga asiatica : a driving-force for dissemination of conservation agriculture systems based on Stylosanthes guianensis in Madagascar.

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