Compliance of agrochemical marketers with banned cocoa pesticides in southwest Nigeria

This study investigated the compliance of marketers of agrochemicals with the approved and banned cocoa pesticides in selected cocoa producing states of southwest Nigeria. Primary data was collected through the use of structured questionnaire administered to randomly selected agrochemical marketers. All the marketers (100%) were aware of the recently banned cocoa pesticides, however, majority still have the pesticides in stock. About 70.6% of the marketers in Osun state and 58.8% in Ogun state stated that they did not receive information on the banned pesticides from government agencies but through other channels. More than half of the marketers (52.9% in Ogun, 55% in Kwara and 47.1% in Osun) strongly disagreed that government should place a ban on pesticides. Availability of banned pesticides in their stock, insufficient information from the concerned government agricultural agencies, and fear of short supply of approved pesticides are among the reasons proffered by the marketers for not supporting the ban of pesticides. Relevant government regulatory agencies should conduct a comprehensive inventory of pesticides offered for sale by the marketers of agrochemicals. There should be massive public awareness programme, and wellcoordinated association for all the marketers of agrochemicals. Agrochemical manufacturers should translate instructions and warnings on pesticide labels to local languages understood by the farmers.U ovom radu je istraživana usaglašenost prodavaca agrohemikalija sa odobrenim i zabranjenim pesticidima koji se koriste u državama jugozapadne Nigerije koje prizvode kakao. Primarni podaci su prikupljeni pomoću struktuiranog upitnika koji je podeljen slučajno odabranim prodavcima agrohemikalija. Svi prodavci (100%) su bili upoznati sa nedavno zabranjenim pesticidima za kakao, ali ipak većina njih i dalje ima te pesticide u ponudi. Oko 70,6% prodavaca u državi Osun i 58,8% u državi Ogun je navelo da nisu dobili nikakvu informaciju u vezi sa zabranjenim pesticidima od vladinih agencija, već putem drugih kanala. Više od polovine prodavaca (52,9% u državi Ogun, 55% u državi Kwara i 47,1% u državi Osun) se oštro usprotivila tome da vlada treba da stavi zabranu na pesticide. Dostupnost zabranjenih pesticida u skladištima, nedovoljno informacija od odgovarajućih vladinih agencija za poljoprivredu, kao i strah od nestašice odobrenih pesticida su među razlozima za nepodržavanje zabrane korišćenja pesticida koje su naveli prodavci. Relevantne vladine regulacione agencije treba da sastave svebuhvatan spisak pesticida koje prodaju prodavci agrohemikalijama. Takođe bi trebalo obezbediti i program o javnoj svesti, kao i dobro koordinisano udruženje za sve prodavce agrohemikalija. Proizvođači agrohemikalija bi trebalo da prevedu uputstva i upozorenja na etiketama koje se nalaze na ambalažama pesticida na lokalne jezike koje poljoprivrednici razumeju.http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=AGShb201

A farm-level evaluation of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer use and planting density for pearl millet production in Niger

Mineral fertilizer use is increasing in West Africa though little information is available on yield response in farmers' fields. Farmers in this region plant at low density (average 5,000 pockets ha−1, 3 plants pocket−1), which can affect fertilizer use efficiency. A study was conducted with 20 farmers in Niger to assess the response of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] to phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers under farm conditions. In each field, treatments included control, single superphosphate (SSP) only, SSP plus N (point placed near plant), and either SSP or partially acidulated phosphate rock (PAPR) plus N broadcast. N and P were applied at 30 kg N ha−1 and 30 kg P2O5 ha−1. Farmers were allowed to plant, weed, etc., as they wished and they planted at densities ranging from 2,000 to 12,000 pockets ha−1. In the absence of fertilizer, increasing density from 2,000 to 7,000 pockets ha−1 increased yield by 400%. A strong interaction was found between fertilizer use and density. Farmers planting at densities less than 3,500 pockets ha−1 had average yields of 317 kg grain ha−1 while those planting at densities higher than 6,500 pockets ha−1 showed average yields of 977 grain ha−1. Though phosphate alone increased yields significantly at all densities, little response to fertilizer N was found at densities below 6,000 pockets ha−1. Significant residual responses in 1987 and 1988 were found to P applied in high-density plots in 1986. Depending on fertilizer and grain prices, analysis showed that fertilizer use must be be combined with high plant density (10,000 pockets ha−1) or no economic benefit from fertilizer use will be realize

Agronomic evaluation of two unacidulated and partially acidulated phosphate rocks indigenous to Niger

A field study was conducted on a sandy soil in Niger to evaluate the agronomic effectiveness of various P fertilizers for millet production during 1985 to 1987. The P fertilizers tested were two finely ground phosphate rocks (PR) indigenous to Niger (Tahoua and Parc W rocks), PR partially acidulated with H2SO4 at 50% acidulation level (PAPR), single superphosphate (SSP), and triple superphosphate (TSP). In 1985, application rates were 0, 6.5, 13.0, and 19.5 kg P ha−1 for each of the P fertilizers. In 1986, half of the plots received the same rates of P as in 1985 and half of the plots received no additional P. In 1987, P additions were repeated only in half of the plots that received P during 1986. A significant (P = 0.05) millet response to P was observed in all the trials. The major findings of this study were: (i) finely ground Tahoua PR was more effective than Parc W PR because of its higher reactivity and was 82 to 91% as effective as SSP for millet production in both the initial and two subsequent seasons; (ii) partial acidulation of Parc W PR can significantly increase its agronomic effectiveness in the first year, but not in terms of residual effect; (iii) partial acidulation was not a desirable technology for increasing the effectiveness of Tahoua PR, because its high Fe2O3 plus Al2O3 content resulted in a product containing relatively low amounts of water-soluble P; and (iv) over a period of 3 yr, one initial application of a large dose of P fertilizer was found to be more effective than three small annual applications in terms of total grain productio

Sub-Saharan African Challenge Program: Internal Review Report

The objective of this internal review was to analyze the progress made by the SSA CP as described in the Medium Term Plan of the respective Pilot Learning Sites and to evaluate the possible need for reorienting the programme coordination at different levels in the coming year, which is the concluding year of the Programme‟s research phase

Integrated soil fertility management. Operational definition and consequences for implementation and dissemination

Traditional farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa depend primarily on mining soil nutrients. The African green revolution aims to intensify agriculture through the dissemination of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM). This paper develops a robust and operational definition of ISFM based on detailed knowledge of African farming systems and their inherent variability and of the optimal use of nutrients. The authors define ISFM as a set of soil fertility management practices that necessarily include the use of fertilizer, organic inputs and improved germ plasm, combined with the knowledge on how to adapt these practices to local conditions, aimed at maximizing agronomic use efficiency of the applied nutrients and improving crop productivity. All inputs need to be managed in accordance with sound agronomic principles. The integration of ISFM practices into farming systems is illustrated with the dual-purpose grain legume-maize rotations in the savannas and fertilizer micro-dosing in the Sahel. Finally, the dissemination of ISFM practices is discussed.status: publishe