Ben Lukuyu 2 , Adebayo Abass 1 , Mateete Bekunda 1

1. a multi-discipline effort to provide options for sustainable intensification of African smallholder farming systems Ben Lukuyu2, Adebayo Abass1, MateeteBekunda1 1- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture 2-International Livestock Research Institute Speed Dating Presentation, CGIAR Consortium Board Meeting Dar es Salaam. 18 March 2014.

2. A Program of the Feed the Future Initiative Goal: • Create pathways out of hunger and poverty for smallholder families through sustainably intensified farming systems Three Research Themes: • Advance the production frontier • Improve nutrition and food safety • Transform key production systems Sudano-Sahelian Systems in WA (Ghana, Mali) Ethiopian Highlands Maize& Livestock mixed Systems in ESA (Tanzania Malawi, Zambia)

3. …is in line with HumidtropicsCRP

4. What problems are we addressing? • Situation analysis revealed several indicators to low smallholder productivity: • Poor agronomic practices (planting periods, spacing, weeding, IPM, crop mixtures, pre-harvest technologies) • Variable and high crop yield gaps (average 30% of potential yield) • Poor post-harvest management (value addition, storage & utilization, agro-processing) • Very high harvest product losses (up to 40%) • Poor conservation of natural resources • High resource degradation • Low use of external inputs (as low as 3% fertilizer usage)

5. What problems are we addressing? • Situation analysis revealed several indicators to low smallholder productivity: • Lack of appropriate seed (crops and forages):-tolerant to draught, pests, diseases; variety diversification • Livestock management (knowledge gaps, inadequate feeds (quantity and quality), poor feed processing) • Under fed livestock (only 65% of the feed needs met under best conditions) and seasonal feed variations • Poor market access: organizational, opportunities, niches • Lack of capacity building, information and communication • Institutions: innovation platforms, farmer organizations, networks

6. How are we solving these problem? RO3 Scaling Markets WP Linking farmers to markets RCTs WP Post-harvest handling WP Poultry husbandry WP Vegetable integration Integration WP Mycotoxin management WP Livestock and land management Farm WP Crop management Development partners, R4D platforms, farmer groups RO1 Characterization and synthesis Babati concept of integration

7. Random testing of farmer-prioritised technologies to assess HH typology-based adaption and aggregated impact • Multi-stakeholder engagement as a means of scaling and adoption • Transmit the lessons learned by the project to the wider research and development community • Current activities and next steps

8. Crop-Soil-Livestock integration in Babati district: A n example of fodder and feed – led SI research • Objectives: • Utilize the introduction of exotic diary fodder and feed crops as drivers of sustainable intensification of crop livestock systems. • Enhance the recycling of crop residues through feed processing technologies

9. Situation analysis using FEAST • Prioritisation of Entry points based on ability to: • Increase feed quantity and quality • Increase soil fertility through BNF • Minimise degradation – reduce soil loss • Validate prioritised technologies (research outputs) • Plan scaling (outcomes) • Research Sequencing

10. Achievements to date: Results from situation analysis1. The systems are dominated by crop production Contribution to livelihood Area committed to forage production is on average 0.04 ha per household only

11. The cattle are underfed most of the time (40% wet season; 80% dry season) There is poor storage, processing and utilization of crop residues There is some fodder trading especially of crop residues happening at small scale There is lack of information about fodder, feeds and feeding There is evidence of land degradation due to overgrazing of community and public land. 2. The cattle are hungry and the land is degrading

12. Prioritized intervention niches

13. Bulking plots for planting materials set up at LITA, Tengeru, Arusha. (16 different species of improved fodder (grasses and legumes) • Participatory action research trial designs representing these forage species and niches have been installed on 9 farms in 3 villages of Babati district. • Three community fodder nurseries have been set up in each of the three villages and will double up as a learning platform for farmers • Small scale mobile forage choppers purchased for feed processing trials after harvest • Validation of technologies

14. At least two forage ‘best fit’ species suitable for target niches identified in different farming systems • A package for integrating forages in existing system formulated and delivered to farmers and extensionists • A package for processing and utilizing crop residues described and delivered to farmers and extensionists • A verified impact of these trials on soil, water and nutrient cycles on farmers fields • Expected outputs

15. Thank you Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generationafrica-rising.net