Afric

a RISINGAf

rica RISING

3-year doubled-up legume cropping cycles for contrasting farms in Malawi

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS

INTERNATIONALLIVESTOCK RESEARCHI N S T I T U T E

ILRI21/03/2016

INTE

RCRO

PPIN

G-BA

SED

SYST

EM

PIGE

ONPE

AGR

OUND

NUT

MAIZ

EBE

AN

THIS SYSTEM HAS 'DOUBLE' LEGUME GRAIN AND 'DOUBLE' SOIL FERTILITY BENEFITSFROM BIOLOGICAL N2-FIXATION.

AFTER HARVEST, CROP RESIDUES ARE EITHER LEFT IN THE FIELD AND INCORPORATED AT LAND PREPARATION OR FED TO LIVESTOCK.

RESOURCE CONSTRAINED FARMS CONSTITUTE 74% OF THE FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN DEDZA AND NTCHEU DISTRICTS OF MALAWI WHERE AFRICA RISING IS IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE INTENSIFICATION ACTIVITIES. DOUBLED-UP LEGUME TECHNOLOGY ENTAILS INTERCROPPING TWO GRAIN LEGUMES, EXPLOITING THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED BY COMPLEMENTARY GROWTH HABITS AND PLANT ARCHITECTURE.

PIGEONPEA GROWS VERY SLOWLY FOR THE FIRST 2 MONTHS AFTER PLANTING AND ONLY STARTS RAPID GROWTH WHEN THE GROUNDNUT IS APPROACHING MATURITY. AFTER BEANS, MAIZE AND GROUNDNUT HARVEST, THE REMAINING PIGEONPEA CONTINUES TO GROW AS A SOLE CROP UNTIL MATURITY.

#2 YEAR

#2 YEAR

RESOURCE CONSTRAINED FARMS < 0,6 HA

RESOURCE ENDOWED FARMS > 2 HA

#3YEAR

1/3OF

THE LAND

2/3OF

THE LAND

GROU

NDNU

TMA

IZE *

SOYB

EAN

1/4OF

THE LAND

1/4OF

THE LAND

1/2OF

THE LAND

ROTA

TION

-BAS

ED S

YSTE

M

FARMS MAINLY PRODUCE FOR SALE AT THE MARKET, THEY THEREFORE ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING A PROFIT AND CAN AFFORD FERTILIZER INPUTS.

FARMERS OWN MORE RESOURCES INCLUDING CATTLE, HAVE LARGER FIELDS, HIRE LABOUR FOR TIMELY FARM OPERATIONS, EARN MORE INCOME AND INVEST MOREIN SOIL FERTILITY IMPROVEMENT.

THIS SYSTEM REQUIRES MODEST AMOUNTS OF FERTILIZER, YIELDING AN AVERAGE OF 3 TONNES PER HECTARE OF GRAIN WHEN RAINFALL IS NOT CONSTRAINING.

AFTER HARVEST, CROP RESIDUESARE EITHER LEFT IN THE FIELDAND INCORPORATED AT LAND PREPARATION OR FED TO LIVESTOCK.

#3YEAR

* WITH FERTILIZER