Up-scaling napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) production using "Tumbukiza" method in smallholder farming systems in Northwestern Kenya

Abstract

Low and declining soil fertility and inadequate livestock feeds are major constraints limiting dairy productivity in smallholder farming systems in North-western Kenya. Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) is the most popular fodder used by dairy farmers. The farmer field school (FFS) and farmer participatory research (FPR) approaches were used to up-scale ‘tumbukiza’, a ‘Kiswahili’ word meaning placing in a hole, a new method of Napier grass production started by farmers which uses integrated nutrient management strategy to enhance efficient use of nutrients with sustained greater dry matter yields compared to the conventional method. In both methods, four fertilizer treatments were used: (1) 10 t ha-1 farm yard manure (FYM); (2) 5 t ha-1 FYM; (3) 5 t ha-1 FYM + 30 kg ha-1 N, and (4) 60 kg ha-1 P2O5 + 60 kg ha-1 N. Treatments arising from the two methods and four fertilizer rates were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) where schools or farmers served as replicates. Napier grass under Tumbukiza yielded significantly greater dry matter (DM) from two cuts than the conventional method (P < 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in DM yields among the different fertilizer treatments across the two methods, suggesting that farmers had a wide option of fertilization regimes. Dry matter, plant height and tiller number data collected by farmers using agro-ecosystem analysis (AESA) showed that Tumbukiza was more superior compared to the conventional method. The FFS approach strengthened the link between stakeholders, increased participation and information flow among farmers, particularly women on available agricultural technologies. Farmers formed FFS networks to sustain the up-scaling process. Key words: Napier, Tumbukiza, tiller, dry matter, up-scaling.