Agroecological Intensification Research Articles

Contribution of Agroecological Practices to Household Food Availability: A Case Study of Singida District

Globally, there are urgent calls for transformation of agriculture and food systems to address food unavailability, food insecurity and environmental challenges. Agroecological practices have been promoted as one of the solutions, which have potential to address these challenges. Nonetheless, there is limited evidence regarding the question whether agroecology can indeed enhance food availability among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania inclusive. Thus, the study was conducted to examines how the implementation of agroecological practices contribute to achieving food availability at household level by comparing between farmers who are members of Farmer Research Network (FRN) (implementers) and non-FRN farmers (non-implementers) using a case of Singida district. The study employed a cross-sectional research design, and an integration of both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods. Interviews involved a total of 160 respondents who were randomly selected from household sampling frameworks. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews were conducted to gather complementary data. On one hand, quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software whereby descriptive statistics and an inferential statistic (multiple linear regression) were determined. On the other hand, qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The findings revealed, more than half (68%) and 15% of FRN farmers were in the medium and high categories of implementation of agroecological practices, contrary to non-FRN farmers, the majority (76%) were in low and none in high categories respectively. Based on alaysed data, the most common applied practices by both FRN and non-FRN farmers were: (i) the use of organic fertilizers (farm yard manure and compost manure (96%); (ii) intercropping (88%); (iii) crop rotation (82%); and integration of crop and livestock (79%). In addition, results indicate a significant association between the level of implementation of agroecological practices and food availability (p-value = 0.000). FRNs’ farmers were food secure as compared to non-FRN farmers just due to campaign and capacity building training offered to them. There is a need for a capacity development program to speed up agroecological intensification for sustainable food systems. Thus, it is very essential for public and private organizations to develop capacity building strategies or programmes to impart farmers with knowledge and skills on agroecological revolution.

Characterising family farms and their constraints and agroecological intensification options: a case study from the Sahelian zone, Niger

ABSTRACT Family farms play an important role in food security and nutrition in West Africa. Family farms are rapidly changing and face many constraints. Thus, characterizing them is necessary for policy purposes. This study aimed to characterise family farms in Niger, focusing on the current constraints to family farms and existing agroecological intensification (AEI) options. A survey was conducted using a questionnaire administered to 108 family farms across the selected six study locations. We used descriptive statistics to characterise the family farms and the factorial analysis of mixed data (FAMD) and the Hierarchical Clustering of Principal Components (HCPC) to identify the types of family farms. Results showed that family farms, on average, encompass three households, and the majority (87.2%) of the family farms surveyed were managed by married persons where 25.7% of whom are female. Agriculture remains the primary source of income for 98.2% of people in the study locations, and the main second source of family income (47.7%) is animal husbandry. Family farms are mainly characterised by the presence of the main field (MF) (98%) led by the heads of households and the presence of the women fields (WF) (78%) led by the women. Regarding farm size, the average MF and the WF farm sizes were 3.0 ha and 1.5 ha, respectively. The main identified constraints to family farms were soil fertility decline (84.33%), a recurrent early end of the rainy season (84.33%), farmers’ low income (41.15%), and limited access to the market (24.70%). Twelve potential AEIs options across the study area were explored. In the MF, the major AEI options practised by farmers were: the application of organic manure as fertilizer (73.27%), cereal-legume intercropping (68.83%), and Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (35.85%). Whereas in the WF, the AEI practices were the application of organic manure (55.28%), and cereal-legume intercropping (28.98%). Co-building an integrative approach that combines multiple AEI options in the same field is necessary to tackle the main drivers of the farming systems. Key words: Family farms, Agroecological intensification, diversity, farm typology, Niger

Modeling the Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Local Context for a Contextualized Diffusion of Agroecological Intensification Options in Niger

Modeling the Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Local Context for a Contextualized Diffusion of Agroecological Intensification Options in Niger

Natural-resources-seeking FDI and employment opportunities in developing countries: a temporal perspective

PurposeThis study aims to analyze the short-, medium- and long-term impacts of natural-resources-seeking foreign direct investment (FDI) in the form of foreign multinational enterprise (MNE) land acquisitions on agricultural labor productivity in developing countries. The authors analyze if these land acquisitions disrupt fair and decent rural labor productivity or if the investments provide opportunities for improvement and growth. The influence of different country characteristics, such as economic development levels and governmental protection for the rural population, are acknowledged.Design/methodology/approachThe study analyzes 570 land acquisitions across 90 countries between 2000 and 2015 via a generalized least squares regression. It distinguishes short- and long-term implications and the moderating role of a country’s economic development level and government effectiveness in implementing government protection.FindingsThe results suggest that natural resource-seeking FDI harms agricultural labor productivity in the short term. However, this impact turns positive in the long term as labor markets adjust to the initial disruptions that result from land acquisitions. A country’s economic development level mitigates the negative short-term impacts, indicating the possibility of finding alternative job opportunities in economically stronger countries. Government effectiveness does have no influence, presumably as the rural population in which the investment is partaking is in many developing countries, not the focus of governmental protectionism.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings provide interesting insights into the impact of MNEs on developing countries and particularly their rural areas that are heavily dependent on natural resources. The authors identify implications on employment opportunities in the agricultural sector in these countries, which are negative in the short term but turn positive in the long term.Practical implicationsMoreover, the findings also have utility for policymakers. The sale of land to foreign MNEs is not a passive process – indeed, developing country governments have an active hand in constructing purchase contracts. Local governments could organize multistakeholder partnerships between MNEs, domestic businesses and communities to promote cooperation for access to technology and innovation and capacity-building to support employment opportunities.Social implicationsThe authors urge MNE managers to establish new partnerships to ease transitions and mitigate the negative impacts of land acquisitions on agricultural employment opportunities in the short term. These partnerships could emphasize worker retraining and skills upgrading for MNE-owned land, developing new financing schemes and sharing of technology and market opportunities for surrounding small-holder farmers (World Bank, 2018). MNE managers could also adopt wildlife-friendly farming and agroecological intensification practices to mitigate the negative impacts on local ecosystems and biodiversity (Tscharntke et al., 2012).Originality/valueThe authors contribute to the debate on the positive and negative impact of FDI on developing countries, particularly considering temporality and the rural environment in which the FDI is partaking.

Adoption of agroecological intensification practices in Southern Africa: A scientific review

Adoption of agroecological intensification practices in Southern Africa: A scientific review

Agro-ecological intensification for climate change adaptation: tales on soil and water management practices of smallholder farmers in rural Ghana

In response to the increasing impacts of climatic stressors on human populations, climatic scholars have emphasized the need for alternative approaches to adapt food crop production to climate change and sustain the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Inspired by agro-ecological intensification (AEI) practices of smallholder farmers, this study contributes to climate change adaptation debates in Sub-Saharan Africa by providing a context-specific exploration of everyday traditional soil and water management practices employed by smallholder farmers in adapting food crop production to climate change. The study employed a qualitative research design, conducted household case studies, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and a review of secondary data. We show that smallholder farmers employ diverse range of agronomic practices, with a particular emphasis on traditional soil and water management techniques. Such as the preparation and application of organic manure and compost, ridges formation, crop rotation, and cover cropping. These agronomic practices were complemented by the application of limited inorganic fertilizers and applied across different types of farms; compound and bush farms, valley fields, and gardens to adapt production to climate change. We argue that smallholder farmers are more inclined towards adopting AEI as a means of climate change adaptation due to their strong reliance on traditional farming methods, that draws heavily on local resources, indigenous knowledge as relatively affordable practices. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of incorporating an Endogenous Development (ED) approach in promoting AEI as part of climate change adaptation planning, particularly in rural Ghana and other Sub-Saharan African regions facing similar conditions.

Contribution of assisted natural regeneration (ANR) to climate change mitigation and diversification of ecosystem services in Dan saga village (Maradi-Niger)

As an agro-ecological intensification technique, assisted natural regeneration (ANR) protects agrosystems and guarantees cereal production in a Sahelian context of high demographic pressure and climate variability. This study aims to assess the local perception of assisted natural regeneration in mitigating the effects of drought and climate change and its impacts on soil fertility and crop production. Surveys, based on a participatory approach of individual and collective consultations, were conducted with stakeholders. The water profile and bulk density of areas under ANR and outside ANR were determined from soil samples taken in the rainy and dry seasons at different depths (0 - 200 cm). Vegetative growth and yield components were monitored on 100 plots of 100 m2 (10x10m) with 50 plots in ANR and 50 in non-ANR areas. The results showed that both zones had the same species composition for the dominant woody species, but their average densities were higher in the areas under assisted natural regeneration than in the areas without. Density is lower in the aureoles close to the village than those far from it in any zone. Soil moisture content is higher in the ANR and non-ANR areas than in the non-ANR area in the shallow horizons. However, in the deep horizons down to 200 cm, the volume moisture is higher in the Non-NAR and Uncovered NAR zones respectively than in the Under-Cover NAR zone. Apart from the seedling density, all agronomic performance parameters are significantly higher in the RNA zone than in the non-RAN zone. In terms of farmers' perception, the practice of ANR attenuates the impacts on natural resources (water, land, vegetation) and on production systems. More than 92.2% of the respondents reported that increased dust winds, increased night time temperature, decreased rainfall events as well as their amounts in height are the impacts experienced before the practice of ANR. The practice of ANR contributes to the mitigation of climate variability, improvement of soil structure and carbon sequestration.

Understanding farmer knowledge and site factors in relation to soil-borne pests and pathogens to support agroecological intensification of smallholder bean production systems

IntroductionPests and diseases limit common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production in intensifying smallholder farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa. Soil-borne pests and diseases (SPD) are particularly challenging for farmers to distinguish and manage in cropping systems that vary in terms of soils, farmer knowledge, and management factors. Few studies have examined soil drivers of SPD in smallholder systems, integrated with farmers' perceptions and management practices.MethodsIn Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, we assessed farmer knowledge and SPD management for common bean alongside soil type and soil quality. Focus group discussions and field survey findings including farmer observations and soil nutrient balances were integrated with soil analyses of farmers' fields. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) assessed relationships among farmer demographics, pests and diseases, soil characteristics, and management practices.Results and discussionSurveys revealed that 100% of farmers knew of the bean foliage beetle (Ootheca bennigseni) but few recognized the soilborne pest Ophiomyia spp. or bean fly despite it being more destructive. About a third of farmers knew of root rot diseases caused by Pythium spp. and Fusarium spp. Synthetic pesticides were used by 72% of farmers to control pests, while about half that (37%) used pesticidal plants, particularly Tephrosia vogelii extracts sprayed on foliage. Regarding SPD, 90% of farmers reported that their management practices were ineffective. Meanwhile, synthetic fertilizers were used by nearly all farmers in beans intercropped with maize (Zea mays), whilst very few farmers used manure or compost. Soil available phosphorus was lowbut showed a balance between inputs and outputs regardless of whether fields were owned. Field nitrogen balances were more negative when fields were owned by farmers. An MCA showed that older farmers employed a greater number of pest control practices. The PCA showed that field variability was dominated by soil organic matter, elevation, and soil pH. Higher organic matter levels were also associated with less stunting and wilting of beans observed by farmers. Our results suggest that research and farmer learning about SPD ecology are key gaps, alongside recycling of organic residues to soils. Cost-effective and sustainable practices to manage bean SPDs for smallholders are also needed.

Effects of natural habitat composition and configuration, environment and agricultural input on soybean and maize yields in Argentina

A fundamental challenge of land use management is to sustain the production of food, energy and fiber whilst preserving biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Some promising solutions to current resource-use conflicts are rooted in (agro) ecological intensification, which proposes that ecosystem functions provided by natural habitat can largely replace agrochemical inputs. Here, we evaluate how natural habitat is distributed in relation to agricultural input and the environmental potential for crop production, and whether natural habitat can explain the variations in yield not explained by management and environmental factors. In our analysis, we relied on environmental and management variables from 2858 soybean and 1548 individual maize fields provided by a farming organization in Argentina, and assessed landscape metrics of natural habitat composition (percentage of natural habitat) and configuration (edge density) for each one. We found that fields with higher fertilizer and seed input had lower percentages of natural habitat. Spatial variation in yield was well explained by environmental and management variables for both soybean and maize fields, and landscape metrics showed no relationship to the residuals of the models. However, fields recently transformed from natural habitat had higher yields than those with a long history of agricultural use. We conclude that compensatory management may mask the beneficial effects of natural habitat to some extent, especially in fields with intensive agrochemical use.

What contribution of agroecology to job creation in sub-Saharan Africa? The case of horticulture in the Niayes, Senegal

ABSTRACT In the context of Sub-Saharan Africa’s demographic boom, the issue of youth employment has become a major concern. Many debates are ongoing regarding agriculture’s role in the structural transformation process and providing jobs. In this regard, we explore the opportunity of an agroecological intensification of family farming. We analyze data from agricultural households in the Niayes area of Senegal collected in 2019 and use a clustering method to group farms and rank them according to agroecological practices. Diversity and livestock integration are the most differentiating factors across the identified farming systems. Considering labor allocation complexity within family farms, we compare employment indicators between farming systems to look for agroecology’s effect on agricultural work. We observe diversity in the intensity of labor requirements across the different systems but no overall increase for the most agroecological. However, women working hours appear significantly increased for two groups suggesting a substitution with wage workers for the most agroecological systems.

Global analysis of yield benefits and risks from integrating trees with rice and implications for agroforestry research in Africa

While agroforestry is a well-established approach for agroecological intensification, rice is less often integrated with trees than other annual staple crops. The benefits and risks from rice agroforestry practices have not been systematically explored. Considering the need for strategies that may address low fertility and high degradation of arable soils and contribute to smallholder farm productivity, livelihoods and climate resilience, such exploration would both be timely and relevant. This study, therefore, reviews the published literature on integrating trees in rice production worldwide and provides perspectives for future research, with special attention to Africa, where the potential for sustainable productivity enhancement is deemed highest. Worldwide, six improved rice agroforestry practices are distinguished: hedgerow alley-cropping, short-term (0.5–4 years) improved fallows, pre-rice green manuring, biomass transfer, systematically arranged rice – tree intercropping and irregularly dispersed trees in fields. The rice agroforestry practices in the 87 publications reviewed were associated with 204 woody perennial species world-wide. Rice agroforestry practices provide a range of products and services to farmers but rice yield is the only quantitative performance indicator reported widely enough to enable meta-analysis. Frequently reported comparative or additional effects of fertilizer application, made it possible to include this aspect in the analyses. Across all types of agroforestry practices enumerated, the average effect of adding trees compared to a no-fertilizer and no-tree control is + 38%. The most beneficial practices in terms of enhancing rice yield were biomass transfer, pre-rice green manuring (100% of data points showing positive responses for both practices) and hedgerow alley-cropping (21% positive cases overall but 64% where fertilizer was not applied). Yield reductions occurred with fertilized intercropping compared to a fertilized mono-crop (in 95% of cases) and with the unfertilized short fallow practice (50% of data points showed yield reduction due to competition in the relay intercropping stage). Tree species that combined rice yield enhancements (alongside other products and services) with wide environmental adaptability across the African continent, include Sesbania rostrata, Aeschynomene afraspera , Acacia auriculiformis , Gliricidia sepium and Gmelia arborea . Yield benefits and risks from integrating trees with smallholder rice cropping depend on the type of agroforestry practice used and how each practice interacts with fertilizer application. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of different ways of integrating trees with rice cropping on wider environmental, social and economic sustainability aspects, that are driving increasing interest in rice agroforestry. • World-wide, 204 woody perennial species were used in 6 types of rice agroforestry. • Pre-rice green manure, biomass transfer and hedgerows increased rice yield most. • Sesbania rostrata and Aeschynomene afraspera are effective as pre-rice green manure. • A broad range of tree species are useful for biomass transfer. • Gliricidia sepium and Gmelia arborea benefit rice yield in hedgerow alley-cropping.

Assessing local perceptions of deforestation, forest restoration, and the role of agroecology for agroecosystem restoration in northern Malawi

AbstractDeforestation drives climate change and reinforces food insecurity in forest‐dependent communities. What drives deforestation varies by location and is shaped by livelihood systems. But how locals perceive restoration is crucial for developing restoration policies. Evidence suggests that applying sustainable farming strategies can potentially restore forests and sustain livelihoods. Applying a broad‐based conceptualization of deforestation and restoration in policymaking, however, results in missed opportunities for addressing deforestation and restoration. Here, we explore the drivers of deforestation, the perceptions of restoration, and the challenges to restoration among smallholder farmers in northern Malawi and examine how agroecology can contribute to restoring degraded agroecosystems. Participants report agricultural land expansion, charcoal production, climate change, burnt brick production, and government subsidies as the major drivers of deforestation. We observed that although perceptions of forest restoration reflect farmers' traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to include reclamation of degraded farmlands, reconstruction of native tree species, and replacement of felled trees on farmlands, there are challenges including splitting families to gain access to more subsidized fertilizers and food aid, embedded cultural practices, growing demand for charcoal in cities, and weak ecosystem governance structures that hinder the effectiveness of restoration efforts. We, however, do find that agroecological intensification can increase yield from smaller farmlands and allow for larger and longer‐lasting fallows of spare lands which regenerate forests. Key overarching implications of these findings include the need to integrate livelihoods more explicitly into restoration plans, accounting for TEK in restoration policies in forest‐dependent communities and encouraging the adoption of agroecology.

Agroecological aptitude and dairy farming intensification in a family farm in Tocantins, Brazil

This study aimed to develop a diagnosis of land use suitability, growth prospects and milk production intensification in a family farm located in Conceição do Tocantins, Tocantins, Brazil. Data were obtained through interviews with employees and residents, cooperative members, analysis of productive activities and sources of income. To understand the milk production intensification, an experiment was carried out with the division of an area of ​​1 ha into 3 paddocks and pasture management. For soil aptitude characterization, vector data provided by Seplan were used. The division of the area into paddocks and pasture management allowed an increase in the animal load of 3 AUha-1year-1 and 48% in the daily milk production in the winter and 32% in the summer. In view of the results, it could be concluded that well-formed areas, rest and occupation period with grass reached animal load of 10 AUha-1year-1. Thus, the possibilities of agroecological intensification of pastures were promising and productive; however, investments were high. For professionals interested in these changes, it is necessary to invest in quality paddocks and cattle, in addition to professional training.

A comparative analysis of crop pollinator survey methods along a large-scale climatic gradient

Safeguarding crop pollination services requires the identification of the pollinator species involved and the provision of their ecological requirements at multiple spatial scales. However, the potential for agroecological intensification of pollinator-dependent crops by harnessing pollinator diversity is limited by our capacity to characterise the community of pollinator species for each crop, and to determine how it is influenced by the different survey methods used, as well as by climatic variables at larger geographic scales. Here, we surveyed wild bees using a standardised protocol at an unprecedented scale including 62 commercial apple orchards in Western and Central Europe (i) to validate recent findings on pollinator community divergence as measured by common survey methods (netting and pan trapping) using conventional and alternative biodiversity metrics (phylogenetic and functional diversity), and (ii) to investigate the impact of climatic variation on the patterns observed. Our results confirm the significant divergence in pollinator communities measured using the two common methods at the larger, sub-continental scale, and we provide evidence for a significant influence of climate on the magnitude of pollinator community divergence (beta diversity and its turnover component) between survey methods, particularly when comparing colder to warmer sites and regions. We also found that warmer sites are more dissimilar than colder sites in terms of species composition, functional traits, or phylogenetic affinities. This result probably stems from the comparatively larger species pool in Southern Europe and because apple flowers are accessible to a wide spectrum of pollinator species; hence, two distant survey localities in Southern Europe are more likely to differ significantly in their pollinator community. Collectively, our results demonstrate the spatially-varying patterns of pollinator communities associated with common survey methods along a climate gradient and at the sub-continental scale in Europe.

Agroecological intensification: Can organic conversion improve the production efficiency? A perspective from smallholder kale production systems Kenya

The increasing resource and ecological challenges in agriculture necessitate agricultural intensification and resource optimization. This study focuses on agroecological intensification using organic practices. It compares the production efficiency of the organic and non-organic smallholder kale production systems in Kenya. Using survey data collected from Kenya, the study estimated production (cost and revenue) efficiency of the kale production system by conducting data envelopment and stochastic frontier analysis and subjected the efficiency measures to propensity score matching analysis. The results show no significant difference in cost efficiency between organic and non-organic kale producers. However, revenue efficiency and income per unit production cost are lower among organic than non-organic kale producers. The results also show that the efficiency and productivity of the organic smallholder kale production system are limited by a lack of inputs (especially manure) but not labor. This implies that improving the efficiency of the smallholder organic kale production system requires more use of organic manure as well as research and training on organic pesticides. The finding concurs with literature that reports organic input problems and lower productivity in organic than non-organic production systems in developing countries and Kenya, especially in vegetables. It also shows that the organic production system is more labor-intensive than the non-organic system. • Study compared production efficiency of organic and non-organic kale production system. • Estimated production efficiency using data envelopment and stochastic frontier analysis. • Compared production efficiency using propensity score matching. • Revenue efficiency and income per unit cost lower in organic than non-organic system. • Efficiency and productivity of organic production system limited by inputs but not labor.

How to increase the joint provision of ecosystem services by agricultural systems. Evidence from coffee-based agroforestry systems

CONTEXTAgricultural systems can provide ecosystem services (ES) beneficial for both the sustainability of farms and the quality of life for humans. Agriculture is regularly criticized for focusing technical management of cropping systems more on production services than on support or regulation services. To achieve the agroecological intensification of cropping systems, a joint provision of multiple ES is required. OBJECTIVEOur aim was to (i) understand the determinants of the provision of ES and (ii) analyze the relationships between these services in order to (iii) identify agroecological intensification pathways. We focused our study on four ES, which are (1) coffee production, (2) water quality preservation, (3) carbon sequestration and (4) biodiversity conservation, provided by coffee agroforestry systems in a small region in Nicaragua. METHODSA two-phase sampling scheme was implemented to measure and elucidate the provision of these services. First, we selected a large sample (82 coffee plots) to gain insight into and quantify the four ES. Secondly, we extracted a sub-sample (27 plots) showing variability in the provision of the four ES, to closely examine the determinants of the service most useful to farmers, coffee production. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONThe results showed that carbon sequestration (in average 36 t.ha−1.yr−1) was not correlated with coffee yield (in average 1127 kg.ha−1.yr−1) and depended more on the presence of a few big trees in farm plots (Ø > 0.9 m) than on tree density. Yield increased with tree biodiversity up to a threshold (Shindex = 1.5), after which it clearly declined. The use of the most harmful pesticides to human health at higher doses than recommended did not lead to the highest yields. The most important determinants of coffee production were soil nitrogen content, soil pH, solar radiation, disease and weed incidence. Although reducing the shade tree density increased coffee production, this reduction was not necessarily related to a decrease in shade tree biodiversity and carbon sequestration, or an increase in water contamination potential. A few farmers actually achieved such high joint ES provision, in particular by selecting adequate shade trees grown at moderate densities. SIGNIFICANCEThe novelty of this article lies on an original method that consists in analyzing the ES provided by cropping systems in order to identify management strategies that are effective in providing a higher combined level of ES than those currently provided. We emphasize the importance of linking agricultural practices to the ES delivered, in order to gain an in-depth understanding of which technical levers are positively correlated with the determinants of the expected services.

Exploring Barriers to Agroforestry Adoption by Cocoa Farmers in South-Western Côte d’Ivoire

Agroforestry is part of the package of good agricultural practices (GAPs) referred to as a reference to basic environmental and operational conditions necessary for the safe, healthy, and sustainable production of cocoa. Furthermore, cocoa agroforestry is one of the most effective nature-based solutions to address global change including land degradation, nutrient depletion, climate change, biodiversity loss, food and nutrition insecurity, and rural poverty and current cocoa supply chain issues. This study was carried out in South-Western Côte d’Ivoire through a household survey to assess the willingness of cocoa farmers to adopt cocoa agroforestry, a key step towards achieving sustainability in the cocoa supply chain markedly threatened by all types of biophysical and socio-economic challenges. In total, 910 cocoa households were randomly selected and individually interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Findings revealed that from the overwhelming proportion of farmers practicing full-sun cocoa farming with little or no companion trees associated, 50.2 to 82.1% were willing to plant and to keep fewer than 20 trees per ha in their farms for more than 20 years after planting. The most preferred trees provide a range of ecosystem services, including timber and food production, as well as shade regulation. More than half of the interviewed households considered keeping in their trees in their plantations for more than 20 years subject to the existence of a formal contract to protect their rights and tree ownership. This opinion is significantly affected by age, gender, access to seedlings of companion trees and financial resources. A bold step forward towards transitioning to cocoa agroforestry and thereby agroecological intensification lies in (i) solving the issue of land tenure and tree ownership by raising awareness about the new forest code and, particularly, the understanding of cocoa agroforestry, (ii) highlighting the added value of trees in cocoa lands, and (iii) facilitating access to improved cocoa companion tree materials and incentives. Trends emerged from this six-year-old study about potential obstacles likely to impede the adoption of agroforestry by cocoa farmers meet the conclusions of several studies recently rolled out in the same region for a sustainable cocoa sector, thereby confirming that not only the relevance of this work but also its contribution to paving the way for the promotion of agroecological transition in cocoa farming.

Cultivar Grain Yield in Durum Wheat-Grain Legume Intercrops Could Be Estimated From Sole Crop Yields and Interspecific Interaction Index.

Ensuring food security for a world population projected to reach over nine billion by 2050 while mitigating the environmental impacts and climate change represent the major agricultural challenges. Diversification of the cropping systems using notably cereal–legume mixtures is one key pathway for such agroecological intensification. Indeed, intercropping is recognised as a practice having the potential to increase and stabilise the yields in comparison with sole crops while limiting the use of inputs notably when species exploit resources in a complementary way. However, predicting intercropped species grain yield remains a challenge because the species respond to competition through complex genotype x cropping mode interactions. Here, we hypothesised that the grain yield achieved by a cultivar in low nitrogen input durum wheat–grain legume intercrops (ICs) could be estimated using a few simple variables. The present work is based on a 2-year field experiment carried out in southwestern France using two durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.), four winter pea (Pisum sativum L.), and four winter faba bean (Vicia faba L.) genotypes with contrasting characteristics, notably in terms of height and precocity, to explore a wide range of durum wheat–grain legume phenotypes combinations to generate variability in terms of yield and species proportion. The major result is that the yield of durum wheat–grain legume IC component in low nitrogen input conditions could be correctly estimated from only three variables: (i) wheat cultivar full density sole crop (SC) yield, (ii) legume cultivar half density sole crop (SC½) yield, and (iii) an indicator of legume cultivar response to interspecific competition. The latter variable, the interspecific interaction index (IE), reveals cultivars' competitive abilities and tolerance to competition. However, to propose generic IC design and management procedures, further mechanistic understanding is required to better understand the links between tolerance to interspecific competition and cultivar phenotype characteristics. In particular, a special emphasis on the grain legume is needed as their response to interspecific competition appears less predictable than that of durum wheat. Cultivar choice is a key element to optimise the functional complementarity and subsequent IC advantages. This work proposes a simple tool to assist the design of specific breeding programs for cultivars ideotypes adapted to intercropping.

Farmer research networks in principle and practice

ABSTRACT In 2013, the Collaborative Crop Research Program (McKnight Foundation), initiated support for farmer research networks (FRNs). FRNs were envisaged as a general approach to networked participatory research aimed at supporting the agroecological intensification (AEI) of smallholder farming in ten countries in Africa and the Andes region in South America. The 30 FRNs ranged in size from 15 to more than 2,000 farmers. Rather than imposing a rigid FRN model, the programme used principles to guide action and reflection. The principles concerned ways of working with farmers, conducting research, and networking. This approach made it possible to reflect on how principles were interpreted, implemented, and used to guide learning in different contexts. This paper reports on insights gained from facilitated learning from 2013–2019 and focuses on subsets of diverse FRNs. Of the 30 FRNs supported, four were analyzed at some depth, reports and interviews were analyzed for 16, and a survey was conducted for 21. Relying on principles rather than an operational model has allowed for their progressive application, as participatory processes, farmer engagement, organizational capital, trust, and networks are built. Any reduced clarity and coherence seem outweighed by greater adaptability to context and resulting creativity.

How agroecological rice intensification can assist in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals

ABSTRACT The UN Development Program has set forth a roster of sustainable development goals (SDGs) for eradicating hunger and poverty with other consequential targets also to be achieved by 2030. Agroecological production strategies can help accomplish about half of these goals, especially SDG #2 (zero hunger) and SDG #12 (action for climate), utilizing biological processes and potentials that already exist in crop plants and in the soil systems they grow in. These potentials are not mobilized by chemical-dependent practices that create hazards for the environment and human health. An agroecological strategy, the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), has demonstrated that it can raise rice production by 25–50%, and in some cases more than 50% while lowering production costs and raising farmer incomes. Higher yield is achieved by using 25–50% less water, and SRI practices reduce net emission of greenhouse gases from paddy fields, while reducing crops’ vulnerability to the hazards of climate change. The advantages of SRI methods are being extended also to crops beyond rice, like wheat, millet, and sugarcane. SRI practices contribute to achieving other SDGs beyond reducing hunger and poverty. Government initiatives plus investments by donors can extend research and extension for SRI and other agroecological methodologies that enable growers to help achieve multiple SDGs in the next decade.