Farms In Malawi Research Articles

Evaluation of the breeding strategy for milk yield of Holstein Friesian cows on large-scale dairy farms in Malawi

Over the last two decades, dairy cattle management in Malawi has been oriented towards increasing milk yield per animal. One consequence of this process has been reliance on Holstein Friesian bull semen from temperate regions. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the performance of Holstein Friesian cows on large-scale farms in Malawi. A data set of 60640 test-day records from Holstein Friesian cows in first, second and third lactation from three large-scale dairies in Malawi were utilized. Fixed effects of herd, year and season of calving were tested. (Co)variance components were estimated through the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedure. Heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations for milk yield, lactation length, age at first calving, and calving interval were determined. In general, milk yield decreased over the years and there was significant (P<0·001) variation in milk yield between herds. The genetic base, as indicated by the genetic trend, remained almost constant in the studied period. This entails genotype by environment interaction, culminating in the additive genetic effect not expressing itself fully in the phenotype. It is therefore apparent that considerable improvement could be achieved by improving the production environment.

Variability in ridge and furrow size and shape and maize population density on small subsistence farms in Malawi

Tie-ridging is being promoted in Malawi as an on-field rainwater harvesting technique to reduce drought risk to a maize ( Zea mays L.) crop. Adoption of tie-ridging often requires changes in farmers' tillage and crop practices. To ensure success, there is need to study farmers' current tillage and crop practices. Ridge and furrow sizes and shapes and plant population density were measured in 99 maize fields in four districts of the Central Region of Malawi in January 1997. The majority of farmers in Central Malawi did not follow government extension recommendations on ridge sizes (spacing, height and base width), within-row maize station spacing (maize spacing) and plant population density. Both ridge and maize spacing had a low coefficient of variation (CV<10%), while ridge base width and ridge height had the highest variability (CV>30%). The CV for number of plants per station was between 10% and 14%. The most common ridge shape was hemispherical and the next most common was triangular. Slope along the furrows was close to the zero slope of the contour ridge. Farmers compensated for different ridge spacing by varying the maize spacing and number of plants per station. Maize plant densities 30–50 days after planting were 6–40% higher and not lower than recommended plant density of 3.7 plants m −2 (range 3.9–5.2 plants m −2). There is need to establish the negative impact, if any, of higher maize population densities on yield.

Trees on farms in Malawi: Private investment, public policy, and farmer choice

Agricultural intensification in Malawi has proceeded at the expense of the country's extensive woodlands. Rather than clear their farmlands of all trees however, farmers plant or leave preferred species in fields and around households. A number of indigenous and exotic agroforestry species are being promoted through extension. An analysis of potential capital and management costs vis-á-vis increased potential production of local and hybrid maize shows that investments in tree planting are most favorable when they involve low costs and low risks. In order to reduce the farmer's costs of tree planting, government introduced a Tree Planting Bonus scheme which has provided cash payments as an incentive for farmers to plant trees. The program has been costly to administer and has had a limited impact. Survey data suggest that existing markets for poles and other wood products probably provide better tree planting incentives. Planners need to carefully consider household resource allocation processes with regard to trees and tree based products before they can expect to achieve a significant impact in encouraging rural afforestation.

Intercropping and Diversity: An Economic Analysis of Cropping Patterns on Smallholder Farms in Malawi

SUMMARYThe diversity of cropping patterns on smallholder farms in southern Malawi was analysed using a framework that explicitly incorporates the extent of intercropping in each field. Diversity is defined as the relative abundance of each crop in the overall cropping pattern. Six indices of diversity were constructed for 208 farms and used in a model of a welfare-maximizing farm household to examine the reasons for diversity in cropping patterns; multiple regression techniques were used to determine the effect of different household characteristics on diversity. The results suggest that an increase in labour availability over the production period is associated with a more diverse cropping pattern. Landholding size also influences diversity, which rises to a maximum and then falls as the area cultivated per capita increases. Farmers who grow a non-food cash crop (tobacco) have more diverse cropping patterns than those who do not. As diversity increases, farmers use intercrop patterns that are more substitutive than additive.