Highlight of TAMASA Activities (2015-2016)

TAMASA (Taking Maize Agronomy to Scale in Africa) is a four year project funded by BMGF Being implemented in three African countries (Ethiopia, Tanzania and Nigeria)

Why TAMASA? Ethiopia is characterized by high variability of maize yields National average = 3.4t/ha On farm yields = 6-7t/ha On station yields = 8-9t/ha Poor soil fertility management/nutrient deficiency Inappropriate variety Low plant population Poor crop management (weed, diseases, pests) Socio-economic factors Other factors (moisture stress, climate change effects)

Aim of the project: General: To use innovative approaches to transform agronomy at scale Specific: To use available geospatial and other agronomic data to map maize areas, soil constraints and attainable yields at different scales   To co-develop systems and applications (decision support tools) that transform this data and information to useable products to reach clients/farmers more effectively To build capacity of the national programs to support and sustain these approaches

Among the core products and services of this project include: decision-support tools for site specific nutrient management and variety selection; Increased capacity of the national programs and partners through training

Major TAMASA ETH- activities (2015-2016)

1. Established multi-location nutrient omission trials and PTs (2015 & 2016 crop seasons) Objective of NOTs: To calibrate NE tool for Ethiopia Objective of PTs: To validate NE tool in Ethiopia 2015 crop season NOTs: 88 farmers field (6 districts) 23 fields at Bako area (Bako-Tibe and Gobu-sayo districts) 24 fields at Jimma area (Omo-Nada & Kersa districts) 41 fields at Hawassa Zuria and Adami tulu districts)-collaboration with IFA project NOTs sites in ETHIOPIA

Treatments –Calibration trials Control PK (-N) NK (-P) NP (-K) NPK NPK+Mg+Ca+S+Zn+B Data recorded NDVI reading Grain yield Tissue (flag leaf, stalk and grain) nutrient Concentration

2016 crop season 52 PTs and 70 NOTs=122 experimental fields 52 validation trials/PTs at Bako and Jimma 37 calibration trials at Bako and Jimma 33 Calibration trials at Hawassa, Adami tullu

Tissue (flag leaf, stalk and grain) nutrient Concentration Treatments –Performance trials Control NE Recommendation Regional Recommendation Soil Test based Recommendation Data recorded NDVI reading Grain yield Tissue (flag leaf, stalk and grain) nutrient Concentration

2. Established multi-location Variety Trials (2016 crop season) Objective: To Calibrate Variety selection tool for Ethiopia Variety trials were established at 6 locations-contrasting temperature

Table 3: Characterization of test locations Temp. Latitude Longitude Altitude (masl) Holleta Very low 9.0573019 38.503137 2369 Ambo Low 8.9675232 37.859944 2150 Bako Intermediate 9.1003951 37.043670 1640 Uke Kersa High 9.4184401 36.539974 1318 Welenchiti 8.6688900 39.444697 1438 Didessa Very high 9.0100568 36.170361 1237

Parameters recorded-variety trials List of Varieties tested Days to emergence Days to silking Days to tasseling Days to physiological maturity Days to harvesting Biomass weight Grain yield GPS coordinate of each trial site Min and max temperature of trial site List of Varieties tested BH-661 (Hybrid) BH-660 (Hybrid) BH-540 (Hybrid) BH-543 (Hybrid) Shone (Hybrid) Limu (Hybrid) AMH851 (Hybrid) AMH760Q (Hybrid) MH138Q (Hybrid) MH140 (Hybrid) AMH853 (Hybrid) BHQPY545 (Hybrid) BH546 (Hybrid) BH547 (Hybrid) AMH854 (Hybrid) Melkasa 6Q(OPV) Morka (OPV) Melkasa-4 (OPV) Melkasa-2 (OPV) Gibe-2 (OPV)

Plan for 2017 cropping season Current status All the phenology and yield data were collected and variety tool is being calibrated Plan for 2017 cropping season Validation of tool prediction

Number of farmers surveyed 3. Baseline survey/APS Table 4: Summary of number of farmers surveyed Survey year Number of farmers surveyed 2015 616 2016 686

Data on maize production practices GPS coordinate Variety Type Used (Improved/Local) Name of the Variety Fertilizer Use (Yes/No) Organic Fertilizer (Yes/No) Inorganic Fertilizer (Yes/No) Amount of Inorganic fertilizer used Amount of Organic fertilizer used Unit for Organic fertilizer (Sack/Bag) Soil data Soil carbon soil PH Aluminium Calcium EC Sulfur Manganese Zinc Potassium Magnesium Sodium Iron Boron Total nitrogen Crop data Crop Stand Count Field weight of cobs Field weight of sub-sample grain Air dried weight of sub-sample (grain moisture content) Grain Yield No. of cobs Maize field area

Maps of maize grain yield in different survey area (N=682)

4. Panel Survey of Agronomic Practices (Bako) 100 farmers (in 10km X 10km grid) Vegetative stage Flowering stage Harvesting stage

Variables measured Crop residue cover (%) Crop stand count at different stages Weed percentage (%) Disease and pests incidence Input use (organic and inorganic fertilizer) Variety use (local/improved, name of variety) Grain yield Other socio-economic parameters

Agronomic panel survey sampling points

Data sharing and Joint publications Integration of field trials Possibilities of Imagine-TAMASA collaboration Data sharing and Joint publications Integration of field trials Organizing joint field days/visits Exchange of research updates

2015 cropping season

2015 cropping season

2016 cropping season