TRANSPLANTING SORGHUM & MILLET: FOOD SECURITY FOR RESOURCE POOR PEOPLE IN SEMI-ARID, LOW RAINFALL AREAS Andrea Mottram & Dr Einir Young, Centre for Arid Zone Studies, University of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW. Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) , Andrea Mottram and Einir Young, Centre for Arid Zone Studies, Thus providing an extra dimension to food security and reducing the risks of unreliable rainfall. The Transplanting Solution  Raising a proportion of sorghum and millet crops in nurseries, using small amounts of water before the rainy season.  Transplanting seedlings into the field at the onset of rains, thereby reducing the in-field growing season. Introduction  Absolute shortage of water and seasonal uncertainties are the most serious physical constraints to crop production.  Where rains fail, replanting is risky and costs are high.  Where rains finish early, harvests are small or crops fail. On-station trials - Ministry of Agriculture research stations Zimbabwe - Save Valley Experiment Station, Manicaland Ghana - S.A.R.I Research Station, Manga, Upper-East On-farm trials Zimbabwe - districts around Masvingo, Masvingo Province Ghana - villages around Sandema and Zebilla, Upper-East All areas are typified by low (Zimbabwe <650mm, Ghana mm) and erratic rainfall, and periodic seasonal droughts. Project Activities - Zimbabwe and Ghana Main Activities  Identification of possible areas of application through participatory appraisal of village situations.  Village level trials of transplanting techniques, with full socio-economic and agronomic analysis, conducted with villagers to develop the methodology.  Identification of factors that are necessary prerequisites for the sustainable uptake of the technology.  Evaluation of methodology in terms of effectiveness for increasing productivity through on-station trials. Zimbabwe (1999-) Department of Research and Specialist Services (Ministry of Agriculture) Rural Unity for Development University of Zimbabwe Ethiopia (2001-) Mekelle University Christian Relief and Development Association Project Areas and Partners Ghana (2000-) Savannah Agricultural Research Institute Ministry of Agriculture Action Aid CAZS New Expansion Original On-station Yields Yields were significantly higher (up to 500kg/hectare) for transplanted seedlings from all nursery densities, and all ages, when compared to direct sown crops. On-station nurseries Pearl millet, direct sown (foreground) flowering transplants (background) Trials  Comparing different varieties of sorghum and pearl millet.  Comparing crops of transplanted seedlings from different nursery densities, and at different ages, with direct sown seed (sown at the same time as seedlings transplanted, coinciding with the first rains). Time to flowering  Graph (left) shows days to flowering for ‘dry’ direct sown seed, compared to transplanted seedlings at 38, 29 and 20 days old.  From the time of sowing, transplanted seedlings take longer to flower than direct sown, and the older the seedling at transplanting the longer the period to flowering.  From the time of transplanting, transplanted seedlings flower approximately 10 days earlier than direct sown.  The difference is due to ‘transplanting shock’ experienced after the plant is transplanted causing a check in plant growth.  In real ‘farming’ terms transplants flower earlier as they are transplanted at the start of the rains, before which nothing grows.  Nursery density had no effect on time to flowering. Farmers perceptions Main problems  Birds eating germinating seeds.  Source of water too far from the nursery.  Animal damage to unsecured nurseries.  Termites eating seedlings.  Temporary wilting after transplanting.  Transplanting laborious and time consuming. Main benefits  Earlier harvesting.  If rains are late, seedlings can continue to grow in the nurseries, if rains stop prematurely the crop can still mature.  Higher yields due to improved stand, more tillers and larger heads.  Labour requirements reduced at other times of the season e.g. weeding is reduced due to plants being bigger than weeds at transplanting.  Conserves seed compared to the practice of broadcasting.  Improved germination in nurseries compared to the field.  Secured nurseries easy to supervise and apply manure.  Extra seedlings from nurseries can be sold. On-farm Mrs Maunganidze with her transplanted sorghum (left) flowering much earlier than direct sown (right) Similarly, transplanted sorghum (background) and direct sown (foreground) Farmer’s nurseries in Zimbabwe Trials  Conducted with 100 farmers around Masvingo in Zimbabwe, and 60 farmers in villages around Sandema and Zebilla in Ghana.  Farmers given basic guidelines such as nursery size and approximate seedling age for transplanting, then encouraged to elaborate on the basic idea to suit their own needs.  Various field days, post-season discussion workshops, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were conducted. Conclusion  A majority of farmers involved in the trials much preferred transplanting compared to direct sowing, due to improved food security.  The high labour requirement at transplanting is counteracted by the reduction of labour at other times e.g. reduced weeding, earlier maturity and, in many cases in the field, higher yields (possibly a main effect of improved stands).  Variations in nursery density up to 1000 plants per m 2, and seedling age at transplanting up to 40 days old, have little effect on flowering time and yields.  Trials are continuing to improve and refine the technique. Objectives  Test the validity of the concept of transplanting.  Identification of areas for the application of the transplanting technique.  Characterisation of the physical and socio-economic constraints to the adoption of transplanting.  Development of optimal methodological strategies. The Project Aim To investigate the application of transplanting in semi-arid areas. Initially focusing on areas of unreliable rainfall in Zimbabwe and Ghana, though currently expanding into Ethiopia and Eritrea. Eritrea (2001-) Directorate of Research (Ministry of Agriculture) Introduction The Problem Poor food security, yield instability and risk of crop failure are challenges for many farmers in semi-arid areas.