Annual Meeting Global Conservation Agriculture Program March 28, 2011 CIMMYT-Kenya

Newest region to start GCAP activities (1 yr old) Collaborative Projects: 1.SIMLESA - ACIAR 2.Crop-Livestock: EC-IFAD 3.Striga Management: BMGF (IITA led) East Africa

1. SIMLESA: Sustainable Intensification of Maize - Legume Cropping Systems for ESA

Ethiopia Kenya Malawi Mozambique South Africa Tanzania Geographical focus

ICRISAT, ASARECA, EIAR, KARI, DRD, DARS, IIAM, ARC, QDEEDI and Murdoch University Program: SEP, GCAP, GMP Other collaboration: DTMA, TL-II, N2Africa Project partnership

Local Partnership Researchers in different disciplines Extension workers NGOs Farmers Input suppliers Farmer unions/cooperatives Private and public seed companies Traders and processors

Why exploratory (on-farm) trials Co-learning of CA technology by farmers, extension officers and researchers Long term (4 years) commitment of host farmers to demonstrate effects of CA Responsive to farmer assessment on CA components Building capacity of local extension officers

Why on-station trials? To provide more controlled conditions to evaluate expanded number of CA treatment responses Cross check on-farm results with on station results More detailed crop, soil and climate data collection to help interpret observed responses and evaluate predictive performance of APSIM Evaluate the longer-term effects of CA on soil properties, system productivity and weed, pest and disease dynamics

HIGHLIGHTS IN 2010

Options for systems intensification & diversification Potential, sustainable, productive technology options CountryNo. of varieties MaizeSoybeanBeansPigeonpea Ethiopia3341 Kenya4121 Tanzania21 Total9463

Discussions with stakeholders in each target communities CountryZoneCommunityFarmers Ethiopia2947 Kenya4848 Tanzania21411 Total

Develop functional local innovation systems CountryInnovative Platforms Membership EthiopiaInitiated Research centres MoA Private sectors Input suppliers Farmer & Unions NGOs Farm implements manufacturers Processors KenyaInitiated TanzaniaInitiated

Evaluations of Exploratory trials Minimum data set for field characterization CountryBasic soil, climate, land use, topography and cropping history data available for each of the exploratory trial sites EthiopiaOngoing KenyaOngoing TanzaniaOngoing

Establishment of on-farm/exploratory trials by farmers CountryFarmer groups # of Exploratory trials Ethiopia947 Kenya848 Tanzania848 Total25183

Establishment of on-station long-term trials CountryOn-stationTreatments Ethiopia74-20 Kenya29 Tanzania25

Participatory evaluation of exploratory trials CountryEvaluations /season/site Ethiopia3 Kenya3 Tanzania3

Adjustments to the maize-legume systems CountryModifications of treatments EthiopiaDone KenyaDone TanzaniaDone

Capacity Building CountryShort termLong term CAN2 FPhD Ethiopia282 Kenya361 Tanzania25 Total8912

Field days and experience sharing events CountryMaleFemale # of Participants Ethiopia Kenya Tanzania Total

Enhancing total farm productivity in smallholder CA based systems in EA 2. Crop-Livestock Activities Addressing some gaps in SIMLESA Program

Competition for crop residues: CA Vs Livestock Mostly used as fencing, fodder, firewood, fertilizer, Valuable, low-cost feed resource for animal production Major source of nutrients for livestock

Competing uses for stover residues…!

Focus: Ethiopia and Kenya Start: Jan 2011 Partners: ICRAF, KARI and EIAR Programs: GCAP & SEP

Objectives 1.Understand the interactions between crops and livestock..... (SEP) 2.Demonstrate efficient,..... farming systems based on the principles of CA that combine increased grain production and the production of sufficient animal feed with improved quality (GCAP)

Objectives 3.Explore, evaluate and demonstrate options for the incorporation of trees and shrubs into smallholder CA-based systems through participatory research in target communities (ICRAF/GCAP) 4.Evaluate the benefits of.... farming systems based on the principles of CA on farm family food security, income and livelihoods, and on family workload disaggregated by gender and wealth groups (SEP).

Objectives 5.Disseminate and scale out project results to farmers, extension agents and researchers through targeted activities and publications (GCAP/ICRAF) 6.Maintain project efficiency and dynamism through capacity building and constant monitoring, evaluation, and reorientation of project activities and outputs (GCAP/SEP/ ICRAF)

3. Striga Management Project Focus: Kenya and Nigeria Start: May 2011 Program: GMP and GCAP Partnership: IITA, TSBF, AATF, NGOs, Seed companies, Farmers

Challenges Capacity strengthening as needed: we can’t train everybody Residue management: Alternative feed sources for livestock High expectation from partners Many competing activities for NARS time Balancing staff time

Lessons Learned  Inclusion of stakeholders inputs in the trials is key to create ownership, guarantee the selection of more appropriate technologies and foster adoption  Close supervision and monitoring of field activities is essential  Termites not only CA problem in the region

Feeding the cattle while starving the soil will eventually starve both!