2. Reducing yield gaps in Babati district Tanzania: Potentials and Opportunities By: Lyimo S.D. 1*, Kihara J. 2, Kizito F. 2, Yangole L. 1 1 Selian Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), Arusha – Tanzania 2 International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Nairobi – Kenya Africa RISING ESA Phase 1 Legacy Write-shop Held at White Sands Hotel Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania 30 th June - 2 nd July, 2016

3. Introduction and Objectives  Babati district produces more than 10% of the pigeon peas in Tanzania and account for more than 40% of the exported grain.  However farmers get low maize and pigeon peas yields in the district due to low rains amount and distribution, use of unimproved seeds and low or non-use of fertilizers  Majority of farmers use Farm Yard Manure (FYM) only - low nutrient and poor quality  Pigeon peas is able to Biologically Fix Nitrogen (40-120kgs N/ha)  Application of small amount of phosphorus-based fertilizers in the planting hole (also called micro-dosing) can increase the amount of N fixed biologically and contribute to high yields and income of the farmers Overall objective - improve soil fertility, productivity and income of the smallholder farmers through intensification of the maize-pigeonpeas cropping system Specific objectives:  Assess the factors contributing to low yields of the cereal-legumes system  To determine the effect of P fertilizer micro-dosing on the system productivity  To determine the economic benefits of the best bet P fertilizer options

4. Research Approach  Participatory tools were used to identify factors contributing to low yields.  Field trials were conducted in 2013 to 2015.  The trials in 2013 included 3 villages namely Sabilo, Selotho and Long, which evaluated 3 sources of P fertilizer (Minjingu Phosphate Rock [N 0%, P 13%, K 0%]), Minjingu Mazao [N 10%, P 9%, K 0%] and DAP [N 18%, P 20%, K 0%]) applied at a rate of P= 20 kg/ha at planting, compared with farmers’ practice of improved maize/pigeonpeas intercropping without fertilizer.  Each village intercropped a different maize variety with the same pigeonpeas variety called Mali  Trials in 2014 and 2015 used 4 and 2 maize varieties respectively and included 2 Farm Yard Manure (FYM) treatments namely FYM 6t/ha and FYM 3 t/ha + Minjingu Mazao at 20kg P/ha. Long village intercropped the maize with a bean variety called Lyamungu 90  Trial plot sizes were 10mx 10m, and the maize and pigeonpeas were planted at 100 cm between rows and 50 cm between hills with 2 plants per hill, while beans were planted at 80cm x 40cm with 20 cm in between beans holes. Plots were weeded two times.  The data collected included characteristics of soil samples at 20 cm depth during planting, plant stand, biomass, grain yield and socio-economic data for calculating economic benefits of the treatments. ANOVA was done for the yield data and Benefit: Cost ratios calculated

5. Main Results and Discussions  The soil analysis results indicated high N deficiency with values from 0.11 to 0.12 %, and average/medium P levels of 14.42 to 36.0 mg/kg.  Soil pH ranged from 5.85 in Long to 6.89 in Sabilo  Organic Carbon was 1.57% in Sabilo and 2.39% in Long due to higher productivity and cooler environments.in Long village  The observed yields from the survey indicated that majority of the farmers obtained 2-5 t/ha in Seloto, 2-4 t/ha in Long and 1-4 t/ha in Sabilo.  The main key factors contributing to low yields were: untimely availability of improved seed, low soil fertility/high soil erosion, drought, lack of adoption of improved management practices, lack of knowledge of appropriate agronomic practices and lack of access to formal credit for input purchases.  The maize grain yields obtained from the fertilized treatments in 2013 were significantly higher at P=0.05 compared to the control in all villages  Ranged from 2.2t/ha (control) to 5.2t/ha (DAP) in Selotho, whereas in Sabilo it ranged from 0.7t/ha (control) to 4.6t/ha (DAP).  Pigeonpeas yields from the fertilized treatments were also significantly different from the control at P=0.05, ranging from 0.6 t/ha (control) to 2.8t/ha (DAP)

6. Main results and Discussions cont.. Maize, beans and pigeonpeas yields obtained in 2014 from all villages and in 2015 from Long village were significantly different at P=0.05. Potential maize varieties like PAN 691, SC 627, PHB 3253 yielded 5-7t/ha in the fertilizer treatments compared to average of 1.0 t/ha in the control. Bean yields from the control in 2015 ranged from 0.1 t/ha (control) to 1.5-1.9t/ha in the fertilized treatments. Significantly higher yields of 1.0 t/ha were also obtained from all pigeonpeas varieties in 2014 compared to the control (0.2t/ha) Maize, beans and pigeonpeas yields obtained from the 6t/ha FYM were not significantly different from the control implying need for mixing it with a mineral fertilizer Net benefits and Benefit cost ratios obtained in 2013 from the fertilizer treatments in the intercropping were twice those obtained from the control and sole maize in Long village Similar trends were observed in 2014 when an economic analysis was done for SC 627 maize variety and pigeonpeas, as well as for PAN 691 and beans yields in Long village Lowest benefit cost ratios were however obtained from the control and 6t/ha FYM treatments Farmers’ assessment of the maize and fertilizer treatments- PAN 691, SC627, PHB 3253 most preferred varieties and DAP and Minjngu Mazao - best fertilizers Total of 3,549 people participated in our field days

7. Conclusions  Use of DAP, Minjingu fertilizers and improved seed of maize and legumes reduced the yield gap by more than 3 times  Obtained similar yields from DAP and Minjingu materials  Increased net incomes and Benefit: Cost Ratios by more than 2  Intercropping of maize and beans/legumes generated more income compared to sole cropping of maize – hence need for intercropping  The increase in yield and income from the use of Farm Yard Manure alone was not significantly different from the control- need to combine FYM with mineral fertilizers  Pigeonpeas is a drought tolerant and cover crop, fixes N, livestock feed and source of fuel wood  Fertilizers and maize seeds are available – NIS, agro-dealers, companies, estates  Pigeonpeas seed produced by seed companies, estates and PMGs  Available markets for produce – ETG, Bajwa traders, Dodoma transport, Krishna etc  Promotion by extensionists through FFS/demos, NGOs, PMGs/SACCOs,  Need for more options – relay cropping, FYM management, linkages to Financial institutions and more markets, use of Receipt Warehouse etc

8. Acknowledgement

9. Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation africa-rising.net The presentation has a Creative Commons licence. You are free to re-use or distribute this work, provided credit is given to ILRI. Thanks