Integrated Fruit Trees-Cereals-Integrated Fruit Trees-Cereals-Vegetables SystemsVegetables Systems

• Fruit and vegetables can add value Fruit and vegetables can add value to irrigated agriculture production to irrigated agriculture production systems resulting in intensification systems resulting in intensification of irrigated agricultureof irrigated agriculture

• Intercropping is a common practice Intercropping is a common practice in agriculture systems of the in agriculture systems of the developing world developing world

• Incorporation of fruit trees and Incorporation of fruit trees and vegetables into irrigated mono-vegetables into irrigated mono-culture systems such as rice is an culture systems such as rice is an entry point for largescale adoption entry point for largescale adoption of the high value cropsof the high value crops

• This proposal is based on a farmers’ This proposal is based on a farmers’ innovation initiative at the Gaya region innovation initiative at the Gaya region of Niger of Niger

• A local farm cooperative developed A local farm cooperative developed over a period of 20 years an intricate over a period of 20 years an intricate production system based on year production system based on year round integrated cultivation of trees, round integrated cultivation of trees, rice and vegetables rice and vegetables

• Rows of fruit trees mainly citrus and Rows of fruit trees mainly citrus and mangoes are planted at wide spacing mangoes are planted at wide spacing sometimes on elevated ridges sometimes on elevated ridges

• In the rainy season trees are In the rainy season trees are intercropped with rice. In the dry intercropped with rice. In the dry season rice is replaced by vegetablesseason rice is replaced by vegetables

Fruit trees intercropped Fruit trees intercropped with onionswith onions

Fruit trees with riceFruit trees with rice

• The principal role of cereals is to The principal role of cereals is to suppress soil born diseases and suppress soil born diseases and weeds thus allowing production weeds thus allowing production of vegetables such as onions of vegetables such as onions over a long period of time over a long period of time

• This system guarantees optimal This system guarantees optimal conditions for fruit trees conditions for fruit trees production since the fruit trees production since the fruit trees benefit from the ample water benefit from the ample water and fertilizers given to the and fertilizers given to the vegetables and ricevegetables and rice

•Each farmer cultivates an area of 2,500m²

•Preliminary study of the system shows

that this system is very profitable

• This system can replace low-profit This system can replace low-profit rice monoculture schemes such as rice monoculture schemes such as the Office du Niger project in Mali the Office du Niger project in Mali (40,000 hectares) or used to (40,000 hectares) or used to intensify small scale irrigation intensify small scale irrigation

• It can also be used to further It can also be used to further intensify current vegetables intensify current vegetables production systems such as the production systems such as the onion-sorghum system in Niger onion-sorghum system in Niger

Research needsResearch needs• Identification of best cereal varieties (short Identification of best cereal varieties (short

duration, high yield) and management duration, high yield) and management practicespractices

• Study the effect of the cereal on soil health Study the effect of the cereal on soil health • Study the performance of fruit trees Study the performance of fruit trees

(species, rootstocks and varieties) in the (species, rootstocks and varieties) in the system system

• Develop optimal management practices for Develop optimal management practices for fruit trees (spacing, pruning, ridge planting fruit trees (spacing, pruning, ridge planting etc) etc)

• Identify best mix of vegetable species for Identify best mix of vegetable species for various scenarios various scenarios

• Devise optimal management practices for Devise optimal management practices for vegetablesvegetables

• Study water and land productivity aspectsStudy water and land productivity aspects• Devise appropriate irrigation and water Devise appropriate irrigation and water

technologiestechnologies• Creation of partnerships with private Creation of partnerships with private

sector for processing of fruit and sector for processing of fruit and vegetables (especially for large irrigation vegetables (especially for large irrigation schemes in regions distant from markets) schemes in regions distant from markets)

• Study constrains to upscaling Study constrains to upscaling • Feasibility studies under various scenarios Feasibility studies under various scenarios

for the new integrated systems for the new integrated systems

Critical Needs for Collaborative Critical Needs for Collaborative ResearchResearch

• The integrated fruit-cereal-vegetables The integrated fruit-cereal-vegetables approach can be applied in all eco-climatic approach can be applied in all eco-climatic regions of the developing world (tropics, regions of the developing world (tropics, semi arid tropics and dry subtropics). semi arid tropics and dry subtropics). Species and varieties composition as well Species and varieties composition as well as system design will vary from region to as system design will vary from region to region region

• Study and development of the systems Study and development of the systems requires tight collaboration among requires tight collaboration among institutes engaged in irrigation, institutes engaged in irrigation, vegetables and fruit research, cereal vegetables and fruit research, cereal research and economics research and economics

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