shrubby pigeon peas transform malawi farming
DESCRIPTION
Presented by Wezi Mhango (Lilongwe University of Agriculture & Natural Resources) at the 2014 AAAS Meeting, Chicago, IL. Feb 13 -17, 2014TRANSCRIPT
Shrubby pigeon peas transform Malawi farming:
First-generation perennial grain legumes
Wezi Mhango1, S. Snapp2, G.Y.K. Phiri1 and R. Chikowo2
1Lilongwe University of Agric & Natural Resources. Malawi.2Michigan State University
2014 AAAS Meeting, Chicago, IL. Feb 13-17, 2014
Malawi
Elevation Zones &
Agricultural Development Divisions
KarongaADD
MzuzuADD
KasunguADD
Lilongwe ADD
MachingaADD
BlantyreADD
ShireValley
ADD
Mzuzu
Lilongwe
Blantyre
Zomba
Kasungu
Karonga
Mchinji
Chitipa
Salima
Lower Shire Valley:
< 200 m elevation
Lakeshore, Middle &
Upper Shire: 200 - 760 m
Highlands:
> 1300 m
Mid-elevation Upland
Plateau: 760 - 1300 m
T. Benson; 10/98
MALAWI
Nsanje
SalimaADD
Mzimba
Mangochi
15million people
Area: 118,000km2
Small land holdings
Agricultural based economy
Farming systems
Smallholder farmers, <ha land holding size
Cropping systems dominated by annual crops
Production: Rainfed, unimodal pattern (Nov/Dec-March)
Long dry season: soil degradation, no photosynthesis
Nov/Dec-March
Extended Dry season
July-Oct/Nov May-June
Rainy Season
Broad Challenges
Degraded soils
Climate variability
Pests
Labor
Two types of legumes
Annuals - for foodPerennials - agroforestrysoil fertility & fuel wood
Bean, peanut & soybean Gliricidia & tephrosia
A third type of legume
Annuals Perennials
Semi-perennials
Pigeonpea(Cajan cajanus)
Pigeon pea
Short lived shrub, 1.5 - 4m
Semi perennial grain legume
Deep rooted
Drought tolerant
Wide adaptation
Slow initial growth rates
Pigeon pea
Nodulates with indigenous Rhizobium, Fix N
Yield: 2.5 t/ha
Provisioning Food
FodderFuel wood
Yield stability
Regulating Soil cover
Moisture retentionSoil fertility
Multiple uses:
Farmers can choose varieties to suit their needs
Short Medium Long
Days to maturity
120-150 150-180 190-270
Grain high Med-high Low-med
Soil fertility low Med-high High
Intercropping and rotations
Cereal -Legume intercrop Legume-legume
Ratooning practice increase PP biomass,
savings on seed
Ratooning
Pigeon pea extends land cover from 4 to 10 months or
more; and conserves soil moisture
Rainy Season Dry Season
Pigeon pea fix atmospheric N and improve soil fertility
Region N fixed (kg/ha) Source
Africa 20-140 1
India 69-100 2,3
India 13-69 4,5
Southern Africa 46-118 1,6,7
Southern Africa 20-60 1
West Africa 53-96 8
Source: 1=Adu-Gyamfi et al., 2007; 2=Kumar Rao et al., (1987); 3=Werner, (2005); 4=Kumar Rao et al., (1981); 5=Katayama et al., 1995; 6=Mhango et al 2010, 7=Njira et al., 2012; 8=Egbe et al., 2007;
Inclusion of PP in cropping systems increase grain yield
of maize
Cropping system
yield increments (%)
Source
PP/MZ +58 1
GNPP/MZ +60 1
PP/MZ +57 2
PP/MZ +38-50 3
MZ+PP/MZ +171-205 4
PP/MZ +207-309 4
1= Mhango et al., 2010. 2= Daniel and Ong (1990); 3=Abunyewa and Karbo (2004); 4=Egbe et a., 2007
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
MZ/MZ MZ/MZ+24kg
N/ha
PP/MZ+24 kg
N/ha
Yie
ld (
t/h
a)
Mhango et al.,
Fig 1: Maize yield under continuous maize and PP/maize rotations, northern Malawi
Pigeon pea diversified cropping systems support higher
maize yields overtime
Pigeon pea cropping systems for adaptation to climate
change
Climate change and variability predictions in southern Africa
Dependence on rain fed agriculture
Cereal-PP cropping systems and adaptation to climate change
Low risk of failure in Maize-PP systems in the face of climate change than
continuous maizeZombwe
Temperature increase over baseline (°C)
Maiz
e y
ield
(kg/h
a)
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
Base
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R+
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R75
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R90
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Treatment
● MZ24
● MZ92
● Rot24
Soil
● HF
LF
Ollenburger et al.,
Yes, we can improve soil fertility and food security !
Acknowledgements
Mc Knight Foundation CCRP
USAID Funded Africa RISING Program
Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation
africa-rising.net
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