Field schools for Kenyan dairy farmers

Currently over 1000 Farmer Field Schools (FFS) on integrated pest management (IPM) and/or integrated soil management are being successfully implemented in Kenya and many more in Africa as a whole. In 2001, the DFID/FAO project on Farmer Field Schools for livestock began adapting and testing the FFS methodology for animal health and production, focussing on smallholder dairy farmers. Ten pilot FFS have been established in five different agro-ecological zones in central, Rift Valley and coastal provinces of Kenya. This paper discusses the activities of the FFS, and looks into initiating FFS for livestock

Research that matters: Outcome mapping for linking knowledge to poverty-reduction actions

An 'Outcome Mapping' approach was applied retrospectively to five diverse, highly collaborative research projects aimed at poverty reduction. Designed to help plan for, clarify, and document intended and actual changes in behaviour, actions, and relationships of groups and organisations that directly influence a project's intended beneficiaries, Outcome Mapping enabled us to identify and describe the strategies and actions that played important roles in the innovations achieved. Successful strategies observed included the use of champions, jointly producing high-profile outputs that enhanced the status of local partners, multiple communication strategies, targeting ongoing policy processes, and strong emphases on and investment in capacity building

Linking International Agricultural Research Knowledge with Action for Sustainable Development

We applied an innovation framework to sustainable livestock development research projects in Africa and Asia. The focus of these projects ranged from pastoral systems to poverty and ecosystems services mapping to market access by the poor to fodder and natural resource management to livestock parasite drug resistance. We found that these projects closed gaps between knowledge and action by combining different kinds of knowledge, learning, and boundary spanning approaches; by providing all partners with the same opportunities; and by building the capacity of all partners to innovate and communicate

Using mass media campaigns to change pesticide use behaviour among smallholder farmers in East Africa

Pesticides are an important and widely used tool for crop protection, but they also pose significant risks to agricultural sustainability, human health and the environment. In this paper, we examine whether mass media campaigns can help improve pesticide knowledge and change pesticide use behaviour among smallholder farmers in Rwanda and Uganda. We also assess the individual and combined effects of the campaign channels, which include interactive radio, plant health rallies, mobile SMS and video screenings. Applying a doubly robust method to survey data from 1327 maize-producing households across the two countries, we find that the mass media campaigns are significantly associated with improved farmer knowledge of pesticide risks and safety precautions. While the campaigns appear not to have discouraged the use of synthetic pesticides, they are significantly associated with increased adoption of safer alternatives to pesticides, including sustainable integrated pest management practices. The campaigns are also significantly correlated with increased use of protective equipment against pesticide exposure in both countries and reduced incidence of pesticide-related illnesses in Rwanda. We conclude that mass media campaigns (particularly using multiple complementary channels) can be effective in enhancing farmers’ knowledge about pesticide risks and safety measures, and promote the adoption of safer pest management strategies

Lessons Learned and Challenges of Biopesticide Usage for Locust Management- The Case of China

Using qualitative methods, this study assessed the stakeholders and management processes involved in locust outbreaks in China, including factors influencing the use of biopesticides. Study findings show that China has an integrated national locust response protocol, which involves various institutions from all administrative levels of the government. The process is inherently highly complex but efficient, with multisectoral agencies working closely together to prevent and/or manage locust outbreaks. In addition, the process has been successful in combating recent outbreaks, due to dedicated government funding, decisive administrative and technical actions, and the empowerment of local government administration. This is the case with the county level acting as a ‘first-responder’ that is capacitated financially and technically to respond to a locust invasion in their jurisdiction. Additionally, study findings show that despite the availability of biopesticides in local markets, their use is dampened by inadequate information about market availability, negative perceptions by decision makers about their efficacy, and concerns about their costs, as well as limited knowledge of their application techniques. Actions are therefore needed by relevant authorities to enhance stakeholder awareness of biopesticide market availability, efficacy, and field application processes. Future areas of research should focus on modelling the expected impact and cost effectiveness of chemicals vs. biopesticides, thus increasing the evidence base for promoting biopesticide use

Development of nutrient management strategies based on mapping of nitrogen flows and balances in dairy production systems in Uganda

Knowledge of status of nutrient management in agricultural production systems is critical in the development of sustainable improvement options; however, in mixed dairy-crop systems in Uganda, which are gaining prevalence, the status of nutrient management is unclear. Nitrogen (N) being one of the most critical nutrients for agricultural production, studies were done to assess its management in Herding, Tethering, Fenced, Semi-intensive and Zero grazing dairy systems. Data were collected on transfers of materials to obtain N balances on basis of the farm as an entity (“Farm” balances) and for areas under a specific crop or crop mixture (“Cropping Area” balances). Nitrogen balances were mainly negative with positive “Farm” balances featuring only for Zero grazing (16–35 kg ha− 1 season− 1) and Tethering (12 kg ha− 1 season− 1) and positive “Cropping Area” balances only within the Tethering category (1 kg ha− 1 season− 1). Most inefficient utilization of N was within the Zero grazing category where the difference between the “Farm” and “Cropping Area” balances was 55 kg ha− 1 season− 1. Nitrogen input requirements into the “Cropping Areas” to off-set negative N imbalances were in the ranges of 207–2143 kg ha− 1 season− 1 of cattle manure equivalent to 6–60 kg ha− 1 season− 1 of urea