Precision farming for increased land and labour productivity in semi-arid West Africa. A review
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In this paper, the authors reviewed agricultural intensification in semi-arid West Africa using the principles of precision farming to assess the possibilities they offer The basic idea is to create a favorable micro-environment in the planting pocket and to ensure timely sowing and weeding.Abstract:
Farmers in the semi-arid regions of West Africa face challenges related to poor crop establishment, variable rainfall, low soil fertility and a shortage of labour at times of peak demand Farmers are generally low on resources Given these conditions, it is important to develop farming practices that make efficient use of the available resources and reduce risks Here, we review agricultural intensification in semi-arid West Africa using the principles of precision farming to assess the possibilities they offer The basic idea is to create a favourable micro-environment in the planting pocket and to ensure timely sowing and weeding In the context of precision farming in the semi-arid West Africa, this means (1) large seeds are selected, primed and treated with a mix of pesticides/fungicides Seed priming increases yields in the order of 20 to 30%, while seed treatment increases yields by 15% (2) Mineral fertilizers are applied; at doses as low as 03 g of fertilizer per pocket, they have been found to increase yields by half or more (3) Seeds and fertilizers are distributed accurately by means of a combined planter-weeder, which can be motorized (4) Mechanized sowing and weeding enable timely farm operations and reduce the workload (5) Water loss is prevented by using zai and stone bunds on soils with high run-off rates (6) Care is taken to make use of farm resources in a targeted and efficient way This can imply adjusting micro-doses of manure and fertilizer to crops (sorghum needs less than millet) and soil types, sequenced sowing of crops according to their vulnerability to delayed sowing and applying organic input to soils This paper is the first to review agricultural intensification in semi-arid West Africa within the context of precision farming It shows how a low-cost package for precision farming can be developed, which can help to increase land and labour productivity, and works with all the major field crops in the regionread more
Citations
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Soil-based, field-specific fertilizer recommendations are a pipe-dream
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References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Precision Agriculture and Food Security
TL;DR: Precision agriculture comprises a set of technologies that combines sensors, information systems, enhanced machinery, and informed management to optimize production by accounting for variability and uncertainties within agricultural systems.
Journal ArticleDOI
Can sub-Saharan Africa feed itself?
Martin K. van Ittersum,Lenny G.J. van Bussel,Joost Wolf,Patricio Grassini,Justin Van Wart,Nicolas Guilpart,Lieven Claessens,Hugo de Groot,Keith Wiebe,Daniel Mason-D'Croz,Haishun Yang,Hendrik Boogaard,Pepijn A.J. van Oort,Pepijn A.J. van Oort,Marloes P. van Loon,Kazuki Saito,Ochieng Adimo,Samuel Adjei-Nsiah,Alhassane Agali,Abdullahi Bala,Regis Chikowo,Kayuki C. Kaizzi,Mamoutou Kouressy,Joachim H.J.R. Makoi,Korodjouma Ouattara,Kindie Tesfaye,Kenneth G. Cassman +26 more
TL;DR: In this article, a robust yield gap analysis for 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa using location-specific data and a spatial upscaling approach reveals that, in addition to yield gap closure, other more complex and uncertain components of intensification are also needed, i.e., increasing cropping intensity and sustainable expansion of irrigated production area.
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Crop residue management and soil health: A systems analysis
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed crop residue management practices, mainly surface retention, incorporation or removal, describing their advantages and limitations in cereal-based agroecosystems in developing countries.
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Manure as a key resource within smallholder farming systems: Analysing farm-scale nutrient cycling efficiencies with the NUANCES framework
Mariana C. Rufino,Pablo Tittonell,Pablo Tittonell,M.T. van Wijk,A. Castellanos-Navarrete,Robert J. Delve,N. de Ridder,Ken E. Giller +7 more
TL;DR: In this paper, a simple model was used to analyse the effect of manure management on the efficiency of mass and nutrient retention in smallholder farms in western Kenya using on-farm data on manure excreted and manure management.
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Climate Smart Agriculture: Building Resilience to Climate Change
TL;DR: A short history of the evolution of the Climate Smart Agriculture approach and its links to climate change and sustainable agriculture debates can be found in this article, where the authors discuss the role of information and insurance under climate change.
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