BURKINA FASO

1. FONIO (Digitaria Exilis)

2. PEARL MILLET (Cenchrus americanus)

3. BAMBARA GROUNDNUT (Vigna subterranea)

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TECHNOLOGY TESTED

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Participatory on-farm testing of the selected varieties and most performing varieties identification.

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The objective of this study is

1. to test yield stability over time and steady income

2. to guarantee access to new technologies and innovative techniques

3. to provide possibility of access to credit for young farmers and women

4. to promote the adoption of the agroecological approach (aimed at reducing environmental impact). 

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LAND RECOVERY

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Focusing on the recovery of abandoned land, and the restoration of sustainable production, Burkina Faso worked on the creation of reconnaissance surverys to better understand the soil degradation process and factors.

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The activites implemented were: 

1. the collection of information regarding the status and the extent of land degradation

2. the characterization of soil fertility status

3. the soil fertility management constraints, and the vegetation

 

The mapping of abandoned land was conducted through LDSF technique (including remote sensing imagery analysis) and the use of satellite image analysis.

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A series of Surveys have been deployed to Burkina ​farmers to trace a general characterization of the farming systems in the project study areas and to draw a general overview of the current level of adoption of sustainable soil management practices.

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These research activities included

1. soil fertility management implemented under different technologic packages (UNB and INERA)

2. Agri-livestock improvement (INERA and UNB)

3. intercropping (UNB and INERA)

4. conservation tillage implemented in Burkina Faso (INERA and ACRA foundation)

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SUSTAINABLE SOIL MANAGEMENT

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The UNB worked on the development of a common protocols for the field evaluations to modify soil, nutrient, crops and water environment.

 

After refining the protocol with farmers, several technologies were selected for the implementation of the FFRU in Burkina Faso.

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Activities carried out by UNB and INERA in Burkina Faso

 

• Effects of fertilization on sorghum and maize yield in cotton-cereals based farming systems: the objective was to assess the efficiency of organo-mineral fertilization on sorghum and maize yield and on soil nutrients budget in crops rotation system

 

• Effects of biochar and co-compost on soil carbon content in cotton cropping systems: the objective was to enhance the sustainability of cotton cropping systems by improving soil carbon content through different sources of organic restitution

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• Effects of compost and intercropping on soil properties, sorghum, and cowpea productivity: the objective was to assess the efficiency of intercropping combined with manure applications on soil parameters and, sorghum and cowpea yields.

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• Evaluation of the effects of minimum tillage and recycling crops residus through compost on soil nutrients budget and crop productivity in cotton-cereals base cropping systems: the objective was to promote soil stability and organic matter content through tillage and organic fertilization practices

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INTERCROPPING

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In Burkina Faso, UNB and INERA are conducting trials on the effects of compost and intercropping on soil properties, sorghum and cowpea productivity with the objective of assessing the efficiency of intercropping combined with manure applications on soil parameters and, sorghum and cowpea yields. The parameters to assess will concern the environmental, economic and productivity domains. 

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Livestock feeding is an essential component for the completion of the human food chain. Considering the lack of sufficient feed resources available for this productive sector, it is fundamental to redesign and carry out within the FFRUs an integrated research of both livestock and agricultural productions embedding of suggestions coming from traditional knowledge (harvesting of cereals and grazing). For these reasons, a series of surveys has been conducted in the FFRUs to investigate if a new “Integrated Agricultural Approach” could be possible within the SI framework.

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In order to identify and enhance a range of best practices used by farmers on Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) and in order to allow comparisons and connections among different African countries, as a first step, a farmer survey was conducted in the project study areas. In this sub-task a validation of indigenous knowledge practices on crop protection with farmers in experimentation trials is foreseen.

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The research activities concerning the post-harvest techniques is related to safe storage of harvest staple cereals, legumes and groundnuts to avoid spoilage or pest damage. In order to study sustainable solutions for the post-harvest management, experiments were conducted. In Particular:

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1. Evaluation of essential oil biopesticides efficacy in the control of insects in stored cereals and leguminous food products