According to a recent International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) report evaluating an IFDC pilot project in West Africa, the single most significant factor likely to influence agricultural sustainability in the region is accessibility to fertilizer. It was further asserted that if fertilizer is readily available and affordable, it is highly likely that farmers who have been trained in advanced technologies will continue to use fertilizer.
The report recommended that as an extension of the pilot project, IFDC review all aspects of fertilizer accessibility, including private and public sector distribution, partnerships and subsidy practices, and develop a regional project that facilitates accessibility to improved technologies and input distribution. It was also recommended that IFDC continue to explore Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) options for the drier zones of West Africa, increasing the utilization of organic materials found on farms. The report also suggested that IFDC develop methods to address the lack of capacity of national extension services to implement new approaches to fertilizer use or facilitate timely access to agro-inputs.
To address the issues outlined by the IFAD evaluation, IFDC has implemented the “Mainstreaming Pro-Poor Fertilizer Access and Innovative Practices in West Africa” project. This project builds the livelihoods of select smallholders in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Togo through improved land husbandry and better access to, and more efficient use of, fertilizer. The effort targets female farmers, resource-poor farmers, farmer organizations and community associations.
To address localized soil quality issues, the project utilizes a holistic ISFM approach to improve nutrient-depleted soils. The project also focuses on the areas of natural resources, improved technologies, competitive markets, private enterprise development and national policy advocacy. The four-year project (2010-2013) is funded by IFAD, with in-kind cost sharing by IFDC.
The project’s objectives are to:
- Validate, improve and extend innovative approaches for developing site-specific ISFM options and appropriate fertilizer recommendations with smallholder farmers.
- Develop and implement pro-poor institutional arrangements, capacity development and public and private initiatives for improved access to fertilizer and organic inputs.
- Provide technical, economic and social evidence promoting the modernization of national fertilizer policies, with emphasis on policy dialogue to facilitate reform.
Improving Access to Fertilizer and Organic Resources for Soil Management
The project develops best practices to improve smallholder farmers’ access to fertilizers. Improved access to credit in order to purchase agro-inputs is particularly important. The project works with financial institutions that are partners in current IFAD projects to promote innovative and enabling financial products. Through these loan projects, the project seeks to increase access and availability of both organic and inorganic inputs. The project also develops multi-stakeholder and participatory approaches utilizing simple tools to facilitate innovation networks to share information and best practices, to engage in policy dialogue and to facilitate access to inputs, technology and markets within IFAD projects.
Validating and Scaling Out Approaches for Site-Specific Fertilizer Recommendations and ISFM Options
The project’s pilot program demonstrated the need for site-specific recommendations and successfully tested ISFM approaches in pilot villages. The project is now validating these approaches at full scale and is improving the process to remove bottlenecks. To support soil analysis efforts, tools such as portable soil laboratories and soil testing kits are being made available. Economic evaluation of the large-scale adoption of these options is also being performed.
Strengthening Producer Organizations
Methodologies for participatory learning and action research (PLAR) are being developed through the project, allowing producer organizations to evaluate and adapt ISFM practices to specific situations while building new market linkages. The project enhances human capital and social organization and develops individual and collective capacities of farmers to adopt and adapt innovative practices using technologies and managerial and marketing skills. These linkages also allow smallholders and producer organizations to interact with other members of the agricultural sector within established innovation networks.
Strengthening Agricultural Service Providers
The project is designed to strengthen the capacities of agricultural service providers such as research institutions, government extension officers, agro-dealers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), micro-finance institutions (MFIs) and producer organizations involved in existing IFAD projects and programs. The project develops the capacities of local participants to use participatory and systems approaches, which are required for site-specific recommendation development. In addition, targeted training equips producer and trader organizations with the knowledge to establish linkages, conduct joint input procurement, negotiate input prices and form innovation clusters.
Project Progress (January-June 2011)
- Validated ISFM-based options for maize, peanut, beans and sorghum crops in Burkina Faso were disseminated in eight provinces (36 villages), involving 320 producers. In eastern Burkina Faso, fertilization and crop management recommendations were developed based on the Geographical Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (GSSAT) approach. These recommendations are being validated to determine dissemination/adoption.
- In the Maritime region of southern Togo, a modified version of the nationally recommended fertilizer for maize underwent validation in four villages involving eight producers. ISFM options for maize-mucuna-cassava systems and various mineral fertilization schemes were disseminated in five additional villages. In the Plateaux region, two validated mineral fertilization recommendations for cassava and maize-cassava systems were extended into 12 villages.
- At the experimental research station of the University of Lomé, incremental levels of nitrogen in the form of urea supergranules (USG) were applied to maize to validate its use in comparison with urea. In Togo’s Kara and Savannah regions, the use of urea deep placement (UDP) technology coupled with various mineral fertilization schemes was extended into 15 villages involving 90 producers.
- In northern Ghana, four maize-based ISFM options were extended into three districts involving 15 farmer-based organizations (FBOs) and 525 producers.
- In Ghana, Togo and Benin, 17 fertilization schemes were developed and are undergoing field validation for cassava and maize-cassava cropping systems in 10 villages involving 73 producers. The validation process was completed in Togo and three fertilization schemes were identified for dissemination/adoption.
- In collaboration with Togo’s University of Lomé, a field experiment was conducted at the research station in Kara to investigate the effects of various combinations of organic and inorganic nutrient sources on yam yield and culinary qualities.
- To mitigate the effect of dry spells on fertilizer use efficiency and crop yields in Burkina Faso, various site-specific ISFM options and fertilization and crop management recommendations were strategically coupled with various soil and water conservation techniques, which performed well in improving crop yields.
- Participatory farmer-managed research trials were conducted in collaboration with national agricultural research and extension systems, NGOs and IFAD investment projects in Togo, Ghana and Burkina Faso. The trials focused on using drip irrigation and USG management practices to improve water and nutrient use efficiency in vegetable production. Technical field visits on the improved practices were held involving 240 participants.
- Methods to improve nutrient and water use efficiency are being tested on 245 pilot sites in Burkina Faso and 70 in Togo. There are plans for 60 pilot sites in Ghana.
- To diversify smallholder farmers’ production and improve their income, the project introduced heat-tolerant tomato and okra varieties in five economic regions in Togo, eight provinces in Burkina Faso and 20 villages/communities in northern Ghana.
- To increase farmers’ access to fertilizer, members of 14 producer organizations in Burkina Faso are being trained in record-keeping, budget development and post-harvest conservation techniques. A total of 103 producers and 34 technicians were trained to use the bucket drip irrigation system and the associated application of USG. In addition, 42 MFI staff members were trained in basic agronomic concepts to help them provide better server to producers.
- More than 3,800 farmers received credit to purchase fertilizer as a result of training provided to MFI staff and as a result of the project’s contribution to a survey to determine the amount of fertilizer needed in the cereal value chain.
- In Togo, efforts were made with key collaborators to develop a nationwide strategic mechanism that facilitates fertilizer access for resource-limited farmers. Decision makers in the agricultural sector are considering effective implementation.
- In collaboration with IFDC’s Ghana Agro-Dealer Development (GADD) project, fertilizer retail sales points in Ghana are being profiled to determine accessibility. The projects are also documenting fertilizer use and access in the maize belt in Brong Ahafo and Ashanti regions. Soil maps and decision support tools are being used to identify nutrients needed to support increased maize productivity.
- In Togo, 200 agricultural professionals were trained in PLAR applied to ISFM. Thirty-three PLAR-ISFM learning centers were created to provide continuous capacity building to producers on soil and crop management. Sixty producers and 10 technicians in the savannah regions were trained in the bucket drip irrigation system and the application of USG.