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Protect crops using natural pest allies for sustainable pest control in Africa The biological control of insect pests with natural enemies is a crucial agricultural innovation, especially in regions like the Sahel in Africa. In the Sahel, the millet head miner and the invasive Fall Armyworm are major threats to food security, causing significant crop losses. This technology leverages natural enemies to combat these pests, reducing the need for chemical pesticides, ensuring sustainable food production, and helping farmers protect their yields. It's an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach that contributes to food security and the well-being of farming communities.
CBT: Nurturing Crops, Conserving Soil, and Cultivating Resilience In dryland farming, having enough water is a big challenge. Changes in rain due to climate change can risk our food supply. To improve crop growth and strength in Africa’s dry areas, it’s important to catch as much rainwater as possible and reduce water running off the surface. The Contour Bunding Technique (CBT) uses small walls placed carefully along the curves of the field to create small water collection areas. These walls stop the water from running off, help catch more rain, store more water, allow water to sink deep into the ground, and prevent soil from washing away and ditches from forming. This is a simple but professional way to explain the concept.
Catch the Rain, Grow with the Grain! The Demi-lune (half-moon) technology is a simple land restoration method used mainly in arid and semi-arid regions. By digging semi-circular pits to capture rainwater and restore soil fertility, it tackles land degradation, water scarcity, and low productivity. First used in Burkina Faso in the 1980s, it has spread to Niger, Mali, Chad, and Senegal. Suitable for millet, sorghum, and legumes, it boosts yields and soil health, helps farmers adapt to climate change, and supports SDGs like No Poverty and Climate Action.
Harvest More, Feed Better, Farm Smarter The technology of "Dual-purpose Varieties for Crop and Livestock Integration" holds paramount importance, particularly in African drylands. The productivity of natural pastures and rangelands in these regions is diminishing due to overgrazing, soil degradation, and the impact of climate change. In the face of increasing livestock numbers, there is a growing need for crop residues that can be utilized as animal feeds. Traditional millet and sorghum varieties have proven inadequate as they lack the desired grain-to-stover ratio for both human and animal nutrition. Additionally, they possess higher lignin content, which reduces digestibility, and may contain tannin, leading to a bitter taste.
Produce a premium wheat, sorghum and millet flour close to production areas The technology of Flour Milling and Blending Systems is crucial for enhancing the value of wheat produced by farmers and traders. It allows the grinding of wheat into flour, enabling its storage for several months and utilization in various food products such as bread, biscuits, cakes, porridges, and pasta. By transitioning from manual to advanced milling and blending systems, these technologies facilitate the production of high-quality wheat flour that meets consumer preferences. The implementation of these systems, available in various sizes from local and international manufacturers, enables the creation of premium flour closer to the production areas. This not only reduces transportation costs but also extends the shelf life of the flour, ensuring better access to local and national markets. Empowering rural communities with milling and blending capabilities promotes increased output, adds value to local products, and enhances the competitiveness of African wheat producers, thereby enabling them to better compete with imported products.
Strong Crops, Healthy People The technology "Millet and Sorghum Varieties for Better Nutrition and Stress Resistance" addresses the pressing issue of low millet and sorghum yields in Africa, resulting in food insecurity and malnutrition. It offers new, high-yielding, bio-fortified varieties that can withstand drought, heat, and pests. These innovations not only enhance food production but also improve taste, cooking qualities, and potential for value addition and marketing, with applications spanning from food and feed to brewing and biofuels. This technology is crucial for sustainable agricultural development and climate resilience in the region.
Powered Crop Residue Processing for Livestock Feed Enhancement Traditional manual methods limit the utilization of millet and sorghum stem residues for livestock. The mobile processor developed by ICRISAT and partners addresses this issue. It is self-powered, cost-effective, easily transportable, and operated by just two people. This technology enhances resource efficiency, integrating crop and livestock enterprises. It also benefits soil fertility through improved manure production. The machinery is particularly suited for drylands in Sub-Saharan Africa, where feed biomass is scarce due to low rainfall. It can process a variety of materials and is adaptable to different seasons.
Make farming easier with planting and fertilizing machines In small farms where millet and sorghum are grown, many tasks like preparing the land, planting seeds, and adding fertilizer are done by hand. This means farmers have to work hard and sometimes spend money on animals or services to help. Sometimes, there isn't much time to plant because of not enough or unpredictable rain. Doing important things like putting seeds in the ground and adding fertilizer, when done by hand, takes a lot of time. All these things make it difficult to make farming more efficient and grow more food. Using machines to do these tasks is really important. It saves money on labor, lets farmers do things at the right time, makes the crops grow better, and helps make more money. This is really helpful for making sure there's enough food for everyone.
Smarter Fertilizer, Stronger Crops: Maximize Growth with Minimal Input "Micro-dosing of Fertilizers in Precision Agriculture," holds significant importance for small-scale millet and sorghum farmers. These farmers often face challenges related to inadequate fertilizer use, leading to soil fertility decline and increased risk of crop failure. Micro-dosing offers a crucial solution by allowing precise and efficient application of small fertilizer quantities at the base of each plant. This approach minimizes risk, reduces input costs, and results in improved crop establishment, nutrient absorption, and water utilization. By utilizing this technology, farmers can enhance yields, protect the environment by reducing nutrient loss, and ultimately promote sustainable and profitable agricultural practices.
Striga defended for farmers' empowerment The Striga control technology, is designed to help African farmers effectively manage the troublesome plant called Striga, or witchweed. This plant attaches itself to the roots of crops like sorghum and millet, causing them to grow weak and unhealthy. This often leads to significant losses in the harvest. Since Striga seeds can remain in the soil for a very long time, traditional methods of removal aren't effective. This technology offers innovative strategies to efficiently control Striga and improve soil health. This empowers farmers to grow healthier crops, ensuring a more reliable source of food.
Grain in the Bank: Future Assurance The Warrantage Inventory and Credit System addresses the limited access of small-scale farmers to favorable markets and reliable storage facilities, a key cause of food insecurity and poverty. It allows farmers to obtain loans against stored non-perishable agricultural produce like millet and sorghum, providing them with financial capacity without altering their household budget.
Zaï pits are a traditional water-harvesting technique used in the Sahel to combat low rainfall, soil degradation, and poor soil fertility. By digging small pits that trap rainwater and organic matter, farmers can improve moisture retention, nutrient availability, and crop yields by 60–90%. This cost-effective method enables the rehabilitation of degraded lands and enhances the resilience of millet and sorghum crops. When combined with other soil and water conservation techniques, Zaï pits significantly contribute to sustainable dryland agriculture.
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