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Vol.1,No.2 |
Nze Chris E.Nzeh/ Nigerian Student
International Agricultural Development
University-GH-Kassel/Germany
Network for Ecofarming in Africa (NECOFA) founded last year is a good thinking by the founders and co-members which will go a long way to curb over production in developed countries and under production in developing countries.
Network for Ecofarming in Africa which is made up of eight nations across the continent namely Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda need to be expanded so as to create awareness and disseminate information to the farmers at grass root levels.
Having gone through the importance and objective of Network for Ecofarming in Africa , there are some problems associated with Ecofarming/Organic farming. Apart from these associated problems, such as the notion on the use of non-chemicals and substituting organic inputs as agro-chemicals and Ecofarming enable the farmers to farm without much damage on the environment. It does not actually require huge investment, but not much are produced. The produce and products are very natural and healthy.
Network for Ecofarming encourages the preservation of ecological, social, and cultural heritage of the area. Ecofarming encourage laudable natural farming systems such as mixed farming, mixed cropping, shifting cultivation and agro-forestry thereby increasing productivity in a natural setting.
I strongly suggest that Network for Ecofarming should be encouraged and propagated at all levels all over the continent. More so, farmers should be encouraged and motivated in various ways as to make changes and the provision of incentives made available to them. Finally training, education, extension services, research and development, resource Units and persons should be put into consideration in running the Network for Ecofarming in Africa in order to achieve the targeted objectives.
40 years ago, the German Foundation for Developing Countries (DSE) was founded in Berlin. Willy Brandt, then Governing Mayor of the divided city, spoke of "building stones for a better world" which were to be created through the work of the new institution. Since then, almost 160 000 people from 150 countries around the world have been trained by DSE in Germany and abroad: decision-makers and experts from developing countries, but also German staff and their families who went to work as development experts to the Third World.
In the 40 years since its foundation, the DSE has built up extensive contacts to partner countries and organisations in many parts of the world; it has given initial and advanced training to staff from developing countries; and it has promoted the exchange of experience between personalities from developing and industrial countries and furthered the development dialogue between governments, multilateral and bilateral development institutions, and the non-governmental organisations.
But with the 40th anniversary coinciding with the start into the new century, DSE does not waste much time on looking back. At a press conference in Bonn on the occasion of the presentation of its annual report 1998, DSE's leadership spoke more on the challenges of the future than on the achievements of the past. The newly elected President of the Board of Trustees, Ms Adelheid Tröscher, stressed the importance of education and training in a world in which knowledge and information had become key factors of change. Tröscher also emphasised the role of DSE in supporting longterm strategies for crisis prevention a subject uppermost on most peoples' minds in Europe because of the Kosovo war. Political dialogue as promoted by the Development Policy Forum of DSE in the case of water management was an example how the DSE contributed towards minimising the structural causes of conflict, Tröscher said. Another example were the support of democratisation processes in Central America through the promotion of decentralisation and stronger participation of the people in political processes.
DSE Director-General, Dr. Heinz Bühler, took a similar line when he pointed out that development cooperation is undergoing fundamental change and, with buzzwords such as international structural policy, peace policy, or crisis prevention, is becoming ever more political. As an institution whose mandate it is to promote education, training and dialogue, the DSE has an essential role to play in combatting poverty, protecting the environment, in democratisation and decentralisation, and in conflict prevention, Bühler said. With its 40 years of experience; its special expertise; its broad network of contacts in industrial and developing countries, in the state and non-state sectors, and in the private economy; and its modern teaching methods, the DSE was a valuable and interesting partner for the developing countries and their institutions, for national and international organisations, and for the German government, Bühler maintained.
Despite this positive outlook, there are considerable uncertainties over the future of development cooperation. Although the new Bonn government last September started off with the promise to reverse the negative trend in Germany's official development assistance, severe economic constraints force the finance minister to slash next year's federal budget by a record 30 billion deutschmarks. Development politicians are still hoping that the axe will not fall on budget of the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). "It does not fit together that the role of development cooperation as international structural policy and peace policy is stressed and at the same time the financial means to fulfill this task are cut", Heinz Bühler argued at the press conference. But by mid-June it was by no means clear whether development aid would be exempted from the proposed cuts which, according to the finance minister, were to equally affect all federal government ministries.
DSE could face a difficult future if its financial basis was further eroded. Last year already, its budget fell by 2.7 per cent against the preceding year. An additional strain is created by the fact that the seat of the institution and several of its departments are moving from Berlin to Bonn next year. 170 of its staff are affected, and great efforts must be undertaken to retain the functioning of the organisation. But DSE sees the move not only as an additional hardship, but also as a chance for a new beginning: Bonn is becoming the rallying point for national and international development institutions which will cooperate in the Center for International Cooperation (CIC). DSE is joined by the German Development Service (DED) and the German Development Institute (DIE) among others which will also move to Bonn and form the nucleus of the CIC. Heinz Bühler has coined the notion of a "Silicon Valley of development cooperation" which could one day come into being in Bonn and which could give a new impetus and new directions to development policy. DSE could play a leading role in this process by bringing a large number of participants to Bonn.
40 years after its foundation, the German Foundation for International Development is thus retaining its vibrancy and flexibility in responding to new situations and challenges. From the beginning, the DSE has believed that investments in human resources are vital to development. 40 years later, in our knowledge and information society, there is every reason to continue with this approach.
This contribution is taken from the Internet Archive
D+C Development and Cooperation
(No. 4, July/August 1999, p. 3)
D+C Development and Cooperation,
is published by: Deutsche Stiftung für internationale Entwicklung (DSE)
Editorial office, postal address:
D+C Development and Cooperation, P.O. Box 100 801, D-60008 Frankfurt, Germany.
E-Mail:106145.1065@compuserve.com
From the very beginning the founding fathers of the DSE showed quite extraordinary wisdom and foresight in relation to the DSE's special task: dialogue and training were to provide the foundation for the work of the DSE, or in the words of the DSE Statutes: educational assistance for specialized personnel from developing countries, preparation of German experts for assignments in developing countries and exchange of experience among personalities from developing countries and German specialists were to contribute to fostering the relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and other countries.
"Knowledge is power", a slogan familiar to every schoolchild at the time, may have played a role in the considerations of the founding fathers. In facilitating this set objective "education and exchange of experience" they identified those very areas of activity which later on gained relevance in the development process in general and beyond the developing countries: education, initial and advanced training in later years became one of the three cornerstones of development cooperation (DC)
(it would in fact have been more correct to identify it as indispensable cross-sectional element for all sectors of DC; there is no effective way of combatting poverty without knowledge/education: "knowledge is the most effective weapon against poverty", and there is no effective protection of natural resources without basic knowledge and education); in the World Development Report 1998/99, education has been identified as the single most important element of development; the increasing process of globalization reveals that advanced training, vocational qualification and exchange of experience as a process of life-long learning constitute a core element for mastering the globalization process in industrial and developing countries
This part of contribution is taken from the article " Shaping Change in a Globalizing World 40 Years DSE Positioning and Perspectives"
Internet Archive D+C Development and Cooperation (No. 4, July/August 1999, p. 8-11 )
Dr. Heinz Bühler is Director General of DSE.
On the occasion of the DSE 40th anniversary, the Network for Ecofarming in Africa, "NECOFA" wishes to congratulate DSE on it's outstanding and laudable programs towards the development and sustenance of human developmental programs throughout the World. 40 years of existence is a relatively long period of time during which the DSE have waxed from strength to strength and have contributed immensely in raising the standard of living of many communities, helped in crisis abeyance and improving the welfare of the people through information dissemination network.
We also will not shy away from the fact that DSE have had It's fair share of difficulties The reduction in financial input by Government have severe impact on the vision of DSE. Despite of the enormous odds, DSE have strived to maintain it's standard and meet the need of various developmental organisation such as the newly created Network for Ecofarming in Africa "NECOFA."
On this wonderful occasion of the celebration of the 40th year of existence, NECOFA wish to thank DSE for it's cooperation and still request for a longer hand of cooperation and assistance to enable NECOFA meets it's target goals and objectives.
NECOFA wish DSE more years of contributing to human development World wide and a heartful celebration
The International Coordination
(S. Tesfai)
Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme Abeokuta
University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria
As a component of crop-livestock farming system, livestock have a critical place in the development of sustainable and environmentally sound agricultural production system in sub-Saharan Africa. (Winrock International 1992). Livestock contribute directly to the sustainability of farming system by providing manure. Manure is among the most important contribution that livestock makes to the intensification of agriculture (Grove, 1991).
A study conducted in the pastoral areas of Ogun State Nigeria by Adu (1993) showed that agro pastoralists in Ogun State relied solely on cattle dung to maintain soil fertility and enhance their crop productivity. The alternative to cattle dung is inorganic fertiliser which is very expensive and difficult to come by, hence the need to consider alternatives to inorganic fertiliser. The study therefore aimed at the potential use of cattle dung as fertiliser.
Four (4) Fulani herds were used for the study, A total of 141 heads of cattle were used. The animals were herded for grazing on natural pasture which consisted mainly Panicum maximum (Guinea grass). The animals were not given any form of supplementary feed.
Bulked sample of faeces voided per herd were then taken and analysed for Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous(P) and Potassium (K), using the A.O.A.C.(1984) method.
Table 1 summarises the average composition of faeces voided by the cattle in the study area. It shows that every 100kg of cattle faeces contain, on the average 1.55kg N; 0.36kg of P and 0.67kg of K. This is equivalent to 1.55kg N; 0.81kg P205 and 0.81kg of kz0.
One tonne of cattle faeces therefore will be equivalent to 15.5kg N, 0.81kg of P205 and 8.1kg of K20. Five (5) tonnes of the faeces will give 77.5kg N; 40.5kg of P205 and 40.5kg of K20; which is approximately equivalent to 4bags of NPK (N20-P10-K10) compound fertiliser. This is the level of fertiliser application recommended for the production of horticultural crops such as Tomato, leafy vegetable, Onion, etc. The use of 5tonnes of cattle dung per hectare will serve as a good substitute for 4 bags of 20-10-10 NPK fertiliser particularly in terms of other secondary and micro nutrients.
Table 1
Average chemical composition of cattle dung
|
Location |
N |
P |
K |
|
A |
1.49 |
0.34 |
0.68 |
|
B |
1.55 |
0.39 |
0.66 |
|
C |
1.60 |
0.36 |
0.67 |
|
D |
1.56 |
0.35 |
0.67 |
|
Average |
1.55 |
0.36 |
0.67 |
1. Adu, I.F. 1993. Some socio-economic aspects of settled Pastoral Fulani in Ogun State of Nigeria. Paper presented at the 1st Biannual Workshop of Cattle Research Network (CARNET) ILCA, Addis-Ababa.
2. Grove, T.L. 1991. Interactions between agriculture and environment in the humid tropics of Africa. Arlington, Virginia: Winrock International.
3. Ogungbe, E. O. 1997. Peri-Urban dairy production systems: On-Farm assessment of cattle productivity in two Local Government areas of Ogun State, Nigeria. M. Agric Thesis University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
4. Winrock International, 1992. Assessment of Animal Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa.
A diagnostic survey report conducted and prepared by Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme (OGADEP) 1999
by:
Ogungbe, E.O.; Ogun, A.O.; Salawu, R.A.; Vaughan, I.O.; Oduekun, F.K; Ajisafe, A.T.; Ogunbodede, B.A.; Odigie, G.A.; Adebowale, E.A.; Aiyelaagbe I.O.O.; Olusi, M.A.; Uroghide, E.O. Edited by Aiyelaagbe, I.O.O.; Ogungbe, E.O. and Odigie, G.A.
Between 1-6 February 1999, a multidisciplinary team of scientists constituted by OGADEP conducted a diagnostic survey on Agroforestry practices in Ogun State. The aim was to determine the current status of Agroforestry production constraints and possible interventions. The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) method involving the use of a checklist and farm visits was used.
Agroforestry practices in Ogun State are skewed towards agrosilviculture. The major agroforestry systems include trees in cocoa/kola plantations, simple homegardens, scattered trees in croplands, live fences, and trees in fallow plots/secondary forests. Silvipastoral and agrisilvipastoral systems were generally weak or non-existent in the various communities surveyed.
The various thematic constraints and proffered solutions within the domain of agroforestry are as follows:
Although the diagnostic survey identified the constraints of agroforestry systems in Ogun State, the exercise did not determine a short list of top priority agroforestry species (based on farmers' input) to address the constraints. A follow up exercise on species prioritisation will be required to determine this. The results of the species prioritisation will be used in designing more focused agroforestry interventions to address production constraints experienced by farmers. For sustainable impact, the design and execution of agroforestry technology packages in Ogun State must be farmer participatory and interdisciplinary at all stages of decision making.
ETHIOPIA, Addis Ababa
August 1999
The international training course-Workshop on Ecofarming-Ecologically and Socially Sustainable Land Management was held in Ethiopia at different sites from November 16 to December 11, 1998. On this training, which was sponsored jointly by ZEL and DSE, 24 professionals participated from seven African countries.
Ecofarming recognises man as a part and parcel of the ecosystem. It targets the small scale farmers who are the largest majority of agricultural community in the developing world. The basic elements of ecofarming technologies include the use of green manure or multiple purpose plants, utilisation of indigenous knowledge, practice and farming technologies with the optimum use of external inputs especially agrochemical and pesticide, etc.
The objective of the workshop was to help participants be familiarised with the principles and concepts of ecofarming and exchange experiences. In order to materialise the implementation of ecofarming at grassroots level and facilitate information dissemination the workshop participants had established a network - Network for Ecofarming in Africa-NECOFA, at the conclusion of the workshop.
Ethiopia as an agricultural country and member of NECOFA can make use of the concepts and principles of ecofarming to promote sustainable agricultural development and food security. In this regard, deep involvement of planners, researchers, extension workers and the rural target group is inevitable.
This workshop proposal is intended to establish a channel towards developing ecofarming in the country.
The adoption and promotion of ecofarming is an essential undertaking especially in countries like Ethiopia where the dominant economic centre - the small holder agriculture accounts for about 55% of the GDP, 85% of the export and 80% of the total employment. The coverage of the non-arable land of the country has increased to 49%, excluding marginal lands of significant moisture limitation and steep lands greater than 30% slope. With the inclusion of thus land categories, the percentage rises to about 72% (MOA/UNDP/FAO, 1998).
Practically speaking, the agricultural sector in Ethiopia is mainly rainfed agriculture, which rests in the hands of small holders characteristically mixed farming system. It is highly diversified and plays a key role in the socio-economic life of the population. However, it neither met the food need of the population nor provided the rural population with a better income to obtain a better life. Researchers indicate that food supply in general has not been stable and not in pace with the population growth of about 3%.
The constraints on the productivity growth of the sector are of different character, some of which are:
The nutrient loss and soil erosion have resulted in forgone agricultural production close to 60,000 tons of grain per year. According to the World Bank study, nutrient loss due to the removal of dung and crop residue is the major features of land degradation.
The country's natural resource base is being unwisely exploited, affecting the wellbeing of the whole population. In order to improve agricultural productivity and achieve food security the strategy currently implemented is application of high inputs of agrochemical. The immediate effects of these inputs might be gratifying. The crux of this matter is sustainability, which is doubtful.
Experiences prove that the sustainability of agricultural productivity and achievement of food security were seriously threatened by the application of inappropriate technologies. The deterioration of natural resources and the main environmental problems like gene losses, destruction bio diversity, land, forest, and water resources degradation, salinisation, acidification, desertification, pollution of water, soil and air, etc., are all aggravated due to the application of inappropriate technologies.
The ecological disturbances caused by these "development" centred unsustainable activities have their direct repercussion of the socio-economic life of the community.
The possibilities of effective operation of NECOFA and realisation of ecofarming practices in Ethiopia are based on the following rationales.
a) Ethiopia is an agricultural country with a small holder farming system possessing less than two hectares. This goes in line with the appropriate target audience for ecofarming, making Ethiopia an ideal country for practising ecofarming.
b) The country has a large number of site appropriate indigenous farming system, which are to be assessed and inventored. Some of these technologies are older than 2500 years and yet exist. There are many opportunities experiment and utilise a large number of site appropriate ecofarming technologies.
c) The country has a great geographic diversity, with altitudes ranging from 4620 masl down to 110 masl. The rainfall gap is as well as the geographic diversity ranging from 2700 mm to 200mm. Agro-ecologically, it is defined in to five zones ranging from above 3200 masl to less than 500 masl. This implies the land use of the country is much diversified-another important element for ecofarming practices.
d) Ethiopia has experienced a number of political and social changes with their different approaches and programs of economic development. And yet the country has not achieved food security and sustainable farming system. These are good experiences to rethink the past and make ecofarming acceptable as an alternative.
e) Various technical co-operation projects and numerous NGO's are found in the country. Most of them are working towards conservation based rural development activities at grassroots level. This creates a sustainable condition to form partnership for the operation of the network and experience exchanging.
f) Good facilities of agricultural education and research as well as extension services are available in Ethiopia. This makes the condition convenient for inventorying, experimenting, practising, and promoting technologies.
g) The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, through its house of People's Representatives, has ratified two vital documents - The Conservation Strategy and the Environmental Policy - both of which are in line with the principles and concept of ecofarming. Thus the current Ethiopian political situation is completely suitable for the promotion of ecofarming and active functioning of the network.
h) The demand for agricultural inputs like fertiliser, pesticide, herbicide, improved seed etc., is tremendously increasing from time to time. However, these inputs are too expensive and are not readily available for the small holder farmers of the country. In this regard, application of ecofarming technology would minimise the problem significantly.
All NECOFA founding members
Potential members
Government and Non Government Institutions
Resource Persons and Guests
Service-giving
Total (potential): 42
It is tentatively proposed that the workshop will be undertaken at the end of September 28-30, 1999, Semen Hotel, Addis Ababa.
SUNYANI, GHANA
OCTOBER, 1999
Submitted by
LAWRENCE KOFI KRAMPA
NECOFA Country representative (Ghana)
Box 86, Sunyani Brong-Ahafo region,
Tel. 23361614
Fax 233617376
E-mail gtzsun@ncs.com.gh
An international workshop on Ecofarming-Ecologically and Socially Sustainable Land Management was held in Ethiopia from November 16 to December 11. The workshop involved 24 participants from 7 countries namely Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon, Tanzania and Ethiopia, was sponsored by DSE / ZEL in co-operation with DITSL.
It was realised that an ecologically and socially sustainable land management system is an effective farming method capable of achieving high food production in developing countries at a minimum cost through the use of limited external inputs such as agrochemicals and pesticides. The workshop objective was therefore aimed at participants to have an in-depth knowledge of ecofarming principles and to exchange experience.
In order to spread the ideas of the workshop at the grassroots and to exchange ideas at national and international levels, a Network for ecofarming was established by all the participants called NECOFA (Network for Ecofarming in Africa).
Ghana being an agricultural country with majority employed in this sector, there are potentials of increased food production and reduced land degradation by the incorporation of ecofarming principles in the farming systems.
There is therefore the need to sensitise researchers, agriculturists, politicians, farmers etc, in achieving this aim. A workshop is therefore proposed to establish a national NECOFA group in the country on Ecofarming principles.
Agriculture is one of the main stay of the economy with majority employed in this sector. This sector is rain fed. The increasing population and the gradual loss of soil nutrients through erosion and over cropping, the need for increasing soil fertility for increase yield with minimum external inputs can not be over emphasised.
Some constraints on the growth on this sector include:
The deterioration of the natural resources and environmental problems could be attributed to the application of inappropriate technologies.
The effective operation of NECOFA and adaptation of ecofarming principles in Ghana could be based on these factors:
Establishment and inauguration of NECOFA.
Concepts and principles of Ecofarming to be grasped by the participants.
Action plan to be worked out.
Network to be exposed to the public through the media.
Resource persons and Guests:
Minister of Agriculture / Regional Director, Agric, B/A region.
Presenters
Facilitator
Workshop date and Venue (Tentative)
It is proposed to have it by the last week of October 1999 in Sunyani at Eusbett Hotel.
see National Network Groups: Kenya
see National Network Groups: Cameroon
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