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Vol.4,No.1 |
Dear colleagues and friends in NECOFA,
A lot has been reached in the year of 2001 and the beginning of 2002.
Many NECOFA's countries have been registered or are at their final registration as an NGOs (Non Governmental Organisation) in their respective countries.
All NECOFA countries have meanwhile concluded their constitutional conferences / workshops. Organisational constitutions, rules are now perfect, NECOFA has indeed defined and demarcated its shape. Since our mission is to encourage an ecologically and socially responsible agriculture which reflects humankind's obligation to protect the health of the planet for future generations, the sensitization program activities of the countries NECOFA members have intensified into different areas of professionalism.
Sensitization Seminars/Workshops, meetings have been conducted in many countries.
Successful Workshops have been organised and implemented in Zambia, Tanzania, Cameroon and recently in South Africa.
The outcome of the Workshop has been submitted, well and extensively reported but unfortunately, due to the technical limitations, not all and lengthily couldn't be published in NENCOFA -NEWSLETTER in the current issue (April , 2002).
Nevertheless, the Workshop reports of Tanzania, South Africa and other activities will be highlighted in the next issue and all country contributions are to inserted and can be downloaded from the Homepage of NECOFA's www.necofa org.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all concerned for their devotion in promoting and disseminating Ecofarming in Africa. In conclusion, my heartfelt congratulation goes to those NECOFA's countries which successfully concluded their envisaged workshops.
by: the office of the country coordinator
NECOFA in collaboration with the GTZ-Sedentary Farming System Project (SFSP) and SG2000 and funded by SFSP undertook demonstrations in three different locations in Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana.
The demonstration involves half an acre of plot divided into two. One of the plots is for conventional tillage in which conventional practices are involved - for example, ploughing, harrowing, and planting with the planter are involved. The time used for ploughing, harrowing, planting etc. and the amount of fuel used is recorded.
The other plot known as the minimum or zero tillage involves the use of slashes for land preparation and Roundup chemical for weed control. Both plots are planted with 9kg of maize (Obantapa variety). This demonstration is to be carried out for three-year period by which the minimum tillage plot will be planted with cover crops to increase the soil fertility and the yield of the two plots compared.
NECOFA Ghana in collaboration with the Roots and Tubers Improvement Programme (RTIP) is cultivating a high yielding cassava variety (Afisiafi) in Amoam-Achiase in Ashanti region on a demonstration plot, previously cultivated with mucuna (NECOFA farm) and simultaneously on a second farm which has not been previously cropped with mucuna. Initial results show vigorous growth with healthy plants as compared to the same variety on the mucuna free plot (see further report below).
Membership of NECOFA is increasing very fast. Members of NECOFA can now be found in Volta, Ashanti,Western and Greater regions. Agricultural institutions are now in the focus of membership drive.
Other activities
Cassava, which is a root crop is one of Ghana's main staple with great socio-economic significance. It contributes about 21% at Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (G.D.P) and as such regarded as a reliable food security crop food. This economic crop is affordable and provides for sustained healthy life to majority of people and livestock at all times. In view of this, a NECOFA's activity in the year 2001 was centered on this all-important stable at Amoam- Achiase in the Ejisu-Juaben District in the Ashanti Region.
After harvesting the Mucuna seeds, planted the previous year for distribution to member farmers, the demonstration plot was used to cultivate an improved variety of cassava, which was supplied to the NECOFA farmer group by RTIP (ROOT AND TUBER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME) RTIP launched by Ministry of Food and Agriculture under the sponsorship of IFAD with the World Bank as a co-operating Institute, supplies improved varieties of root and tuber crops to farmer groups and individuals for multiplication and re-distribution to other farmers.
The improved variety known as AFISIAFI was planted from 29th to 3rd of June 2001 which was the major planting season. This improved variety of cassava planted on the demonstration plot which had been planted previously with Mucuna seeds actually had vigorous growth with healthy plants as compared to the same variety planted on another plot without Mucuna seeds. All member farmers have planted their Mucuna seeds on their farms in order to improve their soil for the cassava cultivation on a large scale, as they cannot purchase expensive in-organic fertilizers.
As an Extension officer and a representative of NECOFA-GHANA the principles and practise of Ecofarming is my priority in my day to day interactions with farmers. This practical Method Demonstration has been recorded on videocassettes for viewing during the NECOFA-UGANDA workshop.
New members have been registered.
NECOFA - Nigeria held its planning meeting for year 2002 on the 20th of December, 2001 at the Headquarters of the Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme, Idi - Aba, Abeokuta with 25 members in attendance.
The Country representative gave a brief on the activities during the year 2001 which include
The following decisions were taken by members at the meeting
The Calendar of activities for the year was drawn as follows:
The following zones were now recognised
1. South West with Headquarters in Abeokuta
2. North East with Headquarters in Bauchi
3. South - South with Headquarters in Port Harcourt
The following Chapters were recognised
The National Headquarters should look for its permanent office that would be more conducive than the OGADEP headquarters presently in use with adequate communication equipment.
NECOFA should extend its funding arena to
The following research proposals were submitted for preview and approval by the Research/Technical Committee
Under the sponsorship of the German Government, the Food and Agricultural Development Center of German Foundation for International Development (DSE) and the International Centre, North South Dialogue for the Network in Africa and NECOFA Cameroon Chapter, conducted a National Sensitization Workshop on Ecofarming (Ecologically and Socially Sustainable Land Management), which held from the 10th to the 11th of December 2001 at the Pastoral Center, Bamenda.
The workshop involved paper presentations, field visit, group work and plenary discussions.
The workshop gathered together, 40 Agricultural Experts coming from Government agricultural departments, Training schools, Research Institutions, Universities and Non-Governmental Institutions involved in rural development, planning, research, education and extension. The National Coordinator of NECOFA-Cameroon Chapter (Mr. Kum Sylvester Beng), Mr. Ndenecho Emmanuel and the Administrator of NECOFA (Mr. Anagho Richard) acted as moderators.
Paper presentations by Merss. Anagho Richard, Boniface Ngnaido, Dr. Ndi Christopher, Dr. Nwaga Dieudonné, Dr. Ngoko Z., Meppe Paco, Folefac Florence, Tasnkou Christopher, Ndenecho Emmanuel Anyouzoa Anyouzoa and Bekolo André substantially contributed to the workshop, highlighting specific Cameroonian experiences in the various components of Ecofarming. Unlike the so-called "modern" or conventional farming, which relies on a high level of inputs, such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Ecofarming technologies are based on intensive research work done world wide and in Cameroon in the last two decades, which incorporate indigenous farmers' knowledge and their own way of experimenting, to achieve locally appropriate, sustainable and economically viable solutions for their specific farming systems.
Based on their own experiences in their farms and organisations, and join findings elaborated at the end of the workshop, participants are convinced that Ecofarming is the most modern, convenient, and sustainable way of farming in the Cameroon environment. Ecofarming is at least as productive, or more, than conventional farming, supporting food security at a high level, with fewer risks and costs involved.
The outputs of the workshop included the sentization of participants on Ecofarming concepts, the identification and integration of Ecofarming components within existing farming systems and operational strategies and methods for the application/extension of Ecofarming technologies in Cameroon.
Participants at the workshop decided to promote Ecofarming within their institutions and organisations, as well as at the national level. Participants, therefore, agreed to establish the branches of the networks to promote Ecofarming within their regions or provinces.
To facilitate the further exchange of experiences among participants, the staff of the workshop and other groups/farmers, the participants founded the "National Ecofarming Promotion Board" (NEPB), which will act as a forum to promote and support all national activities in Ecofarming.
The participants at the workshop elaborated a multidisciplinary board for the promotion of Ecofarming in Cameroon and defined the mission objectives and activities of the Board. Strategies and actions to better network in Cameroon in order to effectively promote Ecofarming were also developed. Finally, some short-term and long-term programmes of action that could be implemented to effectively promote Ecofarming in Cameroon were identified.
The National Sensitization workshop on Ecofarming was organized by the "Network for Ecofarming in Africa- Cameroon Chapter (NECOFA-CC).
The idea to organize a National Sensitization workshop was agreed upon by the member countries of the NETWORK FOR ECOFARMING IN AFRICA (NECOFA) and each country group had then to organize the workshop in its way and following the means at her disposal.
The organizing Committee comprised ANAGHO Richard Aba, KUM Sylvester, Dr. Ndi Christopher, NGNAIDO Boniface, Folefa Florence, MOKI Princewill, and all members of the National Executive of NECOFA-CC
The Funds for the workshop were furnished by:
The Total Funds available for the workshop were 1.450,000 F.CFA.
On this occasion we thanks a lot the above mentioned Intuitions for their generous financial support to NECOFA - Cameroon in order to be in a position to conduct the Workshop. Without their kind support the Workshop wouldn't be successfully implemented.
December 10th, 2001
I will first of all like to welcome all who have travelled from far and near to take part in this National Sensitization workshop on ecofarming.
It is exactly three years today that 24 senior agricultural experts coming from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Honduras and Germany gathered in Addis Ababa for an international workshop titled Ecofarming i.e. Ecologically and Socially Sustainable Land management. This workshop was organized by the German Foundation for International Development (DSE) in cooperation with the then German Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture (DITSL).
As the National Coordinator mentioned, at the end of the workshop in Ethiopia, participants saw the need to put in place an instrument to initiate and facilitate further exchange of experiences among participants and between participants and people involved in farming. The Network for Ecofarming in Africa (NECOFA) was therefore created.
One very, important question to ask is does Cameroon need Ecofarming? I will say Yes and that Cameroon needs it urgently.
In many regions of the country, agriculture is seriously threatened by reduction in land, forest and water resources, salinization, acidification, desertification, heavy soil erosion, declining soil fertility, pest diseases. etc. Ecofarming farming being a sustainable land management practice seeks to resolve these problems with little or no external inputs through comprehensive management of natural resources and use of appropriate and regenerative technologies; Ecofarming technologies are usually inexpensive, affordable, simple and compatible with the resources found on earth.
The use of green manure, farmyard manure and other organic substances in enriching the soil have proved a tremendous positive effect on the preservation, conservation and maintenance of soil fertility, increasing the positive effect of micro-organisms activity in the soil, allowing permeability and good water retaining capacity.
The use of cover crops and reinforced live barriers to control soil erosion have produced positive results. Many natural methods of pest and disease control are now being used with a great deal of success.
Ecofarming therefore offers many options for sustainable increasing food production and maintaining the resource base allowing future generations to come to meet their needs. Ecofarming is a low-input system that is subject to three economically limiting conditions.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
You will agree with me that it is better to have an average production forever than to have a high production for a very short time. Ecofarming strongly emphasizes on this paradigm. Ecofarming is oriented towards the long term, high level of food security with fewer risks and costs involved. Sustainability in ecofarming translates into providing future generations with at least as much natural resources (Land, water, air, genetic materials, ecosystems etc), as the current generation has.
Cameroon's agriculture is characterised by an increasing use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, heavy soil erosion, destruction of trees, and ecosystems etc. Ecofarming seems the only way to curb this disastrous trend and to turn towards a more reliable agriculture. Many farmers around are not fully exposed to ecofarming concepts and methodologies. With the creation of NECOFA-Cameroon, it will be possible to bring to our farmers, extension services of MINAGRI, MINEPIA and MINEF, NGOs, and CBOs in the agricultural sector, refined Eco-technologies, methodologies and resource material to re-orient Cameroon's agriculture on a more sustainable and beneficial course.
Equally there exist a handful of indigenous ecofarming technologies that have been developed by farmers around the country though site specific can be adapted for use in other areas of the nation. One outstanding example is the paddock manuring system that has been developed by the farmers of Babanki Tungoh to sustainably improve soil fertility, crop yields and a better integration of crops and livestock production.
There is need for general awareness creation on the subject at all levels; agricultural research, extension, farmers, agricultural training institutions policy makers, etc. Thus the raision d'être of this National sensitization workshop.
During the workshop, you are expected to put in place strategies for effective networking within the country and to set up an ecofarming promotion board that will facilitate ecofarming development within the country.
I call in all of you on behalf of the honourable minister of agriculture to be committed to the tasks of the workshop so that the outcome will be such that will give a booster to Cameroon's agriculture. It is on this note that I declare opened the National Sensitization workshop on Ecofarming in Cameroon.
Long live NECOFA - Cameroon
Long live NECOFA International
Long live International Cooperation
Long live the Republic of Cameroon
THANK YOU
National Sensitization Workshop on Ecofarming held in Bamenda from 10th - 11th December 2001:
The contribution of planted legumes to soil fertility maintenance in ecological farmingby Meppe Paco F.
Farmers in most developing countries, especially in Tropical Africa and Latin America use legumes as their staple food. The main legumes used for this purpose are dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea), mung beans (Phaseolus aureces), cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) and to an increasing importance soybeans (Glycine max).
Apart from their food and nutritive values, these food legumes also have the characteristic of biologically fixing atmospheric nitrogen, thus making it available to the legume crop itself, the crop the legume is intercropped with, or that which follows the legume crop.
The bulk of nitrogen is supplied from the manufactured sources as mineral fertilizers such as urea, sulphate of ammonia, ammonium nitrate and calcium ammonium nitrate.
Inorganic fertilizers are quite expensive especially to the peasant farmer with limited resources. This may explain why he has had to rely on the natural sources. Besides, some fertilizers lead to productivity deterioration if not used with care.
The value of legumes as a source of nitrogen has been successfully exploited by agrostologists in developed countries especially in Australia and New Zealand where the nitrogen use efficiency has successfully been improved by growing grasses and legumes in mixture. Also, under natural conditions, it is common to find leguminous trees and shrubs growing together with non-leguminous species where some of the nitrogen previously fixed by legumes may be taken up by roots of the non-leguminous species. Inclusion of legumes in multiple cropping systems or in crop rotation offers considerable benefits because of their ability to fix nitrogen biologically.
Most of the grain legumes commonly grown in the tropics, that is, dry beans and groundnuts are not very efficient in biological nitrogen except soybeans and cowpea. This could be related to the genetic potential of these crops to fix nitrogen, the edaphic and climatic conditions under which these crops are grown or it could be related to the lack of efficient Rhizobia in the soil.
All these aspects would have to be investigated if nitrogen supply is to be sought from these legumes. Apart from the grain legumes, there exist annual, biannual and perennial legume species, which, although they don't produce grains they are known to have a high rate of nitrogen fixation and could be used as cover crops, green manure crops, alley cropping species or pasture improvement species.
Nitrogen fixing trees
The use of nitrogen fixing trees in association with food crops is one of the ways of improving crop production in the tropics. Mostly where soil fertility is low and the availability and affordability of purchased fertilizer are not feasible.
Normally this results in competition for light and water between the legume tree and the crop. Constant pruning of the tree and using the prunings as mulch will reduce the competition though slightly in the case of water.
One such a system is Alley cropping, which has received considerable attention from researchers at IRAD, IITA AND ICRAF.
The mulch provided by prunings can also have other attributes such as weed control, moisture conservation and soil temperature stabilization. The stems can also be used as fuelwood or used for other purposes such as staking of trailling crops like yams.
Desired characteristics of a species for alley cropping
In order for the trees to adopt to most cropping systems they should have the following characteristics:
Another group of plants that should be considered as candidate for soil fertility maintenance and improvement are the cover crop/green manure legume species that are either annual or biannual. Already some of these are available locally, growing in the wild and semi-wild environment.
They are more versatile than the alley cropping species in that results can be obtained after a much shorter trial period. They also do not have to compete directly with the crop since they can be planted after the main crop.
In the Northwest Province, these species would include; Tephrosia, Crotalaria caricea, Sesbania species, Mucuna utilis and to a limited extent, the Desmodium species.
Undesired characteristics for some alley cropping/green manure species
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