Presented by Wezi Mhango (Lilongwe University of Agriculture & Natural Resources) at the 2014 AAAS Meeting, Chicago, IL. Feb 13 -17, 2014

1. Shrubby pigeon peas transform Malawi farming:
First-generation perennial grain legumes
Wezi Mhango1, S. Snapp2, G.Y.K. Phiri1and R. Chikowo2
1Lilongwe University of Agric & Natural Resources. Malawi.2Michigan State University
2014 AAAS Meeting, Chicago, IL. Feb 13-17, 2014

2. Malawi
Elevation Zones &
Agricultural Development Divisions
Karonga
ADD
Mzuzu
ADD
Kasungu
ADD
Lilongwe ADD
Machinga
ADD
Blantyre
ADD
Shire
Valley
ADD
Mzuzu
Lilongwe
Blantyre
Zomba
Kasungu
Karonga
Mchinji
Chitipa
Salima
Lower Shire Valley:
< 200 m elevation
Lakeshore, Middle &
Upper Shire: 200 - 760 m
Highlands:
> 1300 m
Mid-elevation Upland
Plateau: 760 - 1300 m
T. Benson; 10/98
MALAWI
Nsanje
Salima
ADD
Mzimba
Mangochi
 15million people
 Area: 118,000km2
 Small land holdings
 Agricultural based economy

3. Farming systems
Smallholder farmers, <ha land holding size
Cropping systems dominated by annual crops
Production: Rainfed, unimodalpattern (Nov/Dec- March)

4. Long dry season: soil degradation, no photosynthesis
Nov/Dec-March
Extended Dry season
July-Oct/Nov
May-June
Rainy Season

5. Broad Challenges
Degraded soils
Climate variability
Pests
Labor

6. Two types of legumes
Annuals -for food
Perennials -agroforestry
soil fertility & fuel wood
Bean, peanut& soybean
Gliricidia& tephrosia

7. A third type of legume
AnnualsPerennials
Semi-perennials
Pigeonpea
(Cajancajanus)

8. Pigeon pea
Short lived shrub, 1.5 -4m
Semi perennial grain legume
Deep rooted
Drought tolerant
Wide adaptation
Slow initial growth rates

9. Pigeon pea
Nodulates with indigenous Rhizobium, Fix N
Yield: 2.5 t/ha
Provisioning
Food
Fodder
Fuel wood
Yield stability
Regulating
Soil cover
Moisture retention
Soil fertility
Multiple uses:

10. Farmers can choose varieties to suit their needs
Short
Medium
Long
Days to maturity
120-150
150-180
190-270
Grain
high
Med-high
Low-med
Soil fertility
low
Med-high
High

11. Intercropping and rotations
Cereal -Legume intercropLegume-legume

12. Ratooning practice increase PP biomass, savings on seed Ratooning

13. Pigeon pea extends land cover from 4 to 10 months or more; and conserves soil moisture
Rainy Season
Dry Season

14. Pigeon pea fix atmospheric N and improve soil fertility
Region
N fixed (kg/ha)
Source
Africa
20-140
1
India
69-100
2,3
India
13-69
4,5
Southern Africa
46-118
1,6,7
SouthernAfrica
20-60
1
West Africa
53-96
8
Source: 1=Adu-Gyamfiet al., 2007; 2=Kumar Rao et al., (1987); 3=Werner, (2005); 4=Kumar Rao et al., (1981); 5=Katayama et al., 1995; 6=Mhango et al 2010, 7=Njiraet al., 2012; 8=Egbeet al., 2007;

15. Inclusion of PP in cropping systems increase grain yield of maize
Cropping system
yield increments (%)
Source
PP/MZ
+58
1
GNPP/MZ
+60
1
PP/MZ
+57
2
PP/MZ
+38-50
3
MZ+PP/MZ
+171-205
4
PP/MZ
+207-309
4
1= Mhango et al., 2010. 2= Daniel and Ong(1990); 3=Abunyewaand Karbo(2004); 4=Egbeet a., 2007
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
MZ/MZ
MZ/MZ+24kg N/ha
PP/MZ+24 kg N/ha
Yield (t/ha)
Mhango et al.,
Fig 1: Maize yield under continuous maize and PP/maize rotations, northern Malawi

16. Pigeon pea diversified cropping systems support higher maize yields overtime

17. Pigeon pea cropping systems for adaptation to climate change
Climate change and variability predictions in southern Africa
Dependence on rain fed agriculture
Cereal-PP cropping systems and adaptation to climate change

18. Low risk of failure in Maize-PP systems in the face of climate change than
continuous maize
Zombwe
Temperature increase over baseline (°C)
Maize yield (kg/ha)
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
Base
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R+
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R75
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R90
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Treatment
● MZ24
● MZ92
● Rot24
Soil
● HF
LF
Ollenburger et al.,

19. Yes, we can improve soil fertility and food security !

20. Acknowledgements
Mc Knight Foundation CCRP
USAID Funded Africa RISING Program

21. Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation
africa-rising.net
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