The document discusses integrated crop, soil health, and livestock technologies aimed at addressing land degradation challenges in Kongwa and Kiteto, Tanzania, and emphasizes the importance of sustainable intensification in farming systems. Key findings highlight the critical need for improved land and water management practices, site-specific nutrient management guidelines, and the introduction of agroforestry and livestock integration for enhancing productivity and resilience. Additionally, successful training and farmer engagement have led to improved practices, including erosion control measures and the cultivation of fodder trees to support livestock systems.

1. Integrated crop, soil health and livestock technologies for ecological
intensification in Kongwa and Kiteto, Tanzania
Anthony Kimaro
ICRAF
Africa RISING East and Southern Africa Review and Planning Meeting, Malawi, 14-16 July 2015

2. Land Degradation Challenges in Kongwa and Kiteto
Test and validate
integrated soil, crop and
water management
technologies to
address land
degradation problems
and hence contribute to
SI
Jumpstart Key
findings in KK sites:
•Fragile ecosystem with
poor soil fertility and
high soil erosion

3. Land Degradation Challenges in Kongwa and Kiteto
• Improved management of land and water is a critical step
in sustainable intensification (SI) of farming systems
• Limited availability of site-specific nutrient management
guidelines for semiarid zones in Tanzania undermines
efforts to target technologies to biophysical and/or socio-
economic conditions in which farmers operate.
• Technologies adopted under these circumstances may be
risky to farmers.
• Soils in Kongwa and Kiteto districts were characterized to
assess soil fertility status and drivers of land degradation
so as to inform the development of integrated land
management options for SI.

4. Theme 2 Clusters/Components
• Soil Fertility Enhancing Technologies
• Integrated Land and Water Management Options
• Tree (Agroforestry) based technologies for SI
• Livestock - Crop integration
• Socio-economic Analysis and Adoption Monitoring
to guide technology scaling

5. Cluster 1: Biophysical Characterization of Action Sites
LDSF (Landscape)
Njoro Sentinel site
LDSF: Infiltration
Measurements in the
field (Njoro Sentinel)
Profile pit for soil
classification (0-200cm)
10km
10km

6. Soil Fertility Status in Mother Sites in KK
Site Soil Parameter Remarks (Landon)
pH 5.6 - 6.8 Medium to slight acidic
OC (%) 0.33 - 1.9 very low to low
Exch. Phosphorus
(mg/kg)
8-14 Low to medium
Total N (%) 0.06-0.15 Very low to low
CEC cmol (+)/kg soil 4.4 -10.2 Very low to low
Cluster 1: Biophysical baseline

7. Fertilizer Reccommendations for KK sites
b
ab
a a
b
c
c
a
ab
bc
0.0
1.5
3.0
4.5
6.0
0 15 30 45 60
Maizegrain(Mgha-1)
Phosphorus application rates (kg P ha-1)
2013
2014
b
a
ba
ba
ba
ba
b
a a
a
a
b
0.0
1.5
3.0
4.5
6.0
0 20 40 60 80 120
Maizegrain(Mgha-1)
Nitrogen application rate (kg N ha-1)
2013
2014
Phosphorus Nitrogen
• 30 kg P/ha for Phosphorus
• 60 kg N/ha for Nitrogen
• Expand to include microdose and tillage x fertilizer trials (2015-16)

8. • Increase efficiency of P
fertilizer use via localized
application at planting
• Sustain crops yield at
reduced inputs, especially P
• Factorial combinations of N
and P at 0, ¼, ½ and full (30
kg P/ha and 60 kg N/ha)
• Give equivalent amount in
g/hill
P-Fertilizer Microdosing in KK sites: 2015-16

9. • Farmer groups formation and training on GAP (fertilizer, spacing, improved
variety, site preparations etc.) and layout and management of demo plots
• Technologies demonstrated in 293 baby plots: Manure and fertilizer
(Minjingu mazao and Yara Mila Cereals at 30 kg P/ha and 60 kg N/ha)
under maize monoculture or intercropping with pigeonpea
• Follow up training during the off season on group dynamics, record keeping
Baby Plots: Scaling fertilizer and improved crop varieties
Farmers in Njoro village during
a training session in Dec 2014Demo plot layout

10. Cluster 2: Integrated Land and
Water Management
Led by ARI-Hombolo (E. Swai)

11. CONTROLOF SOILEROSION IN KITETOAND KONGWADISTRICTS
From 2012/2013 cropping season to date an attempt has been
made under “Africa RISING Project” to fast track the integration
of soil erosion control measure in cropping and land management
systems.
For effective control measures efforts have been geared towards
the use of “landscape approach” through fully engagement of
farming communities in the entire process of implementing the
followings strategies:
 Application of physical and biological barriers on control
of soil erosion
 Assessment of the efficacy of physical barriers for erosion
control.
 Testing of in situ water harvesting technologies.

12. Application of Physical and Biological barriers on
Control of Soil Erosion in KK:
Run-off plots at Mlali village
Participatory run-off measurement at
Mlali village, Kongwa
Insitu rainwater harvesting technique at Chitego, KongwaPearl millet field with Fanya juu terrace at
Laikala village, Kongwa
Maize field with Fanya juu terrace at Njoro
village, Kiteto

13. Evaluating efficiency of physical barriers for
controlling soil water erosion: 2014 & 2015
Treatments:
• Bare plot (BP)-Reference
• Oxen ploughing
• Ox-ripping
• Tied-ridging

14. • The percentage of rainfall lost through runoff:
− 2013/2014 season: 36.4 %, 30 % and 6.7 % for conventional ox
ploughing, ox ripping and ox-ridging, respectively.
• Low runoff in tied ridging reflect the ability of ponding of
water to sustain soil moisture and crop production
• Overall tied-ridging consistently increased resilience of
farming systems against frequent and/or prolonged drought
under semiarid climate
Efficiency of Physical Barrier for Erosion Control: Results

15. Tillage Effects on Soil Moisture
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
10 20 30
Volumetricwatercontentcm3/cm3
Soil depth ( cm)
PL
RT
TR
0.00
0.06
0.12
0.18
0.24
0.30
10 20 30
Volumetricwatercontent,cm3/cm3
Soil depth (cm)
PL
RT
TR
Vegetative stage Grain filling stage
• PL = Ox-ploughing
• RT = Ox-ridging
• TR = Ox-ripping

16. 1.4a
2.3ab
2.9b
0
1
2
3
4
PL RT TR
Maizegrain(t/ha)
Tillage methods
Maize yield increase relative to the conventional ox-ploughing
method was 64 % in ox-ripping and 107 % in ox-ridging treatments.
Effect of tillage on maize grain yield: 2013/2014

17. Demonstrations:Scaling upland and water Magt. technologies

18. Demonstrations:Scaling up soil and water Magt. technologies
• Mobilizing farmers in groups
• Training key farmers on contour layout
• Over 180 farmers have constructed contours for erosion
control. The contours are stabilized by trees and grass which
also supply fodder and improve soil fertility

19. Cluster 3: Tree (Agroforestry)-
based Technologies for SI
• Intercropping and double legume arrangements
• Shelterbelts and boundary tree planting
• Woodlots for fodder and wood supply

20. Agroforestry Options for SI
Maize stover
(Fuelwood)
Food, Fodder
Fuel, soil
fertility
Food, Fodder
Fuel & soil fertility
Tree Nursery
G. sepium on
contours: Food,
Fodder, Fuel & Soil
Fertility
Food ,
Fuelwood,
and NRM

21. • Sustained livestock productivity in semiarid central Tanzania is limited by availability of
quality feeds of sufficient amount, especially during the off season.
• Africa RISING is screening local species for fodder quality and introducing fast growing N-rich
fodder trees/shrubs in various niches (contour bunds, double-legume, woodlots,
shelterbelts) on-farm to supply supplementary high quality fodder and other benefits like
fuelwood, erosion control and soil fertility improvement
• Local browse tree species have been screened for fodder quality and best species identified
• Out of 180 farmers who have established contours, 51 farmers (30%) have planted trees for
stabilizing contours and providing ecosystem services identified above
Integrating trees for feeds &
fuelwood supply, erosion control,
and soil fertility improvement
Woodlots for fodder bank (G.
sepium) and wood supply at
Molet village, Tanzania
Fodder trees (Gliricida sepium) used to
stabilize soil erosion control contours at
Mlali Village, Tanzania

22. • The long-term ICRAF trials of intercropping Gliricidia, pigeonpea and maize suggest that this
double-up legume system can sustain crops production and improved soil fertility
• This system works well because the initial slow growth of pigeonpea relative to cereals
minimizes competition in mixture, making pigeonpea compatible with most cereal-based
systems. Also trees can be pruned during the growing season to control competition
• Africa RISING is building on this work to intensify and diversify farming systems to provide
farmers with multiple products: food, fodder and fuel from maize, pigeonpea and G. sepium
• Validation and agronomic studies are also conducted to guide on the spatial arrangement of
component which will optimize productivity at the farm level
Harvesting maize (see stover on the
ground) from the Gliricidi-pigeonpea
double legume system at Laikala,
village, Tanzania
Shelterbelt and Double Legume Systems for Food,
Feeds and Fuel Supply
New Shelterbelt at Molet

23. Spatial/Double-Legume Arrangements of Maize, PP
and Gliricidia sepium
Pure 1:1 (Alternate)
2M:1PP 1M:2PP

24. Cluster 4: Integrated livestock and poultry
management for productivity enhancement
• Characterization of rangelands productivity and
grazing land management systems
• Fodder/feeds quality assessment to guide
livestock and poultry feeding trials
• Characterization of indigenous chicken to select
for superior ecotypes to improve productivity
and income

25. KK Rangelands forage productivity
Grazing land CP
(g/kg DM)
Elkiushbor 42
Kibaya 28
Kimana 60
NARCO 55
PRC 56
Required 80
0
1
2
3
Herbage forage Yield
• Browse trees foliage are alternative sources of nutrients
but less is known on their nutritive values
Biomass(t/ha)

26. Species CP Species CP
Acacia spp. 100-174 Dichrostachys 154
A. senegal 205 Ximenia caffra 80
A. tortilis (pods) 160 Exotic fodder
A. mellifera 169 Gliricidia sepium 156
A. polyacantha 145 Leucaena pallida 212
A. bethanii 142 Mellia azedrach 205
Faidherbia albida 114 Leucaena spp. 231
Assessment of Nutritive Values Fodder Trees

27. Ecotype with superior qualities identified
Parameter Cocks Pullets/
hens
Body weight
(kg)
1.69 1.43
Body length
(cm)
39.08 36.83
Chest
Circumference
(cm)
31.44 30
Shank length
(cm)
9.57 8.64
Mean physical measurements (N=134)
Selection- desirable
attributes

28. Sustainable Chicken Production
Model
Sustainable Chick
Supply (mother sites)
Increase per capita egg
intake/ hatchery/income
(80% hatchery success
Superior- Parent Stock
Improved Livelihoods

29. • Poultry integration in Africa RISING helps to supply manure to improve soil fertility, and
provide nutrition and income to households, especially to women and children.
• Crop residues and by-products (e.g. maize bran, chuffs from maize and sunflower cake) and
tree leaves (Melia spp. and Grliricidia spp.) can also be used to make high quality poultry
feeds ; thus reducing post-harvest losses and recycling nutrients via manure.
• However, sustainable production of indigenous chickens is limited by poor feeding & disease
management and lack of superior ecotypes. Africa RISING is addressing these challenges
• Farmers already are reporting 70 eggs production within three months. This yield is similar to
the standard egg laying of 260 eggs per annum by a commercial layers’ chicken flock
Demonstrating superior
ecotypes of local chickens and
fodder tree leaves used as leaf
meal during the 2015 field
school at Mlali Village,
Tanzania

30. Economic Appraisal of Application Fertilizer Rates
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1 2 3 4 5 6
Benefit cost ratio
Gross margin
Maize yield (t/ha)
Fertilizer treatments:
T1:0 kg/ha P
T2:7.5 kg/ha P
T3:15 kg/ha P
T4:30 kg/ha P
T5: 45 kg/ha P
T6: 60 kg/ha P
Yield(t/ha);Grossmargin(TZS/haandBCR
Fertilizer Rates

31. Highlights of Key Achievements
• Developed fertilizer guidelines for semiarid Tanzania
• Integrated land and water conservation techniques for
reducing runoffs by up to 80% and doubling maize yields
validated and up-scaled in action sites
• Identified superior ecotypes of indigenous chicken
• Potential fodder trees identified and introduced on-farm for
livestock/poultry feeds supplementation and other benefits
• Graduate students training (2 theses completed, 3 in
progress)
• Farmer groups formed and/or strengthened to support
scaling up of tested technologies through demonstrations
• Initiated economic appraisal and monitoring adoption of
promising technologies
• Conference presentations (4 posters in international conf.)