Category: Precision Nutrient Management
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Lessons from On-farm Experimentation on Climate-Smart Management for Upland Rice in Uganda
A farmer-led field study in western Uganda revealed varied rice yield gap reduction with nutrient application to major upland soil types and different responses to the impacts of climate variability due to moisture stress.
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Advancing Agricultural Sustainability through Collaborative Data Growth
The Open Data Crop Nutrition Platform (https://cropnutrientdata.net), a collaboration between the International Fertilizer Association (IFA), Agmatix, and the Consortium for Precision Crop Nutrition (CPCN), continues to make strides in supporting agricultural sustainability.
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Comparing Laboratory and Remote Sensing Methods for Soil Nutrient Assessment in Northern Nigeria
Remote sensing shows significant potential for scaling the assessment, and mapping, soil fertility across African agricultural landscapes. Still, the path forward likely lies in an integrated approach that combines the power of remote sensing for broad-scale assessment and planning with targeted laboratory analysis.
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Africa Crop Diversity is a Unique Strength to Explore
Can Africa maintain this wealth of diversity in the face of the demands of its future population? This wider range of crops that are deeply rooted in its smallholder systems should represent a key consideration in terms of tradition, agro-biodiversity, and resilience.
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On-farm Experimentation Process Triggers Kenyan Farmers’ Zeal to Test Technologies in Maize Systems
There is need to rethink the process of conducting on-farm research to better foster knowledge transfer and innovation. Through a participatory on-farm experimentation (OFE) approach, this study was carried out to validate a package of soil moisture and fertilizer nitrogen management practices, and to track farmer adoption of better agronomic practices.
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Optimizing Split-Fertilizer Applications for Maize in Nigeria’s Mid-Belt
Researchers evaluated the effects of optimizing types and amounts of fertilizer, based on national and regional fertilizer recommendations, on soil characteristics, nutrient use efficiency, and maize production in the mid-belt region of Nigeria.
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Adaptation of a Conventional Seeder to a No-tillage Seeder: A Case Study of Al Moutmir-UM6P Sustainable Agriculture Mechanization Initiative
Faced with the need for more resilient and sustainable solutions, the conversion of existing conventional seed drills into direct seeding drills seems to be an economical and pragmatic solution. This innovative approach makes direct seeding accessible to a greater number of farmers and makes the most of equipment already available in the field.
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Variability in Yield Response Strongly Affects Maize Productivity and Nutrient Requirements
Smallholder maize productions systems in western Kenya exhibited wide spatial and temporal variability in yield responses to N, P and K application at the field level. Nutrient omission trials provide evidence of strong and ubiquitous N limitations and high vulnerability for rapid decline in P and K under continuous cropping without balanced nutrient applications.
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Post-Harvest Assessments of On-Farm Maize Experimentation Provide Key Checkpoints for Farmers and Stakeholders
The completion of the most recent maize-growing seasons in northern Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya (western and eastern regions) provided a first opportunity for farmers to share assessments from participating within a new on-farm research initiative for sub-Saharan Africa called NUTCAT - meaning Nutrient Catalyzed Agricultural Transformation.
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Ask An APNI Expert: Precision Ag Models
Many people assume that PA is going to involve technology – sensors, satellites, computers, etc., but according to the definition, PA is about variability – how to measure it and how to manage it. Technology gives us tools to do this but developing a model for PA doesn’t depend on it.
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Enabling Adoption of Improved Agronomic Practices with ICT-Based Farmer Advisory Services
The Malawi agricultural extension system is severely constrained and the existing extension network is grossly inadequate for effective information dissemination to farmers. The usefulness of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology to reach farmers with agronomic advisory was examined for two consecutive maize cropping seasons. This pilot work provides insight into the opportunities and pitfalls of employing IVR in agricultural technology dissemination.
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Resilient Fertilization Strategies to Enhance Rice Productivity in Submergence-Prone Areas
Previous efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of submergence on rice production have focused mainly on varietal improvement. Synergistic effects of submergence-tolerant rice varieties and appropriate fertilizer management strategies are critical to enhance resilience of rice to submergence.
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Towards a Farmer-Centric Framework for Scaling Productive and Sustainable Cereal Cropping Systems
A case is made for an innovation system framework that integrates farmer-centric and systemic approaches to scaling plant nutrition innovations for positive transformation of cereal cropping systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. A case study from Ethiopia helps to build the case.
