Page 9 - SAA Annual report 2018 English

Theme 1
Crop Productivity Enhancement (CPE)
The Crop Productivity Enhancement (CPE) Theme focuses on increasing agricultural productivity for smallholder farmers while strengthening the capacity of national extension agents (EAs). The CPE intervention strategy consists of establishing needs based Farmer Learning Platforms (FLPs) to illustrate and train target partners in cost- e ective production technologies. FLPs are composed of four extension plot types: Community Demonstration Plots (CDPs) showcasing SAA crop productivity increasing as well as climate smart technologies, Technology Adoption Plots (TAPs) carried out
by early adopters, Model Adoption Plots (MAPs) implemented by exemplary farmers who adopted the full technological packages demonstrated in the CDPs, and Community Practices (CPs) run by non-participating farmers using their traditional cropping practices. Additional e orts have been made to adopt the Climate Smart Village (CSV) model in SAA technology intervention strategies aimed at mainstreaming climate smart agriculture, while bringing Climate Smart Technologies (CSTs) to smallholder farmers in Africa.
Despite concerns pertaining to climate change and security issues in 2018, most FLPs were suitably implemented in all focus countries without major setbacks. Main activities carried out included the assessment of smallholder farmers’ needs, identifying knowledge and technology gaps in SAA host-farming communities, and the development and distribution of training manuals. In addition to the establishment of FLPs, smallholder farmers and EAs also bene tted from training provided by SAA.
Crop yield di erences
Overall, statistically signi cant crop yield di erences were recorded using di erent technological packages. CDPs signi cantly outperformed the other three extension plot types. In CSVs, priority crops receiving CSTs signi cantly outperformed CPs.
The yield gaps recorded among various plot types in the FLPs are attributed to
the e ciency of the various technological packages applied. Future SAA technology intervention will investigate the root causes of yield gaps in order to identify and address key obstacles to production. Preliminary results clearly indicate that CSTs signi cantly increase crop productivity and could potentially contribute to supporting smallholder farmers’ adaptation to climate change.
SAA is acutely aware of the observable e ects of climate change upon farmers’ productivity. Thus, future technology interventions will regularize climate-smart agriculture, particularly in climate-vulnerable farming systems, whilst taking a value chain approach to climate adaptation and resilience building.
Crop yields obtained through the use of di erent technological packages
Theme Director:
Dr Bidjokazo Fofana
Key achievements in 2018
1,796
CDPs
were established
525 MAPs
identi ed
7
5,342 TAPs
identi ed
7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000
NIGERIA
ETHIOPIA
CDPs
Bene ciaries of
SAA training sessions include: 12,499 farmers,
586 EAs, and
21,887 partners
who attended the eld days.
MAPs TAPs CPs
0
Rice
Maize
Groundnut
Maize
Wheat
Barley
Sorghum Te
SAA Annual Report 2018
Grain Yield (kg/ha)