GRAIN-SA SMALLHOLDER FARMER INNOVATION PROGRAMME Optimising the Conservation Agriculture system for non- commercial and semi- commercial smallholders 2013-2017 February 2017
Smallholders-CA study areas and team Erna Kruger, Mazwi Dlamini, Sylvester Selala, Thabani Madondo,Phumzile Ngcobo New staff member: Temakholo Mathebula Interns: Khethiwe Mthethwa, Nonkhanyiso Zondi and Sandile Madlala • 18 villages, 7 Savings and credit Study area: groups, 10 Local facilitators,2 Bergville – 240 farmer centres • Matatiele; 4 villages, 3 savings and New study area: EC and credit groups, 1 Local facilitator Southern KZN- • Ixopo: 4 villages, 4 Local facilitators 70 • Creighton and Umzimkhulu New study • Nkandla, Cornfields, Emhlopeni area: KZN Midlands- 32
Description of Model and Process • Adaptive research into CA processes appropriate for smallholder farmers: looking at the whole value chain ; inputs, appropriate tools and equipment, different production options, storage options, milling, fodder etc • Partnership: MDF, KZN DARD, Lima RDF, Siyazisiza Trust,KwaNalu, StratAct, Ubuhlebezwe and other Municipalities, LandCare ……. • Farmer experimentation linked to larger learning groups using the Farmer Field School approach. People work together in teams, belong to savings groups, do bulk buying and support each other with food and marketing • Horizontal scaling model starting with a nodal village in each area and expanding within and between villages: • 2013: 3 Villages EC and 3 in Bergville (total trial participants: 50) • 2014: 7 villages EC, 9 villages Bergville (Total trial participants: 100) • 2015: 8 villages EC, 10 Bergville, 2 Nkandla (total trial participants: 210) • 2016: 12 Villages EC-SKZN; 4 Midlands, 17 Bergville (total participants: 350) • Farmer volunteers, local facilitators, farmer centres (for each node surrounded by 3-5 villages close by for input and equipment provision as well as production advice)
Farmer level experimentation Incremental change in yr 1,2,3 • Year 1: Predefined with the research team: – Choice of planting method; hand hoes, hand planters, animal drawn planters • Year 2: Choices and options within the same overall design: – Different varieties maize (white yellow, OPV, hybrid) – Different varieties and types of legumes – Early planting – Manure and fertilizer combinations – Targeted fertility regimes and pest control measures • Year 3 +: Own design of experiments by participants : – Intercropping vs crop rotation options – Summer and winter cover crops – Mulching – Organic options – Different herbicide and pesticide spray regimes – Different planting times – As well as options for year 2.
Costs of inputs CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE PLOTS, KZN 2016-2017 • Average Maize price 2017: 0.1= Ha PLOTS Events Cost Costs (0.1ha)-2015 Costs 0,1ha - 2016 R2 500/ton • Break even yield: INPUTS ha lit / kg ( R / kg,l) 3,9 t/ha • Seeds - maize (PAN 6479) 0,075 25 1 104 R 195,00 R 216,45 Average yield: Seeds - drybeans (PAN 1,4 - 4,2t/ha 148 or Gadra) 0,05 75 1 42,6 R 159,75 R 177,32 • Average price sugar Fertilizer MAP beans; R8 000/ton 0,1 250 1 9,2 R 230,00 R 255,30 • Average yield 0,5-1,75t/ha Fertilizer LAN 0,1 150 1 5 R 75,00 R 83,25 Lime 0,1 1000 1 1 R 100,00 R 111,00 Pesticides (Decis Forte) 0,1 0,1 3 875 R 26,25 R 29,14 We need more than 4 tons/ha Herbicides: Roundup 0,1 3 2 109 R 65,40 R 72,59 maize to make a profit Herbicides: Dual Gold 0,1 1,2 1 250 R 30,00 R 33,30 Summit/surfactant 0,1 0,2 1 296 R 5,92 R 6,57 What does this Input costs per 0.1 ha R 887,32 R 984,93 mean?? Input costs per 1 ha R 8 873,20 R 9 849,25
Cost summaries; How to deal with rising costs O,1ha cost summaries SEED PRICES 25kg Not ploughing Pesticides, herbicides R 141,60 OPV R 400,00 saves a lot of money, Fertilizers R 449,55 Hybrid (generic) R 1 150,00 Seed costs need to be Seed R 393,77 GM R 2 700,00 weighed • Biggest cost is fertilizer…. Even when micro -dosing against yield increase – Need ways to reduce fertilizer needs • The next cost is seed (Here Hybrid, plus legume) Reduce – Carefully weigh up different seed types against other costs and yields. fertilizer and chemical use • Labour costs for weeding; ~R250/0,1ha (R50pppd x 5days), ploughing to a minimum ~R500/0,1ha – Compare these prices (herbicides and pesticides)with ploughing and labour for Ways to weeding improve soil health
Conservation Agriculture: All three principles • Minimal soil disturbance • Soil cover • Diversity – Right: A 3year old CA plot with developing cover – Far right: A ploughed plot with no soil cover – Insert: Mulching…..
Southern KZN We like the OPVs and hybrids because the • A mix of systems; household, larger yields are similar to GM and the seed is a lot fields cheaper. It is also better for eating and local • OPV, hybrid and GM all being processing. Intercropping is good as it increases the planted – vigour of the maize and provides and • Injudicious use of herbicides alternative income stream
Bergville KZN We prefer to do crop rotation as the • Now many smallholders involved intercrop plots are difficult to weed and the bean yields are lower. Cowpeas are not • Working with Local Facilitators and generally preferred. The cover crops are great for soil health, but still struggling to Farmer Centres are important keep seed. Growing separate plots for this • Some participants 4 years under CA now. Seed funding Payment by Inputs bought Date Potential profit (at Centre 12,5% mark up) R2900.00 8x50kg 3:2;! 201611/11 R1345.00 2x50kg 3:2:1, 2016/11/30 5x50kg PAN 413 R1364.30 9x50kg Pan413 2016/11/23 R1333.20 2x50kg 3:2:1, 2016/12/06 3x50kg LAN Money in hand R1666.80 2016/12/07 TOTAL R6942.50 R850.00
Mphumelele Hlongwane- Bergville Continued Ezibomvini • 3-4 years: Reduced need for herbicide • Increased organic matter, reduced fertilizer requirements • Reduced runoff • Increased yields and diversity
Far left: : the run off plot in Phumelele Hlongwane’s trial maize (3 (3 years under CA) A) and Left: : The run off from the plot in the buck cket. . Runoff is only 42 42mm (2 (2016/ 016/12/ 12/07) 07) and water is almost perfect ctly cl clear. Far left: : Th The run off plot in Phumelele Hlongwane’s control plot- ploughed. Left: : the run off from the co control plot in the buck cket. . Runoff is 19 195m 5mm (20 (2016/ 16/12/ 12/07) 07) and water is quite muddy with substantial sediments
Soil health tests for different practices Phumelele Hlongwane’s plots, showing where soil samples were collected .
Soil health tests for different practices results • The veld provides a good positive benchmark for soil health scores • The maize CA control plot has a higher score than the Maize CA trial plot. • The CA plots with maize and maize and legume intercrops provided for the highest N reserve values, meaning that a balance between nitrogen utilised and nitrogen in reserve was created in these plots. • The cover crop plots (Lab-Lab and summer cover crops) provided the most available nitrogen for use by the following crop, but did not build nitrogen reserves in the soil to a significant extent.
Bergville Continued Smephi Nkosi- Eqeleni • 3-4 years: Own mix of runner beans and different spacing in intercrop • Maize and sunflower intercrop • GM maize – DARD and GrainSA FDP • Millet
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