OUTPUT 4: METHODS TO OPTIMISE CROPPING SYSTEMS
Adoption of new agronomic practices has always been dependent on the level of farmer's resources because agronomic interventions are often capital- and knowledge-intensive. PSP agronomy research is mindful that interventions must be simple but effective to make adoption by farmers more likely.
'On' farm seed priming has been tested, using participatory approaches by farmers in more than 20 countries, for more than 15 tropical and sub-tropical crops. This simple technology has been widely adopted by farmers in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe.
The extent and location of 'rice fallows' in South Asia have been quantified and diagnostic surveys implemented in Nepal and India. Simple technologies, developed in Bangladesh are being applied in those countries to enable farmers to grow, without irrigation, a second crop after rice.
Research into the effects of intercropping immature rubber plantations with banana has identified a suite of recommendations that not only provide a valuable extra income to smallholder rubber growers during the immature phase of the rubber plantation, but also long term benefits in terms of growth and latex yield of rubber. This research has resulted in intercropping being widely promoted by the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka during the immature phase of rubber.
PSP AT A GLANCE
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