Suchergebnisse

Published online: 26 Jan 2018 ; Informal institutions play an important role in the socio-cultural lives of rural communities in Uganda. However, little attention is given in research and development to understanding the influence of informal institutions in efforts to achieve Sustainable Crop Intensification (SCI). Such evidence is, however, pertinent to addressing low crop productivity by designing and implementing interventions that take into account the socio-cultural and institutional barriers and opportunities for SCI. This paper analyzes the influence of informal institutions on farmers' access to land resources, financial resources, and farm inputs. The analysis is based on qualitative and quantitative data collected between January and May 2015 using 61 in-depth interviews, field surveys with 120 farmers and 18 gender-segregated focus group discussions in Eastern and Southwestern Uganda. Results indicate that informal institutions play a central role in enhancing farmers' investment in SCI interventions by facilitating access to land through inheritance, land rentals, and labor sharing arrangements, although they are biased against non-clan members and female members of the communities. Informal institutions also enable access to financial resources by farmers at lower transaction cost compared to formal financial institutions. Yet, the informal institutions face challenges related to poor rule enforcement and limited financial reserves. The contribution of informal institutions in improving farmers' access to (i) external farm inputs, (ii) serving as forums for knowledge sharing and (iii) regulating quality of farm inputs is minimal. Findings imply that development interventions could benefit from using informal institutions as entry points for investment in SCI and building on institutions' strengths in influencing access to land and financial resources. Policies and programs that promote the SCI approach need to recognize the role of informal institutions for increased implementation and impact. ; Government of the Netherlands ; Peer Review

Published online: 31 August 2017. ; Sustainable Crop Intensification (SCI) has been recognized as a means to increase crop productivity and improve rural livelihoods by governments and development partners in Sub Saharan Africa. Designing and implementing policies that address the bottlenecks to SCI interventions is pertinent to address low crop productivity. However, little attention is geared towards analyzing the existing policies and examining their provision in addressing the key challenges to SCI. Based on analysis of policy documents and perception of key policy actors in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, this paper looks at the level of policy support for SCI in Eastern Africa. Results indicate that lack of incentives to invest in SCI, and poor capacity of agricultural extension system in technology development and dissemination constrain implementation of policies supporting SCI. Mistrust among policy actors over 'hidden' interest of international donors in Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and failure to have open discussion to clarify the involvement of multinational companies in regional trade hamper the implementation of policies supporting SCI. Policies lack emphasis on protecting farmers rights' over land tenure and local varieties, posing a challenge to policy harmonization and regional trade. Therefore, developing incentive mechanisms for SCI, and strengthening the capacity of agricultural extension system to meet the requirements of SCI are required. Encouraging public dialogue over the national and regional interests over involvement of multinational companies in regional trade and on GMOs could enhance the acceptability of the policies supporting SCI by many of the agricultural actors. Strengthening farmer groups at different levels could also play important role in protecting farmers' rights in regional trade. ; Government of the Netherlands ; Peer Review

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) accounts for the largest part of the Congo Basin forest: two-thirds (some 155 million hectares) are forested and 69 percent of which is dense humid forest. With a surge in world market commodity prices for cocoa in 2008 and a steady 2-5% annual increase in global demand, incentives to expand cocoa production are significant. This study determines the role of cocoa in the RDC in terms of current deforestation, identifies actors, and estimates future expansion. Although cocoa in occurs in eight regions in the DRC, authors focused on the four major growing regions in this study, using a rough estimation to get an "order of magnitude" of cocoa as a driver of deforestation. The authors found that cocoa expansion could lead to the loss of 176-395 square kilometres of forest in the next decade, strongest in the Mambasa region and in Equatorial Province surrounding Mbandaka, Bikoro and Lukolela. However, migration of internally displaced people, production of food crops, and illegal logging are likely more severe drivers of deforestation in the Mambasa region. Deforestation caused by cocoa growing in Equatorial Province will largely depend on rejuvenation of existing fields.

Open Access Journal ; To feed a growing population, agricultural productivity needs to increase dramatically. Agricultural extension information, with its public, non-rival nature, is generally undersupplied, and public provision remains challenging. In this study, simple agricultural extension video messages, delivered through Android tablets, were tested in the field to determine if they increased farmers' knowledge of recommended practices on (i) potato seed selection and (ii) seed storage and handling among a sample of potato farmers in southwestern Uganda. Using a field experiment with ex ante matching in a factorial design, it was established that showing agricultural extension videos significantly increased farmers' knowledge. However, results suggested impact pathways that went beyond simply replicating what was shown in the video. Video messages may have triggered a process of abstraction, whereby farmers applied insights gained in one context to a different context. ; Government of the Netherlands ; Peer Review

Highland bananas grown near the homestead in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo receive organic household residues and are often mulched. Farmers also tend to allocate their best land for banana cultivation. However, due to an increased demand for bananas, farmers have started establishing banana plots on less fertile land. An experiment was conducted to assess plant growth on plots further away from the homestead and with minimal amounts of organic matter input. Two sites with .

Open Access Journal ; Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) have been playing an increasing role in interventions aiming to generate and scale innovations in agricultural systems. However, the contribution of MSPs in achieving innovations and scaling has been varied, and many factors have been reported to be important for their performance. This paper aims to provide evidence on the contribution of MSPs to innovation and scaling by focusing on three developing country cases in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. Through social network analysis and logistic models, the paper studies the changes in the characteristics of multi-stakeholder innovation networks targeted by MSPs and identifies factors that play significant roles in triggering these changes. The results demonstrate that MSPs do not necessarily expand and decentralize innovation networks but can lead to contraction and centralization in the initial years of implementation. They show that some of the intended next users of interventions with MSPs–local-level actors–left the innovation networks, whereas the lead organization controlling resource allocation in the MSPs substantially increased its centrality. They also indicate that not all the factors of change in innovation networks are country specific. Initial conditions of innovation networks and funding provided by the MSPs are common factors explaining changes in innovation networks across countries and across different network functions. The study argues that investigating multi-stakeholder innovation network characteristics targeted by the MSP using a network approach in early implementation can contribute to better performance in generating and scaling innovations, and that funding can be an effective implementation tool in developing country contexts. ; Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, Belgium ; Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa ; Peer Review

Published online: 14 Aug 2018 ; Although the political context in Uganda exhibits democratic deficit and patronage, research and development actors have given little attention to the possible negative impact these may have on agricultural policymaking and implementation processes. This article examines the influence of power in perpetuating prevailing narratives around public participation in agricultural policymaking processes. The analysis is based on qualitative data collected between September 2014 and May 2015 using 86 in‐depth interviews, 18 focus group discussions, and recorded observations in stakeholder consultations. Results indicate that while the political setting provides space for uncensored debates, the policymaking process remains under close control of political leaders, technical personnel, and high‐level officers in the government. Policy negotiation remains limited to actors who are knowledgeable about the technical issues and those who have the financial resources and political power to influence decisions, such as international donors. There is limited space for negotiation of competing claims and interests in the processes by public and private actors actively engaged in agricultural development, production, processing, and trade. Thus, efforts to achieve good governance in policy processes fall short due to lack of approaches that promote co‐design and co‐ownership of the policies. ; Government of the Netherlands ; Peer Review

This study aimed at understanding the influence of policy frameworks on climate change adaptation in Uganda. It combined literature review on existing natural resource management policies, focus group discussions with farming communities and interviews with key informants across various policy implementation levels. Findings reveal that even when farmers are exposed to appropriate adaptation practices, adoption is still constrained by limited enforcement of policies and regulations. Various reasons constrain enforcement; policies are formulated through top–down approaches, NGOs and local governments are minimally involved while local communities are largely excluded. There is either lack of or existence of non-functional implementation structures prescribed by the policies. Coupled with unclear roles among actors, weak links between different administration levels, limited human and financial resources and political interference, the ability of smallholders to adopt climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is thus constrained. Due to lack of knowledge of what the policies provide for, smallholders are not able to demand their rights. There is need for more focused follow-up research on specific issues raised in this report.

Plant-parasitic nematode incidence, population densities and associated damage were determined from 153 smallholder banana and plantain gardens in Bas Congo (9 – 646 meters above sea level, m.a.s.l) and South Kivu (1043 – 2005 m.a.s.l), Democratic Republic of Congo, during 2010. Based on the frequency of total nematode soil and root extraction, Helicotylenchus multicinctus (89%), Meloidogyne spp. (54%) and Radopholus similis (30%) were the most widespread, while Pratylenchus goodeyi (18%) Helicotylenchus dihystera (18%), Rotylenchulus reniformis (14%), and Pratylenchus spp. (6%) were localized in occurrence. The occurrence and abundance of the nematode species was influenced by altitude: R. similis declined at elevations above 1300 m; P. goodeyi declined at elevations below 1200 m; H. multicinctus and Meloidogyne spp. were found everywhere with higher but non-dominant densities at lower altitudes; Pratylenchus spp. was restricted to lower altitudes; while H. dihystera and R. reniformis were scattered at both low and high altitudes. Helicotylenchus multicinctus occurred in higher population densities than other nematode species, especially at the lower elevations. Damage to banana roots (percentage necrotic root tissue) was moderate to high, irrespective of altitude and banana type. To facilitate development of pragmatic plant parasitic nematode management, such baseline studies provide information upon which to enable informed and suitable strategies, such as cultivar selection and distribution. ; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ; Peer Review

Open Access Journal ; Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) are seen as a promising vehicle to achieve agricultural development impacts. By increasing collaboration, exchange of knowledge and influence mediation among farmers, researchers and other stakeholders, MSPs supposedly enhance their 'capacity to innovate' and contribute to the 'scaling of innovations'. The objective of this paper is to explore the capacity to innovate and scaling potential of three MSPs in Burundi, Rwanda and the South Kivu province located in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In order to do this, we apply Social Network Analysis and Exponential Random Graph Modelling (ERGM) to investigate the structural properties of the collaborative, knowledge exchange and influence networks of these MSPs and compared them against value propositions derived from the innovation network literature. Results demonstrate a number of mismatches between collaboration, knowledge exchange and influence networks for effective innovation and scaling processes in all three countries: NGOs and private sector are respectively over- and under-represented in the MSP networks. Linkages between local and higher levels are weak, and influential organisations (e.g., high-level government actors) are often not part of the MSP or are not actively linked to by other organisations. Organisations with a central position in the knowledge network are more sought out for collaboration. The scaling of innovations is primarily between the same type of organisations across different administrative levels, but not between different types of organisations. The results illustrate the potential of Social Network Analysis and ERGMs to identify the strengths and limitations of MSPs in terms of achieving development impacts. ; Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, Belgium ; Peer Review

To explore the diversity and efficiency of smallholder farms, we developed an approach based on a comparative framework and a systems analysis, Five sites in three countries (Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo) were studied in parallel to take account of variations in agro-ecological and institutional conditions. In a systems-based perspective, we used a combination of quantitative (field measurements, economic valuation) and qualitative methods (semi-directed interviews) to capture the diverse nature of smallholder cropping systems. The novelty of the approach is that qualitative dimensions are included in the farm-level diagnostics, while maintaining a comprehensive and reproducible tool for systems analysis in terms of performance, constraints and drivers. The highest productivity in terms of annual revenue/ha was observed in the medium-sized farms (0.7-1.0 ha). It was also in this category that the number of crops cultivated was the greatest. Our hypothesis is that this high efficiency is the outcome of a system '\There productivity and risk management are optimized. ; Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique, Belgium ; Fonds pour la Formation à la Recherche dans l'Industrie et dans l'Agriculture

Pests and diseases are among the main reasons for low banana productivity in smallholder farming systems in the central African highlands, where the crop is an important staple, In parts of Rwanda, Burundi and North and South Kivu provinces of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, diseases such as banana bunchy top virus and banana Xanthomonas wilt are prevalent, thereby creating a large demand for new planting material and improved varieties that may have higher yield combined with resistance to diseases or nematodes. To improve the productivity of banana (Musa spp), access by farmers to improved pest- and diseasefree planting material is fundamentaL Traditional methods of propagating bananas using suckers serve to perpetuate the problem of pests and diseases, thereby reducing production even further, Banana plantlets obtained from tissue culture (TC) technology are potentially disease-free alternatives but remain largely inaccessible to most smallholder farmers due to the high cost of plantlets, This study employs a propensity score matching technique to examine the adoption and impact of TC banana technology in Burundi using a sample of 313 banana-farming households, In Burundi, TC bananas are subsidized by FAO and non-government organizations (NGOs), thus providing free plantlets to farmers, However, the adoption of TC bananas has not resulted in any significant increment in banana productivity or gross margins compared with traditional propagation using suckers, Improvements in institutional factors related to the delivery of technology and improvement of TC plantlet quality seem to be preconditions for more favourable technology impacts. ; Peer Review

Open Access Article; Published online: 22 Nov 2019 ; Livestock play multiple roles for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Mixed crop-livestock systems are common in South Kivu, eastern DR Congo, but herd sizes are small and numbers of large livestock (i.e. cattle) have declined, due to high population density, recent conflicts and extreme poverty. Over half of the farmers keep cavies, a type of micro-livestock fitting the circumstances of smallholders and a valuable asset especially for the poorest households. To characterize cavy husbandry practices, detailed monthly on-farm data on cavy numbers, weights, herd dynamics and feeding practices were collected over 15 months and from households in two contrasting sites in South Kivu. Cavy herds contained on average 10 animals and strongly varied in size over time and between households. The main reasons for keeping cavies were meat consumption, especially for children, and the opportunity to generate petty cash. A large difference was observed in adult cavy live weights between the sites (an average of 0.6 and 1.0 kg per animal in Kabamba and Lurhala, respectively) and attributed to differences in cavy husbandry and genetics. In both sites, quantities of fresh fodder on offer were larger than fodder demand by 50–100%, but no correlation was found between amount of fodder on offer and cavy weight. Farmers faced several constraints to cavy production, including substantial declines in cavy herd size due to predation or theft and a lack of knowledge regarding breeding and feeding. Hence, the introduction of cages to limit mortality and fodder cultivation to improve feed quality were opportunities for improving cavy production. Overall, micro-livestock present a promising entry-point for development initiatives, also outside DR Congo, because of their potential to decrease poverty and improve human nutrition. ; Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, Belgium ; Peer Review

Poor yields of East African highland bananas (Musa spp., AAA-EAHB) on smallholder farms have often been attributed to problems of poor soil fertility. We measured the effects of mineral fertilizers on crop performance at two sites over two to three crop cycles; Kawanda in central Uganda and Ntungamo in southwest Uganda. Fertilizers were applied at rates of 0N–50P–600K, 150N–50P–600K, 400N–0P–600K, 400N–50P–0K, 400N–50P–250K and 400N–50P–600K kg ha−1 yr−1. In addition 60Mg–6Zn–0.5Mo–1B kg ha−1 yr−1 was applied to all treatments, with the exception of the control plots which received no fertilizer. Fresh bunch mass and yield increased with successive cycles. Yield increases above the control ranged from 3.1 to 6.2 kg bunch−1 (average bunch weight for all treatments 11.5 kg bunch−1) and 2.2–11.2 Mg ha−1 yr−1 (average yield for all treatments 15.8 Mg ha−1 yr−1) at Kawanda, compared with 12.4–16.0 kg bunch−1 (average bunch weight for all treatments 14.7 kg bunch−1) and 7.0–29.5 Mg ha−1 yr−1 (average yield for all treatments 17.9 Mg ha−1 yr−1) at Ntungamo. The limiting nutrients at both sites were in the order K > P > N. Potassium, N and P foliar nutrient mass fractions were below previously established Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) norms, with the smallest K mass fractions observed in the best yielding plots at Ntungamo. Total nutrient uptakes (K > N > P) were higher at Ntungamo as compared with Kawanda, probably due to better soil moisture availability and root exploration of the soil. Average N, P and K conversion efficiencies for two crop cycles at both sites amounted to 49.2 kg finger DM kg−1 N, 587 kg finger DM kg−1 P and 10.8 kg finger DM kg−1 K. Calibration results of the model QUEFTS using data from Ntungamo were reasonable (R2 = 0.57, RMSE = 648 kg ha−1). Using the measured soil chemical properties and yield data from an experiment at Mbarara in southwest Uganda, the calibrated QUEFTS model predicted yields well (R2 = 0.68, RMSE = 562 kg ha−1). We conclude that banana yields can be increased by use of mineral fertilizers, but fertilizer recovery efficiencies need to improve substantially before promoting wide-scale adoption. ; European Union ; Peer Review

Open access Journal; Published: 27 October 2016 ; Agronomic performances of local and exotic Musa species were evaluated across seven agro-ecologies in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Generally, all the cultivars performed well. Mean bunch yields varied between 11 and 42 kg across different use groups and agro-ecologies. Introduced cultivars had higher or comparable yields to the local cultivars across agro-ecologies. The exotic beer cultivar 'NARIAT 27' generally outperformed other beer types. The green cooking exotic types 'NARITA 4' and 'NARITA 2' produced bunches of up to 37 and 39 kg, respectively at altitudes of 1066 and 1111 m, though having smaller bunches of 21 to 25 kg, at 900 and 1707 m in comparison to the local type 'Barhabeshya' (30 to 37 kg). Yields were mainly influenced by soil factors and altitude. Yields generally increased with increase in OM, N, P, K, Ca, and pH. Altitude had a non-linear relationship with the time from planting to flowering, with the time from planting to flowering declining at higher altitudes. In contrast, the fruit filling phase increased linearly with altitude. Bunch weights of most cultivars declined with increasing altitude; particularly, when N, K, P and OM concentrations were low; possibly because most assimilates go towards sucker development at the high altitudes. For example, bunch weights of 'Barhabeshya', 'Mbwazirume' and 'Nshika' strongly declined (R2 = -0.56-0.99) with increasing altitude. 'Ndundu', 'FHIA21' and 'Gros Michel' thrived well at high altitude sites. Such variations in cultivar adaptability plus cultivar attributes, e.g. height can be exploited by selectively promoting cultivars in specific agro-ecologies/niches.