Integrated nutrient and water management for sustainable food production in the Sahel : final technical report (March 2011 - August 2014)

Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles; Université de Parakou; Institut de l'Economie Rural; Institut National de Recherches Agronomiques du Niger; University of Saskatchewan; International Centre for Tropical Agriculture; The International Crop Research Institute for the semi-Arid Tropic

Integrated nutrient and water management for sustainable food production in the Sahel : final technical report (March 2011 - August 2014)

2014

Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) | Université de Parakou (UP) | Institut de l'Economie Rural (IER) | Institut National de Recherches Agronomiques du Niger (INRAN) | University of Saskatchewan (UofS) | International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) | The International Crop Research Institute for the semi-Arid Tropic (ICRISAT)

Harsh climate, characterized by low and erratic precipitation patterns, droughts, and poor soil fertility decrease cereal production in Sub-saharan Africa. Considering that soils in semi-arid west Africa are highly weathered with very low nutrient reserves, long-term sustainability of fertilizer microdosing techniques need to be studied. Research indicates that rain water harvesting (RWH) alone can increase yields of cereal crops by 30 – 50 % in semi-arid areas, due to reduced runoff and enhanced infiltration by RWH structures. Combined with micro-dosing technology, plus better access to credit, there is a high potential for farmers to address issues of poverty and food insecurity.

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