 |  | Permanent Farming Systems Based on Animal Traction: Farmers Handbook (GTZ, 1995, 183 p.) | ||
 |  | PART VI: Crops | ||
|  | 6.1 General recommendations | ||
| | 6.2 Cereals | ||
| | 6.3 Root & tuber crops | ||
| | 6.4 Leguminous crops | ||
| | 6.5 Permanent crops | ||
|
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6.1.1 Site Selection
Choose a good site for your farm. Avoid extremely hilly and stony areas. Choose fertile land which not overworked.
The different plants have different preferences with respect to soil and climate. Find out which crops can do well in your area. Observe the growth of your plants on Your farm. Grow the different crops in the plots where they perform well. This needs time and observation, but you will benefit from this experience.
More details about the preferred soil types of the different plants are given in the following chapter.
6.1.2 Seed Selection
If you use your local varieties, the risk of having a crop failure is very small. Improved varieties can give higher yields, but you must first find out if they can do well in the climate and soil of your area. Prepare small trial plots and test them, before using them on the whole farm.
Note that improved varieties are often:
-more easily attacked by diseases
-use more fertilizer to perform well than local varieties.
Select your seed material well:
-the seed must be big and powerful
-the seed must germinate well
-the seed must not be damaged, mouldy or attacked -by diseases or pests(weevils) .
-dry your seed carefully, and store it particularly well.
Fig. 6.1: Use seeds from strong,
healthy and well performing plants.
Fig. 6.2: Choose seeds from the
middle part of a maize cob.
6.1.3 Germination Test
Before planting the seeds, you must be sure that they germinate well, that means that plants come out of nearly all the grains.
If only few a rants come out of the grains you
-waste seed material (you need more seed which costs money).
-waste time (you need to replant)
-waste money, because you will have a low yield.
A germination test before planting will indicate what percentage of your seeds can give plants.
How to make a germination test.
1. Take a sample of your seed material, by pushing your hand into the bag or bucket and picking out one handful.
2. Count 100 seeds (grains) out of the sample and plant them in damp sand. To keep the sand damp, cover it with a wet cloth or wet straw until the seeds start to germinate.
3. Depending on the seed type, you have to observe for some days. Always keep the soil damp.
4. Count the number of seeds which have germinated well (seedlings).
Fig. 6.3: Count the number of seeds
which germinate to find the germination rate
If there are 80 or 90 plants out of 100 seeds, they have a good germination rate.
If there are only about 40 rants out of 100 seeds, the germination rate is low and you had better not use these seeds to plant your field
6.1.4 Soil Preparation
If you want high Yields you have to give your crops an easy start. Plant them in fertile, loose soil, where they germinate and grow well.
The first operation after stumping and clearing is ploughing. Ploughing uproots weeds, loosens the soil and incorporates the organic matter. Do not burn the organic matter (grass, etc.) before ploughing. Try to dig it into the soil, it will turn into compost.
To break clods, harrow the ploughed field. Clods will disturb planting and germination of your seeds.
If you plant on the flat as for rice and wheat, You apply fertilizer (20/10/10) before harrowing.
The harrow will mix the fertilizer with the soil.
All other plants like maize, beans, cocoyam, etc. you plant on ridges. Use the ridger plough to prepare the ridges (see Chapter 2.5).
Before ridging, you apply fertilizer (20/10/10) and manure (cowdung, grass, etc.). With the ridger you can easily dig the manure into the soil.
6.1.5 Planting
All the crops are planted in lines. The lines run according to the contour bonds.
Fig. 6.4: All crops are planted in
lines on the contour bonds
Planting in lines (rows) has several advantages:
1. Planting
distances are regular.
2. Mechanization of working operations is easier (e.g.
Reridging, Moulding,
Weeding).
4. Equal application of fertilizer for the different plants.
For all plants there is an optimum plant density, this is a certain number of plants per unit area, which allows the plants to grow best.
To ensure optimum use of soil, minerals and light, plants need optimum spacing.
The planting distances between the rows (lines, ridges) and between the plants in the rows are indicated in Chapter 6.2 - 6.4.
6.1.6 Planting Time
Planting at the optimum planting time is very important for high yields. Any delay will result m reduced yields or even complete crop failure.
Crops of the first growing cycle (first season) are planted as soon as the rains are steady.
Some crops like yam and potato you can even plant before the rains.
To ensure timely planting, you have to prepare your field before or immediately at the beginning of the rainy season.
Planting late is a risky game. If the rains were to stop early you would have no yield, but you would have wasted seeds, fertilizer and labour.
If you are late, decide to plant a crop where the risk of failure is low, like beans and sweet potatoes.
6.1.7 Moulding, Weeding, Fertilizer Application
Moulding, is easily and quickly done with the ridger. It
increases the yield (see Chapter 3.5.3)
During moulding, the ridger uproots
the weeds in the furrows and buries the weeds at the sides of the ridges.
Before moulding, apply fertilizer as top dressing:
Fig. 6.5: During moulding, the ridger
will mix the fertilizer with the soil and place it near to the plant.
Early moulding or weeding with the ridger is necessary to control weed growth and support your crop.
It will also avoid or reduce tedious and time consuming, hand weeding.
Fig. 6.6: Once the crop has developed
a heavy canopy, the shade of your crop suppress weed growth and further weeding
will not be necessary.
6.1.8 Harvesting
Choose the correct time to harvest your crops, to achieve high yields and good quality produce.
If you harvest your crops too early, they will not store well.
If you harvest them too late, they may get spoiled in the field or birds and insects may eat them.
6.1.9 Organic Farming
After the harvest you have to clear the field and incorporate
(dig) all residues (maize, stalks, etc.) into the soil. Use the roller cutter or
the cutlass and your ridger as described in Chapter
2.5.4.
Burying of residues, etc. will:
-manure your soil
-reduce labour for clearing before the next season
-avoid bush fire in your farm
-reduce damage by cattle (cattle will not enter a farm where there is no grass but bare soil).
6.2.1 Maize
Maize is a staple food in many part of Africa. It is rich in carbohydrates and gives a lot of energy, but not enough protein. Maize is used to prepare flour, meal, roasted maize, pap, beer, etc. It can also be used as feed for animals.
Maize likes soil which is:
-fertile
-well drained .
-rich in organic matter
Fig. 6.7: Add a lot of manure
(cowdung, tephrosia, residues, etc.) to the soil when planting maize. Plant your
maize on ridges.
Varieties
Apart from the local varieties, there are improved varieties, e.g. in the NWP the following improved varieties are available:
MLC for medium to high altitudes
Ikona white and yellow for low altitudes
Bacoa for medium altitudes
Coca for high altitudes
Yellow maize is used as animal feed and has a good market.
Planting Distances
1. When planted as a single crop, the number of plants should be between 45,000-50,000 per hectare.
The planting distance for maize as single crop is:
- 80 cm. between the ridges
- 25 cm. between the plants in the ridges
2. In the permanent fanning system, maize is preferably intercropped (mixed) with crops like beans, soyabeans, tehprosia and cocoyam (see Chapter 6.5.2.6)
Fig. 6.8: In the permanent farming
system, maize is preferably intercropped (mixed) with crops like beans or
cocoyam
When intercropped with beans, etc. on alternate ridges, the population (number of plants? is between 20,000 and 25,000 maize plants per hectare.
The planting distances for maize intercropped are:
-160 cm. between the ridges .
-25-30 cm. between the plants on the ridges
When intercropped with beans on the same ridge, the population
is between 30,000 and
40,000 maize plants per hectare.
Planting Depth
Fig. 6.9: Recommended planting depth
Planting Time
In general, maize is ranted as a first season crop at the
beginning of the rains. In some areas
(e.g. Bali), a second season maize crop
is possible. Often late planted and second season, maize is heavily attacked by
stem borer.
Manure/Fertilizer Needs
The general recommendations are:
-a basic application of 2 bags (1,00 kg.) NPK - 20/10/10 or 10/30/10 per hectare before planting
-a top dressing of 3 bags (150 kg) NPK 20/10/10 or Urea per hectare before the last moulding/weeding operation, when the maize is about 80 cm. to 1 m. high
-at least 1.5t of organic manure (cowdung) per hectare before ridging. More manure will still be beneficial for your crop.
Harvest
Fig. 6.10: Harvest your maize when
the crams are dry. If you don't have time to harvest it when it is ripe, bend
down the stalks to protect the cobs against water and birds!
Storage
Dry your maize sufficiently before you store. Follow some rules
before and during storage:
1. Clean your storage facilities (banda, bamboo
box, etc.)
-remove old grams
-remove any other dirt, etc.
-There are local leaves you can burn to drive away insects
2. Put only dry, weevil-free grains into the store
3. Use all
available methods to protect against insect and rat attack
|
e.g. |
cowdung ash |
10 kg. per 100 kg (bag) of maize |
| |
vegetable oil |
1litre per 100 kg (bag) of maize |
| |
actellic powder |
50 grs.per 100 kg (bag) of maize |
| |
local leaves with repellent smell | |
| |
thorny plants against rat attack | |
| |
cats in the storage room, etc. | |
Ask your demonstrator for more advice.
6.2.2 Wheat
Wheat is a cereal like rice and maize. Like rice and maize, wheat can be used as a staple food. It gives energy for work and contains important minerals and protein, which are good for your health.
Wheat (like maize) likes high altitude areas and fertile soil. Wheat is planted on the flat.
Wheat can be used to make bread, pap, etc. Visit cooking
demonstrations by the Extension
Staff to get more information on the use of
wheat.
Varieties
The varieties available in the NWP car be divided
into three groups:
1. Short mature varieties
-Mexipac
-Jutapeco
2. Medium mature varieties
-Ble Bresil 418, 420, 431,
-Chris Mutagenese
3. Long mature variety
-Hard winter
Fig. 6.11: Wheat plants
In general, long maturing varieties have a higher yield than short maturing varieties.
Planting
Wheat is grown as a sole crop. The planting method
is drilling.
The seed rate per hectare is about 100 kg
The distance
between the rows is 40 cm.
The planting depth is about 2-3 cm.
Fig. 6.12: Planting method drilling.
Seeds are not placed one by one along the planting line, instead they are
dribbled along the line to meet the reommended seed rate per hectare.
Wheat is a second season crop. The planting date varies with the
variety. In general, in the
NWP wheat should be planted middle to end of
August.
Fertilizer/Manure Needs Wheat has similar needs to maize (see Chapter 6.2.1).
Weeding
Wheat needs careful weeding. As soon as weed growth
is discovered, use the dugfoot or ridger to weed. Repeat the weeding immediately
when the need arises. Practice selective hand weeding in the row.
Harvesting & Processing
Harvest your wheat when fully
mature. You can recognize this, when the
-stem has lost all the leaves
-whole plant is yellow
-grains are difficult to split by finger nail
Cut the wheat, tie it in small bundles and put it in a dry and clean place. Thresh when the grains are dry. Put the wheat on very firm ground. The threshing place must be clean and dry. Thresh on a cemented floor or cover the ground with mats or plastic sheets.
Fig. 6.13: Beat the heads of the
wheat plant with a stick or a threshing-flail until the grains are off; Fig.
6.14: Beat the heads against a sieve on top of a basket to collect the grains.
Use the above traditional methods for threshing your wheat or use a pedal operated thresher.
After threshing, remove stones, earth and husks by sieving and winnowing.
You can use traditional methods or a pedal operated Winnower.
Fig. 6.15: The wind blows the dirt
husks away.
Storage see Chapter 6.2.1 - Storage of Maize
6.2.3 Rice
Rice is a very good food. It gives energy and protein, is easy to prepare and can be sold or a good price. Basically, there are two types of rice: The Swamp Rice and the Upland Rice.
Upland Rice is cropped like wheat.
Swamp Rice
Swamp Rice is grown in flooded fields. It can give
very high yields. To get good swamp rice yields, the farmer must:
-be in control of the water
have enough water when the rice is growing
add more water at the right time
take away water at the right time.
-make good nurseries
to have fine seedlings for transplanting
-transplant at the right date
-prepare the soil well and level it
-tend the rice field carefully
do timely weeding
apply fertilizer in time
protect the rice from pests
-harvest with care and dry the grains well.
Fig. 6.16: The rice plant
The Nursery
The size of the nursery should be one tenth
(1/10) of the size of the rice field to be planted.
Fig. 6.17: The nursery should be
near the field to avoid long transport.
The soil of the nursery must be tilled very carefully. It must be:
- soft
- moist
- weed-free
- fertile
Add 200 kg. (1/2 cart) cowdung per 100 square meters. Add wood ash.
Pre-germinate the seed before sowing into the nursery
-leave the grains in water for 24 hours
-put the grains into a basket and leave them for 1 or 2 days
-never pre-germinate for more than 3 days
Sow the rice grains in the nursery 1 month before the date of transplanting. Use 5 kg. of paddy seed for 100 square meters.
Cover the nursery bed with straw to protect the baby seedlings against birds and sun.
Clearing of the Rice Field
In the NWP, rice is a second
season crop. Often, the rice field is fallowed in the first season.
Before the planting of rice, you have to clear the upgrown grass. This will take you up to 150 hours per hectare.
If you practice double cropping in your rice field (e.g. crop a legume like beans or soya beans before the rice cultivation) you can have the following advantages:
-reduced work for clearing
-additional food
-additional organic manure (fixed Nitrogen).
Fig. 6.18: If the rains allow you
should grow two crops per year
Soil Preparation
Swamp Rice needs careful soil preparation:
- plough to uproot weeds and mix organic manure into the soil
-level the soil by using your harrow or the roller cutter
-flood the field with a little water and use a levelling log.
In a well prepared rice field, you have the same depth of water everywhere and the rice plants can develop uniformly. The growth of weed is controlled.
Fig. 6.19: A well prepared rice
field is level with even water depth throughout
Transplanting
-Take out the seedlings from the nursery bed, when they have 4 or 5 leaves (about 4 weeks after planting).
-Water the nursery before taking the seedlings to avoid damage.
-Seedling selection.
Fig. 6.20: Transplant the seedlings
at the right time, select good seedlings and prune the leaves of the seedling
-transplanting is done into the mud
-plant the seedlings in rows 20 cm. apart
-leave 20 cm. between the plants in the row
-plant 2 or more seedlings per stand.
Crop Care
Apply fertilizer two weeks after transplanting.
Drain the water before you apply. For the recommended rate, ask tee demonstrator
in your area.
In order to produce high yields, the rice must be flooded continuously at different depths. Ask the demonstrator of your area when to flood and drain.
Weeds can be controlled by the watering scheme. Some strong weeds have to be uprooted with the hand or hoe. When the grains start to ripen, you have to protect the rice against bird destruction.
Harvesting & Processing see Chapter 2.5.2-Harvesting/Processing of Wheat
What are Root & Tuber Crops?
-Root Crops are crops with enlarged roots, that can be used as food, e.g. Cassava.
-Tuber Crops are crops with enlarged underground stems used as food, e.g. Cocoyam, Yam,
Potatoes.
6.3.1 Cocoyam
Cocoyam is a staple food giving energy but not sufficient protein. It is used to prepare boiled tuber. The leaves can be used as vegetables.
Fig. 6.21: Cocoyam is of two
varieties - the Xanthosoma or Macabo and the Colocasia or
Taro.
Land Preparation
Fig. 6.22: Cocoyam is cropped on
humus rich ridges In the permanent farming system, you dig organic matter into
the edges using the ridge plough (see Chapter 5.5.2.4-How to Bury
Organic
Matter).
Selection & Preparation
-Cocoyams are usually propagated from small tubers or pieces of tubers. Sometimes suckers or new shoots are used
-Select planting materials from healthy, well producing plants
-The tubers or pieces of the tubers should be 10-15 cm. long
Fig. 6.23: Select 10 - 15 cm long
tubers from healthy plants
Planting
Cocoyam is planted at the beginning of the rains, in
rather shallow holes (about
10 cm.).
When grown as sole crop, the distance
-between the ridges is 80 cm.
-between the plants on the ridge is 60 cm.
When grown in mixture with maize and beans as recommended, the distance
-between the ridges is 80 cm. (cocoyam every second ridge).
-between the plants on the ridge is 60 cm.
Fig. 6.24: Planting pattern for
cocoyam (C), maize (M) and beans (B)
Crop Care
1. Weeding/Moulding with the ridger plough immediately when weed growth starts.
2. Earthing up of ridges, 1 to 2 months after the first weeding, with the ridger plough to enable tubers to grow well.
3. Splitting of harvested maize-ridges to add to the cocoyam ridge.
4. Use preventive measures for pest and diseases control
-select healthy vigorous planting material
-plant in time
-follow the recommended planting distances
-practice mixed cropping
-remove and burn infected (diseased) plants .
-clean weeding
Fig. 6.25: After harvesting maize,
we split the maize ridges and add crop residues and soil to the cocoyam ridges,
Harvesting
Harvest when mature (leaves turn yellow). Practice
selected harvesting. Avoid wounds on the tubers.
Storage
Select only healthy tubers for storage. Remove
damaged and rotten tubers. Put the tubers on dry ground or on boards, boxes,
shelves in a well-aired, dry and cool place.
6.3.2 Cassava
Cassava is a staple food giving energy but not sufficient protein. The tubers are prepared in various ways, ea. boiled, mashed and fried . The leaves of the plant can be used as vegetable.
Cassava is of two varieties - the sweet or red cassava and the bitter or white cassava (best for flour).
Cassava is easy to grow because the
-planting material (stem cuttings.) is easily available and easy to handle
-plant can grow on very poor soil
-plant is very tolerant to drought
-roots (cassava) are left in the soil until harvest. You don't need a store.
-plant once established does not need much weeding again.
But Cassava has also several disadvantages
-the harvested roots cannot be stored for long
-you have to destroy poison in the root before you eat it
-preparation of Cassava involves a lot of work
-Cassava exhausts the soil. After cassava, you have to fallow the soil or you have to add a lot of manure to the soil
-the price for cassava is generally low
Soil Preparation
Prepare large ridges with plenty of organic matter inside. Use the ridger plough with several passes to get larger ridges.
Selection & Preparation of Planting Material
-select stems from healthy and high producing plants
-cut off the extreme bottom and the top of the stem and use the middle part of the stem for cuttings
-tie the selected stems in bundles and keep them in a cool dry place before planting
-prepare cuttings shortly before planting
-the cuttings should be 2 to 4 cm. thick about 20 to 30 cm. long with 4 to 6 buds (avoid cuttings from the top part of the plant).
Fig. 6.26: Select cuttings 2 -4 cm
thick and 20 - 30 cm long, from healthy plants.
Planting
Plant on ridges at the beginning of the rainy
season. Cassava as a sole crop is planted at a distance of
0.8 - 1.5 m between the ridges
1.0 m between the plants on the ridge
Cassava as a mixed crop, with oxen cultivation, is planted at a distance of:
1.6 m between the ridges
1.0 m between the plants on the ridge
After harvest of intercropped maize and beans, support the cassava by moulding up ridges
(see Chapter 6.3.1-Cocoyam)
Planting Method
Push the cuttings well into the earth, leave
2 to 3 buds above the ground.
Put into the soil the end of the piece of stem, that was nearer to the ground.
Fig. 6.27: You can plant straight or
slanting
Crop Care see Chapter 6.3.1-Cocoyam
Harvesting
Once
mature, lift up the tubers carefully in order not to wound them. Harvest only
when you want to eat or sell the root because it is difficult to store.
NOTE:
Cassava is a heavy feeder. It leaves poor soil. Plant
cassava together with legumes. Plant legumes after cassava!
6.3.3 Irish
Potato
Irish Potato is mainly grown in the high altitude areas. The Irish
Potato is a good energy food but is poor in protein.
Potatoes like well- drained, sandy loam soils that are rich in organic matter.
Fig. 6.28: The Irish Potato plant
and the tubers
Land Preparation
Irish potatoes are cropped on humus-rich
ridges. In the permanent farming system, you prepare these ridges with the
ridger plough (see Chapter 5.5.2.4- To Bury Organic Matter).
Selection and Preparation of Planting Material Seed potatoes are obtained from healthy, well producing, fully mature plants.
Fig. 6.29: Select tubers with a
weight of about 45-55 grams and several "eyes", which are not wounded or
infected by diseases.
Keep the seed potatoes in a well-aired, cool and dry place for about 2 weeks. Seeds obtained from fresh plants need to rest before they sprout.
When they start to sprout from the eyes, then you have a good seed for planting.
Use whole tubers for seed, because cut tubers may rot in the soil. If you use cut tubers, rub the cut surface with woodash.
After storage, do final selection. Remove rotten or infected tubers before planting.
Fig. 6.30: A Storage House for seed
potatoes
Fig. 6.31: A Storage Box for seed
potatoes
Planting
Planting of Irish potatoes is commonly done twice a
year.. For the early crop it is preferable to plant before the onset of the
rains to escape attack by late blight. The crop will mature before the really
heavy rains.
The second season crop is planted mid to end of August.
The planting depth on ridges is about 8-10 cm. When planted as a
sole crop, the distance between
-the ridges is about 80 cm.
-the plants on
the ridge is 25-30 cm. corresponding to a plant population of about 41-50,000
plants per hectare.
On traditional ridges, potatoes are intercropped (mixed) with maize, etc. However, the potato does best, when exposed to the sunlight.
Fig. 6.32: If you mix potato with
other crops such as maize, choose alternate ridges for the individual crops or
plants that do not overshade the potatoes.
Crop Care
Potatoes do best on soils rich in organic matter.
This can be achieved by the use of cowdung, compost, green manure, etc. (see
Chapter 5.5.2-Improvement
If you don't have enough manure, you may apply
fertilizer like 20/10/10 or 15/15/15. The recommended rate for high yields is 10
gr. per plant, corresponding to 400-500 kg. (8-10 bags) per ha when planted as a
sole crop.
Practice Band Application (see Chapter 2.5.3). Apply when plants are about 25 cm. high.
For a good yield, you have to remould the ridges. An efficient
Farmer combines weeding and remoulding and even fertilizer application. He uses
the ridger plough (see Chapter 3.5.3-
Reridging, Weeding, etc.).
Practice crop rotation and choose good seed material as well as optimum planting time to avoid disease attack.
Harvesting
Harvest when the crop is fully mature. The leaves
and vines turn yellow and die.
Avoid wounds during harvesting. The oxen fanner can use the plough or the ridger to dig the potatoes. He splits the ridges. Leave the potatoes on the surface for some time to dry. Select wounded potatoes for immediate consumption. Store only good tubers.
Storage
Potatoes can be stored for up to 5 or 8 months, if
the following conditions are observed:
1. They must be fully mature before harvesting.
2. The skin must be allowed to dry out.
3. The store must be clean, dark, cool, dry, airy and if possible, disinfected.
4. They are stored on shelves or in trays (15 cm. high), arranged one on top of the other in a storage house.
6.3.4 Other root and Tuber Crops
Of importance are Yams and Sweet Potatoes. Ask your extension worker for handout notes on these crops in case of need.
Leguminous Crops are crops that can fix nitrogen from the air.
Fig. 6.33: A groundnut plant with the
nitrogen fixing nodules on the roots
These nodules are filled with bacteria, which can fix Nitrogen from the air and give it to the plant.
The nodules live for some time. When they die, they decompose and add Nitrogen to the soil.
Leguminous plants do not need much fertilizer. They can manage on their own an can still improve the soil.
There are two groups of legumes.
The food legumes like
-Beans
-Groundnuts
-Pigeon Peas
-Soyabeans
-Cowpeas etc. and the green manure/fodder legumes like
-Tephrosia
-Crotalaria
-Calliandra
-Sesbania
-Leucena
-Desmondium, etc.
The farmer normally prefers food legumes to conserve the fertility of his soil, because he cannot eat the green manure legumes.
Fig. 6.34: The green manure legumes
have a better effect on the soil than the food legumes.
Figure
Compare Tephrosia with Beans!
The tephrosia has more organic matter and more nodules. The
whole plant remains in the field to add manure.
The soil will benefit a
lot.
The bean plant is smaller has fewer leaves and nodules. Only the roots
remain in the soil to make manure.
The seeds are eaten or sold.
During
threshing, a lot of organic matter (leaves, etc.) gets lost.
A reasonable fanner has to think for the future and conserve the soil. If his soil is very fertile, he may keep his soil in balance by planting food legumes. If his soil is not very fertile, he has to plant green manure plants to keep his soil in balance and the yields steady.
To have the benefit of the green manure legumes and the
advantage of a food crop, combine
(mix) both in one field.
6.4.1 Soyabeans
Soyabeans are a rather new crop in many African countries. They are very rich in proteins with high nutritional value, comparable to that of meat, fish and eggs. Soyabeans can replace meat, fish and eggs in the diet.
Soyabeans are good food for everybody, especially for:
-growing children
-pregnant women
-sick people
-hard working people
1 kg. of soyabeans contain as much protein as
-30 to 40 kg. cassava
-3 kg of meat
-13 titers of cattle milk .
-60 eggs
How to use soyabeans (preparation, cooking methods) you can learn by attending cooking demonstrations.
Soil Preparation
The soil should be well drained and loose.
Prepare ridges rich in organic matter.
Selection of Seed Material Select big and whole grains from healthy well producing plants.
Do not use old seed material. The viability of grains reduces quickly with time. Choose varieties which are adapted to your area. Especially m high altitude areas, sometimes only vegetative growth is observed.
Planting
Soyabeans can be planted in the first and second
cropping cycle.
In the first season, you plant at the beginning of the rainy season. In the second season, you avoid the heavy rains.
When planted as a sole crop, the distance between the
-ridges is about 50 cm. .
-plants on the ridges is 7-l0 cm.
When planted in a mixture with maize or cocoyam, the distance between the
-ridges is about 80 cm. .
-plants on the ridge is 5-8 cm.
Do not intercrop soyabeans with maize on the same ridge. Plant on alternate ridges to provide sufficient sunlight for the soyabeans.
The planting depth of the soyabean is 2-3 cm.
Crop Care
Soyabean is a legume. It does not need fertilizer
to grow. However, organic manure and/or a basic application of NPK 20/10/10
increases the yield.
Practice timely weeding with the ridger and repeat if necessary.
Harvesting/Processing
The cropping cycle of soyabean is
between 95-115 days. In high altitude areas, it can be longer.
Harvest when mature:
-the leaves turn yellow and fall off,
-the pods become breakable, and
-beans lose the green color.
Harvest the whole plant and expose to sunlight for at least 2 hours before threshing. Winnow and dry before storage.
Soyabeans are good for home consumption. They have protein and can replace meat. Use them for your daily diet. Surplus soyabeans have a good market. They are used for the production of animal feeds, soyabean oil, soap, etc.
6.4.2 Beans
The cultivation technique for beans is similar to the one of soyabeans. Though the yield of beans is lower than that of soyabeans, they have other advantages like:
-a good local market
-availability of different varieties adapted to the different areas
-higher security of yield, even when planted late or mixed with maize on the same ridge.
Fig. 6.35: Common beans: Seed,pods
and plant.
6.4.3 Groundouts
The cultivation technique for groundnuts is similar to that of soyabeans, but note the following differences:
-Groundouts have generally only one cropping cycle. Planting starts at the beginning of the rainy season.
-The distance between the plants on the ridge is 15 cm.
-Depending on the variety, the distance between the ridges is 50 cm. for the upright type, 80 cm. for the creeping type, planted as a sole crop. .
-Moulding of ridges is important for pod development.
Fig. 6.36: Groundnut plant with pods
and
seeds.
6.5.1 Fencing Plants
In the permanent farming system, you find permanent crops and seasonal crops in the same farm.
Fig. 6.37: The permanent crops are
planted on the contour bond while the seasonal crops are planted on the ridges
between the contour bonds.
The permanent crops on the contour bond:
-reinforce the contour bond with their root system: The contour bond cannot be attacked by erosion easily.
-make a permanent farm structure: They remain in the rainy and dry season throughout the years.
-provide additional food: After the harvest of seasonal crops, permanent crops, e.g. plantain, pineapple, sugarcane can provide food in the dry season.
-provide additional income: e.g. planting of coffee.
There are many permanent crops, you can plant on the contour bond,
|
e.g. |
cash crops |
like coffee |
| |
food crops |
like plantain, pineapple, sugar cane, paw paw |
| |
fodder crops |
like guatemala grass |
| |
green manure |
plants like tephrosia, pigeon pea, sesbania |
Choose permanent crops that can do well in your area and can give good benefits to you.
Generally, most of the permanent crops take some time to establish. As long as the permanent crops are small, make good use of your contour bond by planting of
-green manure which can provide shade and manure for your permanent crops and reinforce the contour bond until permanent crops are well established
-seasonal crops, which can produce food.
6.5.1 Fencing Plants
Due to the existing transhumance of Graziers and their cattle, especially in the dry season, your permanent farm may become subject to destruction by straying cattle .
To avoid destruction through cattle as far as possible, try to
-practice incorporation of organic matter (grass, maizestalks, etc.) before the dry season.
Bare soil is not very attractive for cattle.
-plant your permanent crops as soon as possible in the rainy season, so that they have grown up at the beginning of the dry season.
-communicate with the neighbouring graziers and explain to them your permanent farming.
-protect your farm by fencing.
Fencing of your farm is the most tedious but also the most effective way to protect your farm.
You can fence your farm with barbed wire, but barbed wire is costly and needs maintenance and replacement. The poles for the barbed wire are subject to white ant and fire destruction.
Fig. 6.38: The cheaper and longer
lasting solution to fence your farm is live sticks and fencing plants.
Many fencing plants are locally available and easy to pro agate. The knowledge how to use them is locally available. Some newly introduced shrubs and trees can be made available by your extension services. Some of these new plants need special seed treatment to nurse or plant them successfully.
The following table will give some basic information how to treat these plants for successful propagation.
|
NAME |
TREATMENT OF SEEDS |
PLANTING |
PROPAGATION |
|
Tephrosia |
no seed treatment |
direct planting |
by seeds |
|
Sesbania |
heat treatment; 1 min. boiling; soak in normal water for 1 day |
direct planting |
by seeds |
|
Leucena |
heat treatment; 3 min. in hot water; soak in normal water for 2-3 days |
nurse in small plastic bags and transplant when 25 cm. high |
by seeds |
|
Acacia Mangium |
heat treatment; 1 min. in hot water; soak in normal water for 1 night |
nurse in small plastic bags and transplant when 25-30 cm. high |
by seeds |
|
Erythrina |
5 heat treatment; 10 min hot water, soak in normal water overnight |
nurse m small plastic bags and transplant |
by seeds by cuttings |
|
Mimosa |
heat treatment; 5 min in hot water; soak in normal water overnight |
nurse in small plastic bags and transplant |
by seeds |
Fig. 6.39: Ensure that your fencing
material is available when the rains are steady. Prepare ridges and
transplant/plant on the ridges to give them a good start. Combine several plants
for your live fence, e.g. trees with hedge
plants.
 |
 |
