153
The calculation of the value-cost-ration (VCR) in sorghum showed that it was
36.7, 9.1, and 3.4 for T2, T3, and T4, respectively. In millet the corresponding values were 21.8, 5.6, and 1.5. As the threshold value for VCR is 2 for introducing new
technologies (Bationo et al. 2012), all treatments can be considered to give a satisfactory response except the T4 in millet. Seed priming is clearly the treatment with
the highest VCR. However, seed priming plus 0.5 g of fertilizer per pocket (T3) will
be the most interesting option in millet production because it has a high gross margin and a satisfactory VCR both in millet and sorghum. The T4 treatment gives a 6%
higher gross margin than the T3 in sorghum, but the VCR is 9.1 for T3 as compared
to 3.4 for T4.
Research in Niger showed a low economic return (based on VCR) related to the
application of 2 g of DAP per pocket in pearl millet (Bielders and Gerard 2015).
These researchers report that the risk of using microdosing is less when the yield in
the control plot is low. There are therefore good reasons to question the recommendation by ICRISAT to use microdosing in the order of 2 to 6 grams of fertilizer per
pocket in pearl millet (ICRISAT 2012). The application of 6 g of fertilizer per
pocket results in an application of 150 kg of fertilizer/ha if there are 25,000 pockets/
ha. This cannot be considered a low application rate under Sahelian conditions.
Major development actors like the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
have also been promoting the rates proposed by the International Crop Research
Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) (FARA 2009).
Table 5 Partial budget of seed priming and microdosing of fertilizer on farmer income with
sorghum and millet (FCFA per hectare), 2007–2008
Sorghum
Pearl millet
T1
T2
T3
T4
T1
T2
T3
T4
Average yield
(kg/ha)
1598
1849
2155
2414
1336
1488
1700
1801
Price millet/
sorghum (FCFA/
kg)
75
75
75
75
75
75
75
75
Total income
(FCFA/ha)
119,850 138,675 161,625 181,050 100,200 111,600 127,500 135,075
Seed costs
(FCFA/ha)
600
600
600
600
600
600
600
600
Fertilizer cost
(FCFA/ha)
0
0
3125
12,500 0
0
3125
12,500
Labor (FCFA/ha) 0
500
1000
1500
0
500
1000
1500
Variable costs
(FCFA/ha)
600
1100
4725
14,600 600
1100
4725
14,600
Gross margin
(FCFA/ha)
119,250 137,575 156,900 166,450 99,600 110,500 122,775 120,475
Value cost ratio
36.7
9.1
3.4
21.8
5.6
1.5
T1 = control, T2 = seed priming, T3 = seed priming +12.5 kg NPK/ha, T4 = seed priming +50 kg
NPK/ha
Intensification of Sorghum and Pearl Millet Production in the Sahel-Sudanian Climatic…
The calculation of the value-cost-ration (VCR) in sorghum showed that it was
36.7, 9.1, and 3.4 for T2, T3, and T4, respectively. In millet the corresponding values were 21.8, 5.6, and 1.5. As the threshold value for VCR is 2 for introducing new
technologies (Bationo et al. 2012), all treatments can be considered to give a satisfactory response except the T4 in millet. Seed priming is clearly the treatment with
the highest VCR. However, seed priming plus 0.5 g of fertilizer per pocket (T3) will
be the most interesting option in millet production because it has a high gross margin and a satisfactory VCR both in millet and sorghum. The T4 treatment gives a 6%
higher gross margin than the T3 in sorghum, but the VCR is 9.1 for T3 as compared
to 3.4 for T4.
Research in Niger showed a low economic return (based on VCR) related to the
application of 2 g of DAP per pocket in pearl millet (Bielders and Gerard 2015).
These researchers report that the risk of using microdosing is less when the yield in
the control plot is low. There are therefore good reasons to question the recommendation by ICRISAT to use microdosing in the order of 2 to 6 grams of fertilizer per
pocket in pearl millet (ICRISAT 2012). The application of 6 g of fertilizer per
pocket results in an application of 150 kg of fertilizer/ha if there are 25,000 pockets/
ha. This cannot be considered a low application rate under Sahelian conditions.
Major development actors like the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
have also been promoting the rates proposed by the International Crop Research
Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) (FARA 2009).
Table 5 Partial budget of seed priming and microdosing of fertilizer on farmer income with
sorghum and millet (FCFA per hectare), 2007–2008
Sorghum
Pearl millet
T1
T2
T3
T4
T1
T2
T3
T4
Average yield
(kg/ha)
1598
1849
2155
2414
1336
1488
1700
1801
Price millet/
sorghum (FCFA/
kg)
75
75
75
75
75
75
75
75
Total income
(FCFA/ha)
119,850 138,675 161,625 181,050 100,200 111,600 127,500 135,075
Seed costs
(FCFA/ha)
600
600
600
600
600
600
600
600
Fertilizer cost
(FCFA/ha)
0
0
3125
12,500 0
0
3125
12,500
Labor (FCFA/ha) 0
500
1000
1500
0
500
1000
1500
Variable costs
(FCFA/ha)
600
1100
4725
14,600 600
1100
4725
14,600
Gross margin
(FCFA/ha)
119,250 137,575 156,900 166,450 99,600 110,500 122,775 120,475
Value cost ratio
36.7
9.1
3.4
21.8
5.6
1.5
T1 = control, T2 = seed priming, T3 = seed priming +12.5 kg NPK/ha, T4 = seed priming +50 kg
NPK/ha
Intensification of Sorghum and Pearl Millet Production in the Sahel-Sudanian Climatic…