14
This example demonstrates that if the successful value chains are established for
different commodities, farmers are capable of responding to market demand.
6 Innovative Technologies on Smallholder Farms
In countries like Malawi and Tanzania, outside the national parks and forest reserves,
small-scale farmers are keepers of the land, engaged in small-scale subsistence agriculture, producing food mainly for household consumption and an increasing
amount of cash crops for domestic and export markets. In most cases, low agricultural productivity remains a challenge, and it is very important that Tanzanian farmers improve productivity in order to provide adequate amounts of food for a growing
population. At the same time, conservation and sustainable management of natural
resources are vital in order to mitigate climate change, maintain biodiversity, and
ensure sustained supply of water. There is a vast and virtually untapped potential for
improved agricultural productivity and sustainable environmental management,
which can be attained through improved agricultural and livestock practices, as well
as commercial smallholders’ tree planting (including agroforestry) and natural
resource conservation activities. The fundamental rationale envisaged is that if
farming communities increase productivity, household income will subsequently
increase, resulting in reduced poverty and hunger. Hence, the continuation of upscaling and developing more efficient production and natural resource management
systems can enable the small-scale farmers to escape the poverty trap.
Since soils in Malawi and Tanzania are mostly depleted and crop yields are low,
continued research on use of compost, manure, lime, and appropriate compound
fertilizer with micronutrients needs to be emphasized. Incorrect application of fertilizers and pesticides is a major concern in the region. Therefore, we recommend the
“One Health, One World Approach” with a priority on food safety throughout the
food value chain. On the best farms, appropriate fertilizer and herbicide use (best
practices) increased maize yield from 1.3 tons/ha (national average) to 5.4 tons.
Introducing new technologies takes time. In southern highlands, Njombe,
Tanzania, the work started 20 years ago with a focus on dry-season feeding of cows
for improved annual distribution of milk production. Today farmers from many
areas in Tanzania as well as other countries are coming to our demonstration farms
in order to learn about integrated dairy farming practices. The use of “farmer-tofarmer learning,” by means of lead farmers educating others based on own experiences, has become an efficient tool for up-scaling new farming practices.
The Njombe Milk Factory, which is partly owned by the dairy farmers, currently
distributes milk, yoghurt, and an assortment of cheese types locally as well as to
food stores as far as Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. In Malawi, pilot biogas plants
were also recently introduced in Bolero under the Capacity Building for Managing
Climate Change (CABMACC). However, it is manure and not milk, which is the
most important product from this integrated livestock system. Manure used as biogas initially provides energy and subsequently bio-slurry, which is used as a soil
B. R. Singh et al.
This example demonstrates that if the successful value chains are established for
different commodities, farmers are capable of responding to market demand.
6 Innovative Technologies on Smallholder Farms
In countries like Malawi and Tanzania, outside the national parks and forest reserves,
small-scale farmers are keepers of the land, engaged in small-scale subsistence agriculture, producing food mainly for household consumption and an increasing
amount of cash crops for domestic and export markets. In most cases, low agricultural productivity remains a challenge, and it is very important that Tanzanian farmers improve productivity in order to provide adequate amounts of food for a growing
population. At the same time, conservation and sustainable management of natural
resources are vital in order to mitigate climate change, maintain biodiversity, and
ensure sustained supply of water. There is a vast and virtually untapped potential for
improved agricultural productivity and sustainable environmental management,
which can be attained through improved agricultural and livestock practices, as well
as commercial smallholders’ tree planting (including agroforestry) and natural
resource conservation activities. The fundamental rationale envisaged is that if
farming communities increase productivity, household income will subsequently
increase, resulting in reduced poverty and hunger. Hence, the continuation of upscaling and developing more efficient production and natural resource management
systems can enable the small-scale farmers to escape the poverty trap.
Since soils in Malawi and Tanzania are mostly depleted and crop yields are low,
continued research on use of compost, manure, lime, and appropriate compound
fertilizer with micronutrients needs to be emphasized. Incorrect application of fertilizers and pesticides is a major concern in the region. Therefore, we recommend the
“One Health, One World Approach” with a priority on food safety throughout the
food value chain. On the best farms, appropriate fertilizer and herbicide use (best
practices) increased maize yield from 1.3 tons/ha (national average) to 5.4 tons.
Introducing new technologies takes time. In southern highlands, Njombe,
Tanzania, the work started 20 years ago with a focus on dry-season feeding of cows
for improved annual distribution of milk production. Today farmers from many
areas in Tanzania as well as other countries are coming to our demonstration farms
in order to learn about integrated dairy farming practices. The use of “farmer-tofarmer learning,” by means of lead farmers educating others based on own experiences, has become an efficient tool for up-scaling new farming practices.
The Njombe Milk Factory, which is partly owned by the dairy farmers, currently
distributes milk, yoghurt, and an assortment of cheese types locally as well as to
food stores as far as Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. In Malawi, pilot biogas plants
were also recently introduced in Bolero under the Capacity Building for Managing
Climate Change (CABMACC). However, it is manure and not milk, which is the
most important product from this integrated livestock system. Manure used as biogas initially provides energy and subsequently bio-slurry, which is used as a soil
B. R. Singh et al.