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    Closing the cassava yield gap: an analysis from smallholder farms in East Africa

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    Date
    2009
    Author
    Fermont, A.M.
    Asten, Piet J.A. van
    Tittonell, Pablo A.
    Wijk, Mark T. van
    Giller, Ken E.
    Type
    Journal Article
    Metadata
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    Abstract/Description
    Cassava yields in Africa are small and it remains unclear which factors most limit yields. Using a series of farm surveys and on-farm and on-station trials in Uganda and western Kenya, we evaluated the importance of abiotic, biotic and associated crop management constraints for cassava production in a range of socio-economic settings as found in smallholder farms in the region. Average yields under farmer management were 8.6 t ha−1, but these were more than doubled to 20.8 t ha−1 by using improved crop establishment, improved genotypes and 100–22–83 kg ha−1 of single-nutrient N–P–K fertilizers. A farm survey revealed large yield differences between farms. Less endowed farmers harvested less cassava per unit area than better endowed farmers (difference of 5.9 and 9.7 t ha−1 in Kenya and Uganda, respectively); differences were associated with less access to labour, poorer soils, and premature harvesting by less endowed farmers. Analysis of 99 on-farm and 6 on-station trials showed that constraints for cassava production varied strongly between sites and years. Poor soil fertility, early water stress and sub-optimal weed management limited cassava production by 6.7, 5.4 and 5.0 t ha−1, respectively, when improved crop establishment and genotypes were used. Pests and diseases were relatively unimportant, while weed management was particularly important in farmer fields during a dry year in Kenya (yield gap of 11.6 t ha−1). The use of complementary analytical tools such as multiple regression and boundary line analysis revealed that many fields were affected by multiple and interacting production constraints. These should be addressed simultaneously if significant productivity improvements are to be achieved. This will be more difficult for less endowed than for better endowed farm households, since the former lack social and financial capital to improve management.
    https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2009.01.009
    Multi standard citation
    Permanent link to this item
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12478/2471
    Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
    https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2009.01.009
    IITA Subjects
    Cassava; Farm Management; Farming Systems; Value Chains; Plant Production; Research Method; Smallholder Farmers
    Agrovoc Terms
    Agriculture; Boundary Line Analysis; Drought; Nutrient Management; Production Constraints; Soil Fertility; Weed Management; Agro-Ecological; Cassava Production; Socio-Economic
    Regions
    Acp; Africa; Europe; East Africa
    Countries
    Uganda; Netherlands
    Journals
    Field Crops Research
    Collections
    • Journal and Journal Articles5283
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