west_africa

Sustainable Intensification of Crop - Livestock Farming Systems in the Guinea and Sudano Savannah Zone of West Africa
 * Africa RISING **

=**Introduction**= toc The project is operating in the Guinea and Sudano−Sahelian zones of northern Ghana and southern Mali. In Phase 1 (2011–2016), research activities aimed at establishing the best-bet technologies that would deliver adoptable development solutions to smallholder farm families were tested and validated through participatory research approaches together with the farming communities. Phase 2 of the project (2016−2021) will combine continuity with evolutionary change to ensure that the technologies identified in Phase 1 drive wider adoption at scale through effective development partnerships. The project envisions that, by 2021, over 100,000 smallholder farm households in Ghana and Mali will benefit from Africa RISING technologies. Based on the experiences and lessons learned from Phase 1, expected outcomes of the Africa RISING West Africa Project in Phase 2 are:
 * **Outcome 1:** Farmers and farming communities in the project area are practicing more productive, resilient, profitable, and sustainably intensified crop–livestock systems linked to markets.
 * **Outcome 2:** More farmers and farm families are adopting technologies and practices to improve nutrition, food and feed safety, postharvest handling, and value addition.
 * **Outcome 3:** Farmers and other value chain actors have greater and equitable access to production assets and markets (input and output) through enabling institutions and policies.
 * **Outcome 4:** Effective partnerships are built with farmers, local communities, and research and development partners in the private and public sectors to ensure delivery and uptake at scale of sustainable intensification technologies, innovations, and practices.

=**Project sites**= The project is implemented in a total of 25 communities – the Northern, Upper West and Upper East regions of Ghana. In Mali, activities are implemented in 10 villages in the Bougouni - Yanfolila and Koutiala Districts of the Sikasso Region in southern Mali. From 2015, and for various reasons, Yorobougoula village (in Yanfolila District) will no longer be part of Africa RISING intervention villages thereby reducing the intervention villages to nine. //Click on image to enlarge.//
 * [[image:Smallimage_Africa-RISING-intervention-communities-in-Ghana.jpg align="right" caption="Africa RISING intervention communities in Ghana." link="@file:Africa-RISING-intervention-communities-in-Ghana.jpg"]] || [[image:Mali map action sites.jpg width="187" height="187" align="right" caption="Africa RISING intervention villages in Mali." link="@file:Mali_actionsites912.jpg"]] ||

=Project interventions= Through a participatory and demand-driven approach to research, project partners are implementing adaptive research on various technologies and working with development organizations to get them into the hands of farmers at scale. The activities include testing and disseminating: (i) improved crop varieties (drought and Striga resistant food and feed crops); (ii) appropriate agronomic practices (planting density, cereal−legume rotations and

intercropping, multiple cropping, increasing cropping cycles within a season, efficient use of input resources and agroforestry); (iii) climate-smart land management practices (conservation agriculture, physical barriers to soil and water loss, in-situ water harvesting, and soil cover crops); (iv) improved animal husbandry practices (semi-intensive and intensive management); and (v) technologies for reducing pre- and postharvest losses. The project also facilitates linkages between farmers and input/output markets. The objective is to build well-integrated and productive crop and livestock enterprises that minimize natural resource degradation.

To diversify household nutrition, the project is introducing new nutritious food preparation techniques based on locally available ingredients for household members, particularly children. Nutrition field schools are being used to promote knowledge exchange on best practices for processing and storage of cereals, legumes, and vegetable-based foods.

Group and individual trainings are conducted to strengthen the capacities of all actors (farmers, research and extension staff, input and output dealers, and policy makers). Academic training at the MSc and PhD level is applied to address important knowledge gaps, and to develop the “next” generation of scientists. Information exchange is being promoted through field days, radio programs, exchange visits, and video shows.

The project gives special attention to gender equality and underprivileged groups within the society. Enabling policies and institutions to improve access to input and output markets, formation of effective partnerships, and access to knowledge and information are advocated for, especially through operational level R4D/Innovation platforms.


 * //Technologies validated by the project during Phase 1.//**

Cereal−legume rotations Dual-purpose food legumes Cereal−vegetable intercropping || Ghana (Northern, Upper West, and Upper East regions) and Mali (Bougouni and Koutiala districts) || Fertilizer micro-dosing Livestock corralling for manure/urine Cereal−legume rotations Cereal−legume intercropping || Ghana (Northern, Upper West, and Upper East regions) and Mali (Bougouni and Koutiala districts) || Physical barriers to reduce soil erosion Contour bunding with trees || Ghana (Northern, and Upper East regions) and Mali (Bougouni and Koutiala districts) || Grafting Pruning management Contour bunding with trees || Mali (Bougouni and Koutiala districts) || Sheep/goat health care Housing for poultry Guinea fowl brooding management Stover quality improvement || Ghana (Northern, and Upper East regions) || Aflasafe application in maize and groundnut fields || Ghana (Northern, and Upper East regions) || =**Research plans**=
 * **Broad category** || **Validated flagship technologies** || **Validation sites** ||
 * New crops and varieties to overcome existing biotic and abiotic stresses and improve productivity per unit land area || New, high-yielding crop varieties, e.g.:
 * Drought and //Striga// tolerant, extra-early, and early-maturing maize,
 * Nutrient-efficient rice
 * Aflatoxin resistant groundnut
 * Sorghum hybrids
 * Early-maturing cowpea
 * Dual-purpose cowpea
 * Short-duration soybean
 * Medium soybean
 * High yielding and disease-resistant varieties of vegetables (okra, roselle, tomato, eggplant, and pepper) || Ghana (Northern, Upper West, and Upper East regions) and Mali (Bougouni and Koutiala districts) ||
 * Agronomic practices to increase grain and fodder yield and soil nitrogen content || Cereal−legume intercropping
 * Integrated soil fertility management as a cost-effective approach to replenish soil fertility || Optimized N and P fertilizer rates
 * Land management technologies to reduce soil loss and enhance water utilization || //In-situ// water harvesting
 * Agroforestry technologies to increase fruit, vegetable, and feed production per unit land area and conserve soil and water || New provenances of indigenous trees (//Adansonia digitata//, //Ziziphus mauritania//, //Tamarindus indica//)
 * Improved livestock feed, and feeding, housing, health and breeding management packages || Sheep/goat flock feeding
 * Pre- and postharvest technologies to reduce food waste and improve food safety || Grain storage in PICS bags and plastic drums

Phase 1 research plans

 * 2017/2018 workplan - **Ghana** I **Mali** (//click relevant country to download//)
 * 2016/2017 workplan
 * 2014/2016 workplan
 * [[file:WA Workplan Final_25June14_AL.pdf|2013/2014 workplan]]

=Key Documents= = = =Partners=

Partners meetings

 * click **here** to view comprehensive events list


 * 2018**


 * 2017**
 * 17 june: Africa RISING Mali partners meeting - Bougouni, Mali
 * 15 June: Africa RISING Mali partners meeting - Koutiala, Mali
 * 9 - 10 March: Africa RISING Mali partners meeting, Bamako - Mali
 * 1 - 3 February: Africa RISING West Africa planning workshop, Accra - Ghana


 * 2016**
 * 18 October: Africa RISING Mali partners meeting
 * 30 August: Mali partners meeting
 * 22 August: Ghana Research Team visit to Upper East Region Project Sites
 * 28 June: Mali partners meeting, Bamako
 * 17 May: Ghana Northern Region research team meeting
 * 15 June: Ghana Northern Region research team meeting
 * 14 April: Ghana Upper East Region research team meeting
 * 24 March: Ghana Upper West Region research team meeting
 * 11 - 15 January: Mali partners meeting - Bamako, Mali

>>>>>>>>>>> + >>>>>>>>>>> +  >>>>>>>>>>> +
 * 2015**
 * 22 December: Ghana Northern Region Research team meeting
 * 18 December - [[file:upper west region - 1809.docx|Ghana Upper West Region research team meeting]]
 * 17 September - [[file:northern region - 1709.docx|Ghana Northern Region research team meeting]]
 * 11 September - [[file:upper east region - 1109.docx|Ghana Upper East Region research team meeting]]
 * 03 September - [[file:upper west region - 0309.docx|Ghana Upper West Region research team meeting]]
 * [[file:Africa RISING Mali Minutes for September15.docx|02 September]] - Mali partners meeting
 * 24 July - Mali partners meeting
 * 30 June - [[file:Upper West Region - Reasearch Team Meeting 30Jun15.docx|Ghana Upper West Region Research Team meeting]]
 * 23 June - [[file:northern region - 2306.docx|Ghana Northern Region research team meeting]]
 * 5 June - Mali partners meeting
 * [[file:AR Mali Partners0518.doc|8 May]]- Mali partners meeting
 * 10 April- Mali partners meeting
 * 7 April- ICRISAT, IER and ILRI meeting for theme 3 component
 * 25 March- Mali partners meeting (held at the end of the West Africa Review and Planning Meeting 2015)
 * - Field day at Madina and Sirakélé
 * 27 February - Mali partners meeting (held at the sidelines of Africa RISING Mali Progress Report/Work Plan Review Meeting)
 * 8 January - Mali partners meeting


 * 2014 **
 * [[file:Upper West Regional Research Team Meeting Report-August (2).docx|15 August ]]- Ghana Upper West Region research team meeting
 * [[file:Upper East Regional Team Meeting Report-August.docx|14 August ]]- Ghana Upper East Region research team meeting
 * [[file:Research Team Meeting-Northern Region-August14 ab.docx|13 August ]]- Ghana Northern Region research team meeting
 * [[file:Regional Stakeholders Meeting_18June14_AL.docx|18 June ]]- Ghana Upper West Region research team meeting
 * [[file:Report_April Meeting IHZ.docx|22 April]]- Ghana research team meeting
 * [[file:Report on review work-package meeting.docx|21 February]]- Review Meeting for 2014 Work-Packages

**Innovation Platforms/R4D Platforms**

 * 2015**
 * [[file:Mali IP Workshop Report (19-21 May).docx|21 May 2015]] - Bougouni Innovation Platform meeting
 * [[file:Mali IP Workshop Report (19-21 May).docx|19 May 2015 ]]- Koutiala Innovation Platform meeting
 * [[file:R4D Report-Savelugu0521.docx|21 January 2015]] - Savelugu District (Northern Region, Ghana) R4D platform launch
 * [[file:R4D Report-Tolon0521.docx|20 January 2015 ]]- Tolon District (Northern Region, Ghana) R4D platform launch


 * 2014**
 * [[file:R4D Report Bongo0521.docx|18 December 2014]] - Bongo District (Upper East Region, Ghana) R4D platform launch
 * [[file:R4D Report Kassena Nankana0521.docx|16 December 2014]] - Kassena Nankana East District (Upper East Region, Ghana) R4D platform launch

=Mid-Term External Evaluation (2014)=

=Reports and Documents= *Click header above to view the research protocols

=Training materials=
 * Socio-economic survey instrument for soil and water conservation measure (9 November 2017)
 * Soil and water conservation training presentation (7 November 2017)
 * Soil and water conservation training brochure (7 November 2017)
 * Interactive radio to scale-up in agriculture and nutrition in Africa RISING Mali (December 2017)
 * Soil and water conservation training brochure (7 November 2017)
 * Interactive radio to scale-up in agriculture and nutrition in Africa RISING Mali (December 2017)

=Protocols, questionnaires, PhD proposals= *Click header above to view the research protocols

=Posters and presentations= *Click header above to view the latest posters & presentations

=News and Updates= *Click header above to view the latest news and updates media type="custom" key="17733244"

=**Key contacts**=
 * Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon, Manager Africa RISING West Africa and East / Southern Africa Projects - I.Hoeschle-Zeledon(at)cgiar.org
 * Asamoah Larbi, Chief Scientist Africa RISING West Africa Project – A.Larbi(at)cgiar.org
 * Birhanu Zemadim, Scientist ICRISAT/Africa RISING Coordinator Mali - Z.Birhanu(at)cgiar.org
 * Jonathan Odhong’, CKM Leader Africa RISING West Africa and East/Southern Africa Projects – J.Odhong(at)cgiar.org

=media type="custom" key="28618679"=

Yorobougoula (in Yanfolila District)