SEMINAR SERIES TOPIC FOOD SECURITYSTRATEGIES FOR FOOD PRODUCTION

SEMINAR SERIES TOPIC : FOOD SECURITYSTRATEGIES FOR FOOD PRODUCTION IN THE SEMI-ARID AREAS OF KENYA BY DR. SIMON NGULUU SEKU ON 27/2/2019

SPECIFIC TOPIC WATER HARVESTING STRATEGIES FOR MAIZE PRODUCTION IN ASALs OF KENYA

IMPORTANCE-DRYLANDS • DRYLANDS COVER 30 -40% OF WORLD’S SURFACE (Nguluu et. al. 2014) • IN KENYA COVER 80% • FOUND AEZ 4, 5 &6 (Jaetzold and Schmidt, 1983; Jaetzold et al. , 2006)

ii) POPULATION • 36 % IN ASALs (12% IN ARID; 24 % IN SEMIARID) • 10 MILLION PPLE-SUFFER FROM CHRONIC FOOD INSECURITY AND POOR NUTRITION • 46 % LIVE BELOW POVERTY LINE (GOK 2010) • 50% OF LIVESTOCK IN ASALs

iii) RAINFALL (VISION 2030 REPORT) • RAINFALL-150 -550 MM ANNUALLY ASALs • 550 -850 MM (MEAN 400 MM) • SEMI-ARID AREAS- HAVE BIMODAL RAINFALL (LR &SR) • ET- 4 -9 MM/DAY (KATUMANI DATA) • NB: NOT SUITABLE FOR RAINFED AGRIC

iv)TEMPERATURES 0 • RANGE -17 -32 c • MEAN MAXIMUM 250 C • MEAN MINIMUM- 190 C • NB: HIGH EVAPORATIVE DEMAND • CLIMATE CHANGE HAS NEGATIVE INFLUENCE

v) FARMING SYSTEMS (KCEP-CRAL PDR REPORT, 2017) • INTERCROPPING CEREALS WITH LEGUMES • (MAIZE, SORGHUM, MILLETS, WITH COWPEAS, GREEN GRAMS, DOLICHOS) • CROP-LIVESTOCK INTERACTION (GOATS, SHEEP, CHICKEN) • 30% OF CEREALS PRODUCED IN ASALs • IMPORT 20 % TO MEET REQUIREMENT OF CEREALS. • PRODUCED FROM 0. 2 -3 HA ON SUBSISTENCE • FAIL IN 30% OF SEASONS • LEGUMES MORE SUITED • NB: NEED FOR APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES

INTERCROPPING

CROP-LIVESTOCK INTERACTION

LOW SOIL MOISTURE & EVAPORATIVE DEMAND LOW-ERRATIC RAINFALL & HIGH RADIANT ENERGY LOW CROP YIELDS POVERTY TRAP FOR FARMERS LOW INCOMES KEY PROBLEMS IN ASALs

DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGIES MACRO-CATCHMENT TECHNOLOGIES- AWAY FROM CROP ROWS • RUN-OFF FROM ROADS, HILLSIDES • ROCK CATCHMENTS • SAND EARTH DAMS • NB: NEED FOR FARM STORAGE IN EACH FIELD

ROAD WATER HARVESTING

ROCK CATCHMENT

MICROCATCHMENT TECHNOLOGIES-NEAR CROP ROWS (SOIL RESERVOIR) • TIED RIDGES (NB-TIE & RIDGE) • ZAI PITS NB: (SMALL HOLES) • STRIP CATCHMENT (NB: SIMILAR TO ROOF (BARE SOIL) • CONTOUR BUNDS- SOIL & WATER CONSERVATIO) • SEMI-CIRCULAR BUNDS (SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION IN PASTURE LANDS)

TIED RIDGES

CONTOUR FARMING

ZAI PITS

STRIP CATCHMENT

SEMI-CIRCULAR BUNDS

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT • FOR ANY TECHNOLOGY TO BE USEFUL IT SHOULD ADDRESS: • HIGH EVAPORATIVE DEMAND • MOISTURE LOSS • SOIL STORAGE • FERTILITY

TECHNOLOGY CONTRIBUTION • ALL THESE TECHNOLOGIES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO REDUCE SOIL EROSION, LAND DEGRADATION AND IMPROVE WATER INFILTRATION (Getnet and Mac. Alister, 2012) • BUT HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS THE HIGH RADIANT ENERGY AND MOISTURE LOSS • THEREFORE THE INSITU TECHNOLOGIES MUST BE COMBINED WITH EFFECTIVE MULCHING TECHNOLOGIES TO REINFORCE MOISTURE STORAGE & AVAILABILITY IN ASALs

FIELD -KATUMANI EXPERIMENTS-2012/2013 SITE DESCRIPTION • ALTITUDE- 1600 MASL • RAINFALL-655 ANNUALLY (BIMODAL-SR 300; LR 350 MM) • GROWING SEASON -60 -90 DAYS (NUMEROUS DRY SPELLS) • TEMPERATURE MEAN MAX. 250 C; MINIMUM 170 C • SOILS- DEEP 12 CM • LOW IN N &P

EXPERIMENT • DESIGN-RCBD • TREATMENTS • A) RIDGE AND FURROW BLACK PLASTIC MULCH (RFB) • B) RIDGE AND FURROW TRANSPARENT PLASTIC MULCH (RFT) • C)RIDGE AND FURROW GRASS STRAW (RFS) • D) RIDGE AND FURROW CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE (NO- MULCH) (RF/CK) NB: RIDGE AND FURROW-THE RIDGE HARVEST FALLING RAIN AND CONCENTRATE IT IN THE FURROW

OBJECTIVES • EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF: • 1) RIDGE AND FURROW BLACK PLASTIC MULCHING ON MAIZE YIELDS AND MOISTURE RETENTION • 2. TRANSPARENT RIDGE AND FURROW PLASTIC MULCHING ON MAIZE YIELDS AND MOISTURE RETENTION • 3. RIDGE AND FURROW GRASS STRAW MULCHING ON MAIZE YIELDS AND MOISTURE RETENTION • 4. COMPARE THEM WITH CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE – USING RIDGE AND FURROW FARMING SYSTEM

YEARS 2012 2013 TREATMEN GRAIN % INCREASE T YIELD(KG/H A) RFT 4793 a 73 RFB 4610 b 67 RFS 2958 c 7 RF (CK) 2769 c RFT 2858 a 326 RFB 3018 b 350 RFS 1524 c 127 RF (CK) 671 d - ABOVE GRD BIOMASS KG/HA 11567 a 12112 a 8889 b 7087 c 8511 b 9023 b 6406 d 4819 e % INCRE ASE 63 71 25 77 87 33 -

MOSTURE CONTENT (0 -100 cm)-MATURITY TREATMENT SOIL WATER CONTENT (SWC) WUE (KG/HA/mm) LONG RAINS (2012/13) -90 mm RFT 48 37 a RFB 47 34 a RFS 56 20 b RF (CK) 53 19 b SHORT RAINS (2013/14)-138 mm RFT 54 15 a RFB 56 16 a RFS 71 7 b

CONCLUSION • RIDGE AND FURROW PLASTIC MULCHING SYSTEM SUPERIOR TO CONVENTIONAL IN IMPOVING: • a) Maize yields • b) Moisture retention • Thus Food insecurity (maize productivity)

WHY ARE YIELDS LOW IN ASALs WITH ALL THESE TECHNOLOGIES? • ANSWER- LOW ADOPTION OF APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES

THANKS FOR LISTENING

APPENDIX 1 - REFERENCES 1. Mo Fei , Hong, Z. , Jianyong, W. , Zhao H. , Hengjia, Z. 2, Wu Shan , Yinglong, C. , Tong, Y. Haoliang, D. , Batool, A. , Runyuan, W. , Nguluu, S. N. , Li Fengmin, Xiong, Y. (2013). Advances in the development and application of micro-field rain-harvesting and evaporation-preventing technologies. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering. 29 ( 8 ) 1 -17

REFERENCES CONT. 2. Fei Mo, Wang, J, Y. Xiong, Y. C. , Nguluu, S. N. , Feng, M. L. (2016). Ridge-furrow mulching system in semi-arid Kenya: A promising solution to improve soil water availability and maize productivity. Europ. J. Agronomy 80 (2016) 124 -136. 3. Wang, J. Y. , Fei Mo, Nguluu, S. N. , Xhou, H. , Ren, H. X. , Zang, J. Kariuki, C. W. , Gicheru, P. Kavaji, L. Xiong, Y. C. , Feng, M. L. (2016). Exploring microfield water harvesting farming system in dryland wheat (Triticum aestivum): An innovative management for semi-arid Kenya. Field Crops Research. Doi: 10. 1016/ j. fcr

REFERENCES CONT. 4. Fei Mo, Jian-Yong Wang, Hong Zhou, Chong –Liang Luo, Xiao_Feng Zhang, Xiao. Yan Li, Feng-Min Li, Liang-Bing Xiong, Levis Kavagi, Simon N. Nguluu, You-Cai Xiong. (2017). Ridge furrow plastic-mulching with balanced fertilization in rainfed maize (Zea mays L. ): An Adaptive management in east African Plateau. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 236: 100 -112. 5. Simon Nguluu, David Karanja, David Macharia, Josphert Kimatu, James Karanja, Henry Nzioki , Peter Kathuli and Nashon Musimba (2014). Response of different bean genotypes to soil nutrients and water in the semi-arid areas of eastern Kenya. Journal of Advances in agriculture, 3(2): 183 -187, ISSN 2349 -0837 6. Republic of Kenya – Kenya Cereal Enhancement Programme. ASALs Climate Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods window Programme Design Report, 2017 7. IFAD (International Food for Agriculture Development Programme, 2013

APPENDIX-2 (TONS/HA) KENYA ZAI PITS TIED RIDGES FLAT 2. 5 1. 5 0. 5 RWANDA 2. 3 3. 2 0. 5 ZIBABWE 1. 3 1. 2 0. 5