Analysis of Soil Related Constraints for Sustainable Intensification

FAO estimates that agricultural intensification contributes about 80% of increased crop production in developing countries. Thus sustainable intensification (SI) will require, among other things, better use of land resources upon which production depends. This is critical given that most of the arable land in Africa has soil related problems, leading losses of nutrients and land cover (Heng et al. 2015). In this context improved land management is critical to overcoming soil related constraints to sustainable food production and in targeting agricultural interventions. However, limited availability of site-specific nutrient management guidelines for semi-arid zones in Tanzania undermines efforts to target technologies in the specific biophysical conditions in which smallholder farmers operate. Thus technologies adopted under these circumstances are risky as they may fail to address key drivers of enhanced crop production or land degradation. We characterized soils in Kongwa and Kiteto districts to assess fertility status and drivers of land degradation so as to inform the development of integrated land management options for SI under the Africa RISING project. This approach helps to link soil management recommendations to soil conditions and in targeting interventions./p> About the project Project title: Africa RISING- Intensification of Maize-Legume Based Systems in the Semi-Arid Areas of Tanzania to Increase Farm Productivity and Improve Farming Natural Resource Base Project abstract The aim of the Africa RISING project in Kongwa and Kiteto Districts, Tanzania is to provide a scientific basis for sustainably intensifying agricultural production in semi-arid areas of central Tanzania. The project activities are falls under 4 thematic areas that address three critical elements of sustainable intensification (SI), i.e. genetic, ecological and socio-economic intensification technologies. The scope of activities being implemented includes packaging of new legume and cereal varieties with over 120% yield advantage, packaging and validation of integrated productivity enhancing technologies for cereals, legumes, legume trees and soil health technologies, food safety primarily to reduce aflatoxin contamination and integration of livestock into the cropping systems. The innovation platform is used to set R4D priority in the active sites. In the 2013-2014 season, we reached out to about 1217 farmers Kongwa and Kiteto districts. In 2014 we plan to reach out to about 1500 new farmers. The project team is comprised of national partners (e.g. ARI-Hombolo, District Agricultural Officers, SUA and UDOM) and CG Partners (CIMMYT and ICRAF) under the leadership of ICRISAT. Project website: http://africa-rising.net Project start date: 05/1/2012 Project end date : 09/30/2016

联合国粮食及农业组织（Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO）估算，发展中国家作物增产总量中约80%源自农业集约化。因此，可持续集约化（SI）除其他要求外，还需更好地利用生产所依赖的土地资源。鉴于非洲多数耕地存在土壤相关问题，导致养分流失与土地覆被破坏（Heng等，2015），这一点尤为关键。在此背景下，改良土地管理对于克服可持续粮食生产面临的土壤相关限制因素、精准开展农业干预措施至关重要。然而，坦桑尼亚半干旱地区缺乏针对特定地块的养分管理指南，这削弱了针对小农户经营的特定生物物理条件推广技术的努力。因此，在此背景下采用的技术存在较高风险，因为它们可能无法解决作物增产或土地退化的关键驱动因素。本研究对孔瓜（Kongwa）与基泰托（Kiteto）地区的土壤进行了表征分析，以评估其肥力状况与土地退化驱动因素，从而为非洲RISING项目框架下的可持续集约化综合土地管理方案制定提供依据。该方法有助于将土壤管理建议与土壤条件相匹配，并实现干预措施的精准靶向。

关于项目
项目名称：非洲RISING项目——强化坦桑尼亚半干旱地区玉米-豆科种植系统，提升农场生产力并改善农业自然资源基础
项目摘要
坦桑尼亚孔瓜与基泰托地区的非洲RISING项目旨在为坦桑尼亚中部半干旱地区的农业可持续集约化生产提供科学依据。本项目活动分为4个主题领域，涵盖可持续集约化（SI）的三大核心要素：遗传、生态与社会经济集约化技术。当前实施的活动范围包括：推广产量优势超120%的新型豆科与谷类作物品种；针对谷类、豆科作物、豆科树木与土壤健康技术，集成并验证提升生产力的综合技术；主要针对降低黄曲霉毒素污染的食品安全工作；以及将畜牧业融入种植系统。创新平台用于在试点地区确定研究与发展（Research for Development, R4D）的优先事项。在2013-2014种植季，我们对接了孔瓜与基泰托地区约1217名农户。2014年，我们计划对接约1500名新增农户。项目团队由国际半干旱热带作物研究所（International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, ICRISAT）牵头，涵盖国内合作方（如Hombolo农业研究所、地区农业官员、苏库因大学（Sokoine University of Agriculture, SUA）和多多马大学（University of Dodoma, UDOM））以及国际农业磋商小组合作伙伴（国际玉米小麦改良中心（International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, CIMMYT）与世界农林业中心（World Agroforestry Centre, ICRAF））。
项目官网：http://africa-rising.net
项目启动日期：2012年5月1日
项目结束日期：2016年9月30日