Towards sustainable & productive farming systems for Africa: experiences and lessons from SIMLESA - Dr Mulugetta Mekuria, Senior Scientist, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and SIMLESA Project Leader

1. Towards sustainable & productive farming systems for
Africa: experiences and lessons from SIMLESA
Mulugetta Mekuria
SIMLESA Program Coordinator
CIMMYT Southern Africa Regional Office, Harare, Zimbabwe

2. The Problem Complex
Low productivity Scarce biomass Land degradation
Climate variability Poor markets
Limited resources
Food insecurity

3. The Potential: closing the yield gap

4. A Response: SIMLESA in action
Within the CAADP framework,
SIMLESA is increasing maize and
legume yields by 30% through:
Conservation agriculture practices
Improved maize & legume varieties
Better markets & value chains
It will reduce yield risks by 30%
Enhancing capacity & sustainability
To benefit 650,000 households Mrs Grace Malaichi
CHAMPION FARMER,
Facilitating spillovers to the region MALAWI

5. Where is ‘SIMLESA-10’ working?

6. SIMLESA Results on the Ground:
7 Increased maize yield from CA in Malawi
Farmer practice
6
Mean maize ggrain yield (t ha-1)
Conservation Agriculture
5
4
3
2
1
0
ETH KEN TAN MAL MOZ ETH KEN TAN MAL MOZ
WET AREAS DRY AREAS
Complex interactions:
Rainfall × Soil × Tillage × Residue cover × inputs etc

7. SIMLESA Results on the Ground:
benefits of CA in Ethiopia
40% Higher returns 54% Lower variable costs
1800
40000 Plowing
1600
35000
1400
30000 Cultivation
1200
Cost (birr ha-1)
Return (birr ha-1)
25000
1000
Herbicide
20000 800
15000 600
Labour for row
10000 400 making
5000 200 Labour for
herbicide
0 0 application
CA FP CA FP

8. Scaling out: The weakest link in the R&D Continuum
In country
• Strengthening and replicating innovation platforms
• Build technical capacity at all levels
• Build capacity in partnership formation
– Public private partnerships
Across the region
• Accelerating spillovers across countries
– Ethiopia/Kenya to Rwanda/Burundi/Uganda/South Sudan
– Tanzania/Malawi/Mozambique to Zambia/Botswana

9. Further Research Gaps
• Integrated soil fertility management for CA
• Integration of crop-livestock systems for CA
– Forage/fodder legumes
• Post harvest technology, storage and processing, food quality
• Policy options for sustainable intensification
• Resilience enhancing and risk reducing technologies
– Stress tolerant QPM
– Herbicide resistant maize and legumes
– Cell-phone based insurance

10. Take Home Messages
• Sustainable intensification through CA in Africa
is not only necessary but urgent
• Phased intensification across farming systems
• Focus on impact pathways, innovation
platforms and systems integration

11. Happy SIMLESA Partners