Curated Content

Drought tolerance mechanisms of three taro landraces (Dumbe Lomfula (DL), KwaNgwanase (KW) and Umbumbulu (UM)) were evaluated under field conditions Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, over two summer seasons. Taro was slow to emerge (~ 49 days) and showed significant differences between landraces with respect to final emergence with DL never achieving a good crop stand. Growth (plant height, leaf number and LAI), VGI, SC and CCI were significantly lower under rainfed (RF) than irrigated conditions. RF conditions resulted in significantly lower biomass, HI, and final yield of taro landraces compared to irrigated conditions. The UM landrace avoided drought through increased stomatal regulation, lowering chlorophyll content, smaller canopy size and reduced growth period. It is concluded that among the three landraces, UM is suitable for production under water stress conditions, because it exhibited drought avoidance and escape mechanisms.

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L.) is an underutilised African legume that fits the same ecological niche as Arachis hypogea. It is still cultivated using landraces and little is known about their seed quality. The current study evaluated seed quality characteristics (viability and vigour) of a local landrace on the basis of seed coat and speckling colour (plain red, plain cream, black speckles and brown speckles). Standard germination and electrolyte conductivity (EC) tests were used to evaluate viability and vigour. Seed imbibition rate was evaluated using two imbibition methods (seed-testing water bath and seed soaking). For each method, seeds were weighed at intervals and their water activity determined. Electron microscopy was used to determine seed coat thickness. There were highly significant differences (P < 0.001) among landrace selections with respect to germination, EC as well as imbibition and water activity. Black-speckled landraces had the highest germination (87%) and the plain cream landrace selections had the lowest final germination (67%). Brown-speckled and plain cream seeds had the highest (1 400 µs g-1) and lowest EC (36 µs g-1), respectively. Imbibition rate and water activity showed much fluctuation. Electron microscopy revealed that brown-speckled seeds had the thickest (116 µm) and plain cream seeds had the thinnest (107.9 µm) seed coats. The study concluded that seed quality in bambara groundnut was associated with seed coat and speckling colour.

This new National Forestry Policy for the development of the forest sector in Mauritius is the outcome of discussions and consultations with key stakeholders in government, civil society and other interested parties, a detailed study and review of relevant documents, the forestry sector, related issues and the range of activities associated with the sector. It replaces the previous official forestry policy statement enunciated in 1963.

Work on the preparation of the new Policy began on 01 October, 2004, and was completed on 30 April, 2006. It was undertaken by the Forestry Service under the direction of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Fisheries. International assistance for the formulation of the Policy was provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations under its Technical Cooperation Programme.

The Policy is a statement of the intentions of the Government for the development of the forest sector and is designed to protect and enhance the country’s natural environment, biodiversity and national heritage, while at the same time promoting recreation and tourism. The Policy describes, in general terms, the directions that forestry activities should take in the coming decade to address identified issues and problems. It is also a guide for decision-making.

Forestry policy formulation is a dynamic process that must be reviewed periodically in the light of a changing environment, society and globalisation of forestry.

Promotion of taro, a neglected underutilised crop, as a possible future crop under water-limited conditions hinges on availability of information describing its yield responses to water. Therefore, AquaCrop was calibrated and validated for the first time for an eddoe type taro landrace from South Africa, using data from pot, field and rain shelter experiments conducted over two seasons (2010/11 and 2011/12) at two locations (Pretoria and Pietermaritzburg) representative of semi-arid climates. Observed weather and soil physical parameters for specific sites together with measured crop parameters from optimum experiments conducted during 2010/11, were used to develop climate, soil and crop files in AquaCrop and to calibrate the model. Observations from the 2011/12 growing season and independent data were used to validate the model. Model calibration showed a good fit (R2 = 0.789; d-index = 0.920; RMSE = 2.380%) for canopy cover (CC) as well as good prediction for final biomass (RMSE = 1.350 t ha−1) and yield (RMSE = 1.205 t ha−1). Model validation showed good simulation for CC under irrigated conditions (R2 = 0.844; d-index = 0.998; RMSE = 1.852%). However, the model underestimated CC under rainfed (R2 = 0.018; d-index = 0.645; RMSE = 20.170%) conditions. The model predicted biomass (R2 = 0.898; d-index = 0.875; RMSE = 5.741 t ha−1) and yield (R2 = 0.964; d-index = 0.987; RMSE = 1.425 t ha−1) reasonably well for pooled data [field (RF and FI) and rain shelter (100, 60 and 30% ETa)]. The model also predicted biomass (R2 = 0.996; d-index = 0.986; RMSE = 1.745 t ha−1) and yield (R2 = 0.980; d-index = 0.991; RMSE = 1.266 t ha−1) well for the independent data set.

The aim of this study was to parameterize and test the generic crop model AquaCrop for a local bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc] landrace. Such a model should be water driven and assist in the promotion of neglected and underutilized species as possible future crops under water-limited conditions. AquaCrop was parameterized for a South African bambara groundnut landrace using data from controlled field and rain shelter experiments conducted during two seasons (2010/2011 and 2011/2012) at Pretoria, South Africa. Observed weather, soil physical, and measured crop parameters from optimum experiments conducted during 2010/2011 were used to develop respective climate, soil, and crop files in AquaCrop and to parameterize the model. Model parameterization for bambara groundnut showed a very good fit for canopy cover (R2 = 0.94, Willmott’s d index of agreement = 0.99, RMSE = 3.37%) and biomass (R2 = 0.96, d index = 0.99, RMSE = 1.29 Mg ha–1). The model also predicted final biomass (RMSE = 1.70 Mg ha–1) and yield (RMSE = 0.29 Mg ha–1) reasonably well. Model testing showed good fit for canopy cover under irrigated (R2 = 0.86, d index = 0.96, RMSE = 9.72%) and rainfed field conditions (R2 = 0.95,d index = 0.97, RMSE = 6.18%) compared with simulation of results from rain shelter experiments. The model simulated final biomass and yield of bambara groundnut very well under field conditions. The model’s performance under rainfed conditions make it particularly suited for extrapolation to marginal areas of agricultural production in South Africa and the region.

Taro [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] is an underutilised crop in sub-Saharan Africa due to lack of agronomic research on it. There is no information describing water-use and drought tolerance of local taro landraces. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate growth, yield and water-use of three South African landraces of taro under varying water regimes. Three taro landraces [Dumbe Lomfula (DL), KwaNgwanase (KW) and Umbumbulu (UM)] were planted in a rainshelter (14, October, 2010 and 8, September, 2011) at Roodeplaat, Pretoria, South Africa. Three levels of irrigation [30%, 60% and 100% crop water requirement (ETa)] were applied three times a week using drip irrigation. Emergence, plant height, leaf number, leaf area index (LAI) and stomatal conductance were measured in situ. Root length, fresh and dry mass were obtained by destructive sampling. Yield, yield components and water-use efficiency were determined at harvest. Taro landraces showed slow and uneven emergence. Stomatal conductance was respectively, 4% and 23% lower at 60% and 30% ETa relative to 100% ETa. Such a decline was clearer in the UM landrace, suggesting greater stomatal regulation in the UM landrace compared with KW and DL landraces. Plant growth parameters (plant height, leaf number and LAI) were shown to decrease by between 5% and 19% at 60% and 30% ETa, respectively, evapotranspiration relative to 100% ETa. The KW and DL landraces were shown to decrease the most while the UM landrace had moderate reductions in growth. Taro yield was 15% and 46% higher at optimum irrigation relative to 60% ETa and 30% ETa, respectively. Water-use efficiency was relatively unchanged (0.22–0.24 kg m−3) across varying water regimes. On average, the UM landrace had 113% higher WUE than the KW landrace. These findings can be used to differentiate the landraces on the basis of potential drought tolerance.

Food insecurity and climate change are having a dire impact on many households in Lesotho. This situation can be addressed together by transforming agriculture and adopting practices that are “climate-smart” and sustainable.

Farmers and rural communities are under the greatest threat from climate change, but they could also play a major role in addressing it. Climate-smart farming techniques such as Conservation Agriculture and improved Home Gardening and Nutrition would increase food production, incomes and food security while making agriculture more resilient to climate change. Besides, sustainable land management practices are essential to protect Lesotho’s natural resources and rural livelihoods.

In this repository website, you will find harmonized visual training materials developed in Lesotho to promote CSA among communities, farmers, students, decision makers and the general public. 

We, the African Member States and Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Ministers, Heads of Delegation and Experts, attending the High Level Meeting of the first African Drought Conference (ADC);

Having met in Windhoek, Namibia from the 15 – 19 August 2016;

Congratulate the Government of Namibia and the UNCCD Secretariat for coordinating and organizing the first African Drought Conference, and thanking in particular NEPAD and all sponsors of the ADC.

Recognizing the alarming impacts of the recent 2015/2016 El Nino events as one of the most severe in recent decades
across Africa.

In Namibia, agriculture and forestry contributes 5.1% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and livestock alone contributes 3.5% which is a contribution of 68.63 % to the Agricultural GDP (Namibia Statistical Agency’s, 2012).

In addition, agriculture plays a critical role in the formal and informal economy supporting 70% of the population directly or indirectly through employment and income generation (Ministry of Environment and Tourism, 2015).

Crop production activities in Namibia are limited, mainly due to the arid climate and low rainfall patterns. Small-scale farmers use traditional methods of production that are characterised by low productivity (Ministry of Foreign Afairs of Finland, 2015).

This weakens the food security of the population and the dependence on rain-fed agriculture increases the vulnerability of farming systems and predisposes rural households to food insecurity and poverty.

It is projected that the reduction in crop yields will have devastating impacts on food security at both national and household levels. Under the current conditions, the agriculture sector in Namibia needs to grow by 4% a year to meet the food requirements for the expanding population (Ministry of Foreign Afairs of Finland, 2015).

In light of these challenges, Namibia needs to adapt its agricultural practices and increase the resilience of livelihoods to be able to withstand the challenges posed by Climate Change to sustain development and growth of the country. This is why Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an important topic for discussion at all levels of the society.

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is an underutilised species with potential to contribute nutritional and food security in marginal areas. Growth, phenology and yield of a local bambara groundnut landrace from Jozini, KwaZulu-Natal, characterised into three selections according to seed coat colour, namely Brown, Red and Light Brown, were evaluated under irrigated and rain-fed field conditions at Roodeplaat, Pretoria, over two seasons (2010/11 and 2011/12). Trials with three replicates were planted under rain-fed and irrigated conditions with seed colour as a subfactor. Emergence (up to 35 d after planting), plant height, leaf number, leaf area index, chlorophyll content index and stomatal conductance were measured in situ. Yield and components of yield were determined at harvest. The Red, Brown and Light Brown landrace selections emerged well (84%, 81% and 51%, respectively). Plant physiological and growth parameters of stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content index, plant height, leaf number, leaf area index and biomass accumulation were lower under rain-fed relative to irrigated conditions. Adaptations were landrace selection-specific, with the Brown and Red landrace selections showing better adaptation to rain-fed conditions. Under rain-fed conditions, bambara groundnut landrace selections flowered, senesced and matured earlier relative to irrigated conditions. Consequently, there were lower yields under rain-fed compared with irrigated conditions. The Red and Brown landrace selections may have drought-avoidance mechanisms. Seed colour may be used as a selection criterion for drought tolerance in bambara groundnut landraces.