National Agricultural Extension Representatives

Pesticides are essential for the control of infestation of disease, insect pests and weeds on different crops. Due to wide usage of synthetic pesticides which may lead to increased exposure and associated environmental and health risks among small-holder farmers in Zambia, a study was undertaken to understand how knowledgeable farmers are on pesticide use and practices. A total of 418 small scale farmers were randomly sampled from Mkushi, Mpongwe, Luangwa, Mbala, Solwezi, Chipata and Kalomo Districts of Zambia. Data pertaining to types of pesticides use, handling, storage and disposal was solicited using structured questionnaires. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS. Findings revealed that of the sampled farmers 43%, 30%, 25% and 17% used Glyphosate, Dicamba, Paraquat and Atrazine respectively as herbicides in Maize. 21% and 14% used Cypermethrine and Monocrotophos respectively as insecticides in both Maize and Soybean. 81% of the sampled farmers used empty containers for either storing drinking water or salt while only 15% wore protective clothing when applying pesticides. Pesticide mishandling occurred regardless of the amount of experience a farmer had using pesticides. 68% of the sampled farmers had never received any formal basic training in pestic ide use, hence a clear knowledge gap. The fact that receipt of basic training was the main predictor of a farmers’ level of knowledge on pesticide use, a farmer who had received basic training in appropriate chemical pesticides use, as opposed to one who had not, had a better chance of using chemical pesticides safely and in the right quantities.

BACKGROUND:Thispaperdocumentsfarmerperceptionsandmanagementpracticesforfallarmyworm(Spodopterafrugiderda J.E.Smith),providingabaselineforthedevelopmentofsustainablepestmanagementstrategies.
RESULTS:91%offarmerscorrectlyidentifiedfallarmyworm,andreporteditasthemostimportantmaizepestduring2016/2017 cropping season, affecting nearly half of cultivated area. Estimated maize yield loss during the season, attributed to fall armywormwas28%.Amajorityoffarmers(60%)usedpesticidesforfallarmywormcontrol,alongwithothercultural/physical practices – handpickingandcrushingeggmasses/caterpillars(36%),andapplicationofash/sandinthefunnel(19%).Farmers usedvariouspesticideactiveingredients,andprotectivemeasureswereinadequate;>50%offarmersdidnotuseanyprotective measures while spraying. Significantly more male than female farmers used pesticides (P=0.05), and the reverse was true for culturalpractices.Significantmaizeyielddifferences(P=0.001)wereobservedbygender,attributedtodifferencesinutilization of production inputs/practices. At least 77% of farmers received and shared agricultural advice, which can be optimized to spreadinformationonfallarmywormmanagementoptions.
CONCLUSION: Increased use of pesticides to manage fall armyworm poses health and environmental risks, besides the high cost for farmers and governments. Research into cultural and indigenous practices used by farmers will offer opportunities for alternative and sustainable management practices. Research efforts should pay attention to gender differences in access to resources and inputs. Tackling fall armyworm at the farm level, and averting yield losses will require integrated messaging addressingotherproductionrisks. 

Among the biotic stresses that affect cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L) productivity, infestation by cowpea bruchid beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus) is a major problem, causing yield losses of up to 100 %. To alleviate this problem, use of resistant varieties is a feasible approach for small-scale farmers. In Zambia, there are no reported sources of resistance to C. maculatus. The objectives of this study were: i) to evaluate certain cowpea mutants, generated at the University of Zambia, for resistance to C. maculatus; ii) to cluster the tested genotypes based on height, number of pods per plant, 100-seed weight, yield ha-1, number of eggs laid and adult emergence; and iii) to evaluate the candidate mutants for protein content. Experiments were conducted at three locations in 2014/15. The mutants, LT 11-5-2-2, BB 7-9-7-5 and BB-14-16-22, were found to be resistant to C. maculatus across locations and they out-performed their respective parents (p< 0.05) in the degree of resistance to C. maculatus. Cluster analysis, using selected agronomic parameters, showed that the selected resistant mutants (cluster B) were more similar to each other (95 %) than to Namuseba and Msandile (included as susceptible genotypes), which clustered at a similarity level of 78 % (cluster A). The mutants, LT 11-5-2-2, BB 7-9-7-5 and BB-14-16-22, showed resistance to C. maculatus, but their protein content was similar to their parents, indicating that this crucial trait had been maintained in the mutants. 

Nitrogen is a major plant nutrient which is most limiting in the soil due to soil losses of mineral nitrogen (N) form. To ensure availability of nitrogen in the soil, the study was conducted to screen four cowpea genotypes for Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) and their contribution to maize yield in maize- cowpea rotation. The cowpea genotypes used were mutants LT11-3-3-12 (LT) and BB14-16-2-2 (BB) and their parental varieties Lutembwe (LTPRT) and Bubebe (BBPRT) respectively. Trials were established at two sites (Chisamba and Batoka) of different soil types. The Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications was used. Labelled 15N urea was applied at 20kgNha-1 on the four cowpea genotypes during 2015/16 growing season. Cowpea plant parts were dried and milled for 15N isotopic analysis. The data collected included Nitrogen content and atom % 15N excess in the fixing cowpea genotypes and non-nitrogen fixing pearl millet to determine total nitrogen derived from the atmosphere (TNdfa) and total nitrogen (TN) in plant parts which were further used to compute Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF). The results showed that BNF by cowpea genotypes at Chisamba was 63.9 kg ha-1 and was significantly (P<0.001) more than BNF of 6.6 kgha-1 at Batoka. The LT mutant fixed significantly (P<0.001) higher nitrogen of 86.1 kgha-1 and 16.5kg ha-1 at Chisamba and Batoka respectively than other genotypes. However, both BB and LT mutants significantly fixed more nitrogen than their parents and have demonstrated to increase maize grain yields up-to 12 tha-1 in the maize – cowpea rotation. 

Neste panfleto, poderá encontrar três novas variedades de amendoim, lançadas recentemente em Moçambique pelo IIAM (Instituto de Investigação Agrária de Moçambique) no contexto de um projecto financiado pelo APPSA, liderado pelo Dr. Amade Muitia. No geral, essas variedades são tolerantes a secas, manchas precoces / tardias e roseta e produzem cerca de 2,5 toneladas por hectare. Os nomes das variedades são Mapupulo-018, Amena-018 e AMM-018.

This Decision Tool aims to help field level extension staff make smart climate decisions on which pest and disease management options best suit their farmers’ context. This tool is not designed as a technical guide to implementation. It is designed to assist extension staff in making climate-smart decisions on improvements to their farming systems with their clients/farmers. Reference to technical guides relevant to the practices and technologies outlined are included at the end of the tool. The tool focuses on some of the Best Bet Climate-Smart Pest & Disease Management Options
for livestock production in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

This Decision Tool aims to help field-level extension staff make climate-smart decisions on which genetic improvement option best suits the context of their farmers. This tool is not designed as a technical guide to implementation. It is designed to assist extension staff in making climate smart decisions on improvements to farming systems with their clients. Reference to technical guides
relevant to the practices and technologies outlined are included at the end of the tool. The tool focuses on some of the Best Bet Climate-Smart Genetic Improvement Options for livestock production in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

This Decision Tool aims to help field level extension staff make climate smart decisions on which manure management option best suits their farmers’ context. This tool is not designed as a technical guide to implementation. It is designed to assist extension staff in making climate smart decisions on improvements to their farming systems with their clients/farmers. Reference to technical guides relevant to the practices and technologies outlined are included at the end of the tool. The tool focuses on some of the Best Bet Climate-Smart Manure Management Options for livestock production in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

This Decision Tool aims to help field level extension staff make climate-smart decisions on which pasture/rangeland management options best suit their farmers’ context. This
tool is not designed as a technical guide to implementation. It is designed to assist extension staff in making climate-smart decisions on improvements to their farming systems
with their clients/farmers. Reference to technical guides relevant to the practices and technologies outlined are included at the end of the tool. The tool focuses on some of
the Best Bet Climate-Smart Pasture and Rangeland Management Options for livestock production in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region

This poster highlights the work that CCARDESA with the support from GIZ has done in Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe in implementing climate-smart agriculture practices which saw improved and increased yields in 19 pilot farms.