Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T21:39:35.317Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Forage Production for Smallholder Farmers in a Rainfed Millet Cropping System in Central Mali

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

P. W. Bartholomew ,
R. Ly ,
D. Kone ,
S. F. Traore  and
K. Sissoko
P. W. Bartholomew
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), Programme du Sahel, BP 60 Bamako, Mali
R. Ly
Affiliation:
Institut National de Recherche Zootechnique Forestiere et Hydrobiologique (INRZFH), BP 1704, Bamako, Mali
D. Kone
Affiliation:
Institut National de Recherche Zootechnique Forestiere et Hydrobiologique (INRZFH), BP 1704, Bamako, Mali
S. F. Traore
Affiliation:
Institut National de Recherche Zootechnique Forestiere et Hydrobiologique (INRZFH), BP 1704, Bamako, Mali
K. Sissoko
Affiliation:
Institut National de Recherche Zootechnique Forestiere et Hydrobiologique (INRZFH), BP 1704, Bamako, Mali
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

A shortage of available labour early in the growing season, when effort is directed to the weeding ofcereal crops, appeared to be a primary constraint to increased forage cropping by smallholder farmers in the semi-arid zone of central Mali. In experiments with millet, the labour requirement for weeding was reduced by an average of 45% when the crop was weeded at two rather than four weeks after emergence. A combination of weeding by hand and by ox-drawn plough or harrow only slightly increased labour productivity compared with hand weeding alone. Both lablab and cowpea produced good yields of forage when sown in mid July, but average yield declined by 71 kg ha−l for each day's delay in sowing between mid July and mid-August. Green gram was also productive over a two month growing period and appeared to have potential as a late-sown forage crop.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , October 1992 , pp. 425 - 432
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Coulibaly, A. (1984). La Culture Fourragere au Mali. Bilan de Cinq Annees de Preaulgarisation. Republique du Mali: Institut National de Recherche Zootechnique, Forestiere et Hydrobiologique. Ministere Charge du Development Rural.Google Scholar
Direction Generale du Plan et de la Statistique (1974). Plan Quinquennal de Developpement Economique et Social 1974–1978. Republique du Mali: DGPS, Presidence du Gouvernement.Google Scholar
Ly, R. (1986). Test d'Introduction de Culture Pure de Niebe en Milieu Paysan. Commissions Techniques Specialisees des Productions Animales et Zootechniques. Session dc Juin 1986. Republique du Mali: Institut National de Recherche Zootechnique, Forestiere et Hydrobiologique, Ministere Charge des Ressources Naturelles et de l'Elevage.Google Scholar
Ly, R. & Sissoko, K. (1990). Essais Agronomiques de Cultures Fourrageres et Ameliorantes (Campagne 1989 1990). Commissions Techniques Specialisees de Productions Animales, Session Mars 1990. Republique du Mali: Institute National de Recherche Zootechnique, Forestiere et Hydrobiologique, Ministere de l'Environnement et de l'Elevage.Google Scholar
McIntire, J. & Debrah, S. (1986). Forage research in smallholder and pastoral production systems. In Utilization of Agricultural By-Products as Animal Feeds in Africa, 118–126 (Ed. by Little, D. A. and Said, A. N.). Proceedings of a Workshop held at Ryall's Hotel, Blantyre, Malawi, September 1986. African Research Network for Agricultural By-Products (ARNAB) 1987. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Inter-national Livestock Centre for Africa.Google Scholar
Sivakumar, M. V. K., Konate, M. & Virmani, S. M. (1984). Agroclimatologie de l'Afrique de l'Ouest: le Mali. Information Bulletin 19. Patancheru, India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).Google Scholar
Traore, S. F., Bartholomew, P. W. & Ly, R. (1988). Essais Agronomiques de Cultures Fourrageres et Ameliorantes. Campagne 1987–1988. Commissions Techniques Specialisees des Productions Animales et Zootechniques. Session de Mars 1988. Republique du Mali: Institut National de Recherche Zootechnique, Forestiere et Hydrobiologique, Ministere des Ressources Naturelles et de l'Elevage.Google Scholar
Wilson, R. T., de Leeuw, P. N. & de Haan, C. (1983). Recherches sur les Systemes des Zones Arides du Mali: Resultats Preliminaires. Rapport de Recherche No. 5. Addis Ababa, Ethiopie: Centre International pour l'Elevage en Afrique.Google Scholar