Breve descrição da melhor prática

The purpose of the Ecofarm is to create an integrated farming system in order to improve the food security of farmers in the drylands. This is done through testing and refining a series of low-cost technologies in order to increase the total production on the farm. The testing is done by the farmers, on their own lands. The final result is that the farmers themselves, after succeeding and/or failing, eventually find the best combination of technologies that will improve their food security. This is of course based on their own economic, natural and human resources as well as the local agro-ecological conditions. The most successful technologies are seed priming (soaking seeds for 8 hours in water prior to sowing) and microdosage of fertiliser. Seed priming and 0.3 g fertilizer per seed pocket increases yields by up to 70 %. The project also includes technologies related to human nutrition (multipurpose trees) and livestock (fodder). |

Localização

The Ecofarm research project has been implemented in Mali (Mopti, Ségou and Koulikoro regions.|

Breve descrição do ambiente natural dentro do local especificado.

Since the project was implemented in three different regions in Mali, it is difficult to generalize on the natural environment. All sites are zones where drylans agriculture is possible and practiced, but with the associated problems of for ex low soil fertility.|

Condições socioeconômicas prevalecentes das pessoas que vivem no local e/ou nas proximidades

The people living in the area are mainly small-scale farmers, living off the land. The main income is low and unstaible.|

Com base em quais critérios e/ou indicadores (não relacionados com a Estratégia) a prática proposta e a tecnologia correspondente foram considerados como "melhores"?

There is an increased focus on a multifunctional agriculture which can contribute to reducing poverty, preserving the environment, increasing the adapation capacity to climate change and improve health. The Ecofarm approach has shown that it can contribute to fullfil these objectives and facilitate the transition from an emergency situation to sustainable development in the drylands.   |

Principais problemas abordados pelas melhores práticas

High variability in rainfall
Low soil fertility
Low availability of drought restistant crops and varieties
Weeds and pests
Lack of fodder and low fodder quality
Farmers are continously expanding the cultivated area
Mainly cereal production producing low quality food. Lack of vitamin A,  C,  and iron

Esboçar problemas específicos de degradação do solo abordados pelas melhores práticas

Low soil fertility

Especificar os objetivos das melhores práticas

The objectives of the Ecofarm approach is to:
1. Increase farmers income
2. Reduce farmers risks
3. Improve human nutrition
4. Preserve the environment.

Breve descrição das principais atividades, por objetivo

The approach in the ecofarm project to improve nutrition
Increase farmers income through higher crop and livestock productivity
Stimulate cultivation of micronutrient rich crops such as Moringa, baobab, and fruits
Promotion of grain legumes for protein production
Promote milk production |
Reducing farmers risks through diversification of crops, livestock production and increased yields.
Increased livestock production:
More fodder through priming and microfertilization
Improved fodder quality through intercropping and harvesting grains at physiological maturity.
Improved fodder mix|
This is an integrated approach, so the technologies tested contribute to several objectives.
Increasing farmers income through increased yield.
Agricultural technologies:
Microfertilisation
Seed priming
New crops (fingermillet, rice)
Striga resistant sorghum
Conservation tillage
Intercropping|
Preserving the environment
All the technologies are contributing to a sustainable managment of the natural resources and preserves the environment.

Breve descrição e especificações técnicas da tecnologia

The Ecofarm research project is an integrated approach offering a basket of different technologies to the participating farmers. Each farmer makes his or her own choice when it comes to which technologies that are in the end adopted. The multitude of technologies related to agriculture, livestock production and human nutrition mutually reinforces each other in achieving the four objectives. |

A tecnologia foi desenvolvida em parceria?

Sim

Liste os parceiros:

ICRAF-Sahel (International Centre for Research on Agroforestry), IER (Institute of Rural Economy), the NGOs AMAPROS, Kilabo, Care Mali, ADRA Mali and ADAF/ Gallée, Noragric (Department of International Development and Environment Studies) at the University of Life Sciences in Norway.  |

Especificar a estrutura dentro da qual a tecnologia foi promovida

• Iniciativa Internacional
• Programa/iniciativa baseada em projetos

A participação das partes interessadas locais, incluindo as OSCs, foi fomentada no desenvolvimento da tecnologia?

Sim

Lista das partes interessadas locais envolvidas:

The local stakeholders were national reserach institutions and NGOs as listed above, in addition to farmers participating in the project. |

Para os participantes listados acima, especifique seu papel no projeto, início, uso e manutenção da tecnologia, se houver.

The project has been locally adapted and "owned" by farmers, the researchers have contributed with the scientific approach and made the results relevant beyond the local specifications, and the NGOs have functioned as a mediator between the local communities and the researchers and have continued using the technologies in new projects. Extension workers has also been an important stakeholder in this project.|

A população que vive no local e/ou nas proximidades estava envolvida no desenvolvimento da tecnologia?

Sim

Por meio de quê?

• Abordagens participativas

Especifique:

The farmers were a crucial part of the project by conducting on-farm trials of the different technologies.

Descreva os impactos no local (os dois principais impactos por categoria)

The combination of seed priming (soaking seeds in water) and microfertilizer have increased yields by up to 70%
Analysis show that investments in Ecofarm technologies (particularly fertilizers) have a rentability of 20-165 Francs CFA back for each franc CFA invested.
Farmers need less land to cultivate when using Ecofarm technologies.
Evaluations confirm that housholds previously considered as poor, have improved their food security and are now considered as average on a wealth scale.|
Nutrition/human health
The use of Moringa and Baobab leaves (rich in vitamines A and C) are contibuting to improved nutrition and health according to the participating farmers.

Impacto sobre a biodiversidade e a mudança climática

Explique as razões:

Soil conservation techniques leads to increased carbon sequestration in soil. If practiced on a large scale it can have a mitigating effect.
The Ecofarm is an integrated approach with a goal to increase farmers adaptive capacities to a changing environment. With simple low-cost technologies local communities in the drylands can move from an emergency situation with little income, malnutrition, a weakened labour force, loss of productive assets and a degraded environment to a situation of sustainable development with more secure income, apropriate nutrition and a sustainable use of natural resources.|
The Ecofarm project is promoting agrobiodiversity

Foi realizada uma análise de custo-benefício?

Foi realizada uma análise de custo-benefício?

Não

A tecnologia foi disseminada/introduzida para outros locais?

A tecnologia foi disseminada/introduzida para outros locais?

Sim

Onde?

Ethiopia|Sudan

Você pode identificar as três principais condições que levaram ao sucesso das melhores práticas/tecnologias apresentadas?

The project represents an integrated approach, aiming at improving several factors in the livelilhoods of the farmers, and leaving a large degree of choice and flexibility to the farmer. This approach is replicable|
Good collaboration between research, NGOs and farmers. This can be replicated elsewhere.|
The project was locally adapted to each location. This is replicable, but requires time and resources to to the adaptation to each new project area.|

Replicabilidade

Na sua opinião, a melhor prática/tecnologia que você propôs pode ser replicada, embora com algum nível de adaptação, em outro lugar?

Sim

Relacionado a recursos humanos

Implication of multiple stakeholders at all levels are crucial for the success of such a project.

Relacionado aos aspectos financeiros

The Ecofarm is not a costly project, but the combined efforts of researchers, NGOs and farmers have led to results. The technologies introduced are also low-cost and facilitates adoption.|