1.3 Condições em relação ao uso da informação documentada através de WOCAT

O/a compilador/a e a(s) pessoa(s) capacitada(s) aceitam as condições relativas ao uso de dados documentados através da WOCAT:

Sim

2.1 Descrição curta da tecnologia

Definição da tecnologia:

“Push-Pull” is a technology to efficiently control pests and progressively improves soil fertility.

2.2 Descrição detalhada da tecnologia

Descrição:

In the Lake Victoria region - like in many other parts of sub-Saharan Africa – stemborer pests, striga weeds and poor soil fertility are the main constraints to efficient production of cereals. In combination they often lead to complete crop failure. The “Push-Pull” technology efficiently controls the pests and progressively improves soil fertility. It involves intercropping maize with a repellent plant, such as desmodium (“push”); an attractant trap plant, such as napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is planted as a border crop around this intercrop (“pull”). The stemborer moths are attracted to volatile compounds emitted by the napier grass which at the same time serves as a haven for the borers' natural enemies. When moths lay eggs on napier grass a sticky substance secreted by the grass physically traps the moths’ larvae. Napier is also an important carbohydrate-rich fodder grass. Desmodium, a perennial cover crop, produces repellent volatile chemicals that push away the moths, and the plant effectively suppresses striga weeds through its root exudates. Furthermore, desmodium fixes nitrogen, conserves soil moisture, enhances arthropod abundance and diversity and improves soil organic matter, thereby making cereal cropping systems more resilient and adaptable to climate change. Being a low-growing plant it does not interfere with the crops' growth. Push-pull simultaneously improves cereal productivity; enables production of year-round quality fodder - thereby allowing for integration with livestock husbandry; diversifies income streams and enables smallholders to enter into the cash economy. It also improves soil fertility; protects fragile soils from erosion and enables a minimum tillage system. The technology is appropriate to resource-poor smallholder farmers as it is based on locally available plants, affordable external inputs, and fits well with traditional mixed cropping systems practiced in SSA.

2.3 Fotos da tecnologia

2.5 País/região/locais onde a tecnologia foi aplicada e que estão cobertos nesta avaliação

2.6 Data da implementação

Caso o ano exato seja desconhecido, indique a data aproximada:

• 10-50 anos atrás

2.7 Introdução da tecnologia

Especifique como a tecnologia foi introduzida:

• durante experiências/ pesquisa

3.2 Tipo(s) atualizado(s) de uso da terra onde a tecnologia foi aplicada

Comentários:

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Cereal pests and diseases, decline of soil organic matter and fertility

3.3 Mais informações sobre o uso da terra

Abastecimento de água para a terra na qual a tecnologia é aplicada:

• Precipitação natural

3.5 Difusão da tecnologia

Comentários:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 76000 m2.

3.6 Medidas de GST contendo a tecnologia

Comentários:

Main measures: vegetative measures

Type of agronomic measures: mixed cropping / intercropping, contour planting / strip cropping, retaining more vegetation cover

Type of vegetative measures: aligned: -along boundary, aligned: -linear

3.7 Principais tipos de degradação da terra abordados pela tecnologia

Comentários:

Main type of degradation addressed: Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content, Bh: loss of habitats, Bp: increase of pests / diseases, loss of predators

3.8 Redução, prevenção ou recuperação da degradação do solo

Especifique o objetivo da tecnologia em relação a degradação da terra:

• Reduzir a degradação do solo
• Prevenir degradação do solo

Comentários:

Main goals: prevention of land degradation, mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Desenho técnico da tecnologia

4.2 Especificações técnicas/ explicações do desenho técnico

Layout of push-pull plot with1 m spacing between napier border and maize field

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: moderate

Technical knowledge required for land users: low

Main technical functions: increase in organic matter, increase in nutrient availability (supply, recycling,…), promotion of vegetation species and varieties (quality, eg palatable fodder), pest control

Mixed cropping / intercropping
Material/ species: Desmodium as a perennial intercrop
Remarks: Desmodium is drilled in between maize rows at 75 cm row to row distance

Contour planting / strip cropping
Material/ species: napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum)
Remarks: Spacing of napier plants should be 75 cm between rows and 50 cm between plants within a row

Aligned: -along boundary
Vegetative material: G : grass
Spacing between rows / strips / blocks (m): 75.00
Vertical interval within rows / strips / blocks (m): 50.00

Aligned: -linear
Vegetative material: C : perennial crops
Spacing between rows / strips / blocks (m): 75.00

Perennial crops species: Desmodium

Grass species: Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum)

4.4 Atividades de implantação

	Atividade	Tipo de medida	Periodicidade
1.	Plant 3 consecutive rows of napier grass (Bana variety) around the plot: make planting holes, apply fertilizer (or manure), place 3-node canes or root splits, cover with soil (before rains)	Vegetativo
2.	Land preparation for desmodium: plough and harrow the land (to get fine soil), make furrows between the rows where the maize will be planted (using strong pointed stick; before rains)	Vegetativo
3.	Mix desmodium seed with super phosphate fertilizer (ratio 1:2), or alternatively with fine soil. Sow into the furrows and cover with soil (onset of rains)	Vegetativo
4.	Plant maize. / Weeding of maize, desmodium and Napier grass	Vegetativo	3 and 5-6 weeks after planting maize
5.	Manage napier grass: 1st harvest after 3 months (plants are 1-1,5 m high), leave stem height of 10 cm for quick regrow, start with inner row	Vegetativo	1st harvest after 3 months

4.6 Atividades recorrentes/manutenção

	Atividade	Tipo de medida	Periodicidade/frequência
1.	Land preparation for maize: carefully dig/plough between desmodium lines not to disturb / uproot the desmodium (it is a perennial crop!)	Vegetativo
2.	Plant maize	Vegetativo
3.	Trim the desmodium so that it does not overgrow in between the maize plants	Vegetativo	after 3 and 6 weeks
4.	Repeat activities 5.-7. listed under establishment	Vegetativo

4.7 Custos e entradas necessárias pata a manutenção/atividades recorrentes (por ano)

Comentários:

Machinery/ tools: planting stick / hoe

Size of push-pull plot for the cost calculations above = 0.25 ha.

4.8 Fatores mais importantes que afetam os custos

Descreva os fatores mais determinantes que afetam os custos:

Input prices (in US$):
1 Person-day = 1.2 US$.
1 napier root split / cane = 0.14 US$.;
1 kg desmodium seeds = 18.9 US$.;
1 kg superphosphate fertilizer = 0.68US$

5.1 Clima

5.2 Topografia

Comentários e outras especificações sobre a topografia:

Slopes on average: flat (0-2%), gentle (3-5%), moderate (6-10%)

Landforms: plateau / plains, footslopes, valley floors

5.3 Solos

5.6 Características dos usuários da terra que utilizam a tecnologia

Indique outras características relevantes dos usuários da terra:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly disadvantaged land users

Difference in the involvement of women and men: some organized in informal groups

Population density: > 500 persons/km2

5.7 Média da área de terra própria ou arrendada por usuários da terra que utilizam a tecnologia

5.8 Propriedade de terra, direitos de uso da terra e de uso da água

Comentários:

Land ownership: state, communal / village, individual, not titled, individual, titled

6.1 Impactos no local mostrados pela tecnologia

Impactos socioeconômicos

Produção

Renda e custos

Impactos ecológicos

Solo

Clima e redução de riscos de desastre

6.3 Exposição e sensibilidade da tecnologia às mudanças climáticas graduais e extremos/desastres relacionados ao clima (conforme o ponto de vista dos usuários da terra)

Comentários:

Technology is tolerant to climatic extremes.

6.4 Análise do custo-benefício

Como os benefícios se comparam aos custos de implantação (do ponto de vista dos usuários da terra)?

Como os benefícios se comparam aos custos recorrentes/de manutenção(do ponto de vista dos usuários da terra)?

6.5 Adoção da tecnologia

Comentários:

100% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

There is a strong trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: To date it has been adopted by over 29,000 smallholder farmers in East Africa, mostly without incentives. Where the technology is being introduced for the first time, farmers only need demonstration and technology information

6.7 Pontos fortes/vantagens/oportunidades da tecnologia

Pontos fortes/vantagens/oportunidades na visão do/a compilador/a ou de outra pessoa capacitada
Improves cereal productivity
Enables production of year-round quality fodder - thereby allowing for integration with livestock husbandry
Diversifies income streams and enables smallholders to enter into the cash economy
Improves soil fertility; protects fragile soils from erosion and enables a minimum tillage system
The technology is appropriate to resource-poor smallholder farmers as it is based on locally available plants, affordable external inputs, and fits well with traditional mixed cropping systems practiced in SSA.

6.8 Pontos fracos, desvantagens/riscos da tecnologia e formas de superá-los

Pontos fracos/desvantagens/riscos na visão do usuário da terra	Como eles podem ser superados?
Napier grass is an aggressive plant that spreads through rhizomes under the ground	regular control and weeding.
The older napier stems and leaves are less palatable for livestock	regularly cut young, tender leaves and stems.
Minor adjustment of the smallholder farming system to introduce desmodium in traditional maize-bean intercrops	desmodium (fodder crop) and beans (food crop, important protein source) can both be intercropped with maize. In areas where striga weed is not a problem, farmers can plant desmodium after every 3 or 5 rows of maize, and use the other rows for beans. Stemborers will still be repelled

7.2 Referências às publicações disponíveis

Título, autor, ano, ISBN:

Prof. Zeyaur R. Khan (Principal Scientist and Programme Leader) and Jimmy Pittchar, Push-pull Programme, International Centre of Insect Physiology & Ecology (ICIPE), Mbita Point, Kenya; zkhan@mbita.mimcom.net; jpittchar@mbita.mimcom.net; jpittchar@icipe.org