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Author: rllopez

SIMLESA Program Annual Report July 2013–June 2014

semi-anual-report-2014This report present some of the key achievement made in the previous annual reporting period, July 2013 to June 2014. It illustrates the key results per objective, as well as aggregation of contribution from the five SIMLESA implementing countries, that is Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique.

The main activities carried out are surveys (adoption monitoring, market, partial analysis, completion of baseline and topology analysis) and marketing trainings. QAAFI continue with the preparation of journal articles for publication on households’ typology across five SIMLESA countries of operation. Objective 1 achievements and scaling out plans were discussed at Annual Review Planning Meetings (ARPM) which were held between October and December 2013 in respective countries. Mozambique and Malawi meetings were combined as a cost cutting measure as well as enhancement of partner to partner collaboration and information sharing.

The period July 2013 to June 2014, has been mainly devoted to establishment of trials, technology analysis and implementation of identified scalable technologies under objective 2 of SIMLESA program. Activities carried out during this period include proper planning for effective scaling out of SIMLESA technologies to many farmers in all 5 core countries. Selection of scalable technology was conducted based on statistical results and target farmer’s preference using participatory methodologies. Minimum tillage-maize-legume intercropping was identified as best-bet technology by farmers in most regions. Exchange visit, field days, trial evaluation, IP meeting and farmer training were conducted in all SIMLESA countries during the reporting period.

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Tanzania mother takes charge of change

Through their own determination, and with support from local researchers, CIMMYT, ICRISAT, and organizations in Australia, sub-Saharan African farmers are applying improved maize-legume cropping systems to grow more food and make money.

On a hot August day near the village of Kilima Tembo, and amid the sounds of barking dogs and clucking chickens, Felista Mateo stepped out of the house she built by hand, walked into her fields, and proudly admired her maize crop. The plants reached toward the sun, verdant and strong. Her plot stood in stark contrast to neighboring fields, which were pocked by brittle, knee-high plants.

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SIMLESA in Mozambique

In Angonia District, of Tete Province, Mozambique,maize is intercropped with sugar beans, known as manteiga in the local language. The people here speak Chichewa, which is also spoken in Malawi. Weed control is a major problem in the region as herbicides are not widely used, and farmers do not always understand that they must weed all year long, not just when the crop begins to emerge. The farmers agree that weeding is easier on flat ground as compared to the ridges used in the farmers’ conventional practice. “Our ancestors used [ridges] to control against soil erosion, and we have continued to do so”, says Ernesto Jose, one of the farmers.

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Farmers in Balaka, Malawi, prefer CA

Balaka district

If Chrisy Samson Mpomola, a farmer in Malawi, were to choose a method of farming for her whole farm, she would choose the conservation agriculture (CA) method, with no ridges, where maize is intercropped with pigeon peas and herbicide applied (only Glyphosate)  for weed control. Why?

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Violet Chiwanda

Malawian farmer happy to be part of SIMLESA

Violet ChiwandaViolet Chiwanda, (right picture) is a small-scale farmer in Salima, Central Malawi, who is participating in SIMLESA. She is a young woman, aged 25 years, with a farm of 0.25 ha. “I am happy to be involved in the SIMLESA project”, she says. “What I like most about this project is Conservation Agriculture (CA), a farming method that is less tedious and this gives me time to attend to other household chores.”

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