filsan / phosphorus success stories in the dry land farming of the bay region-somalia

Presented To: ToT Workshop, Horn Relief

September 30th – October 2nd 2009

FILSAN / PHOSPHORUS SUCCESS STORIES IN THE DRY LAND FARMING OF THE BAY REGION-SOMALIA

Introduction Bay region (population, crops, cropping systems,

rainfall) Pre-war research findings on:

Filsan mungbean Phosphorous

Post-war interventions Filsan mungbean Phosphorous

Overview

Human population 400,000– 45% farmers– 33% nomadic– 20% non agricultural

Animal population 1.1M– 29% camels– 34% cattle– 33% goats– 04% sheep

Introduction

Crops– Sorghum 95%

• Grain - human consumption• Stover – Livestock consumption

– Other Crops 5%• Cowpeas, mungbeans and peanuts

Introduction

Arid to semi arid Annual rainfall 500-700mm-Bimodal

– GU: 250-350mm– Der: 200 –250mm

80% of the grain is produced during the Gu season Average temperature 26oC

Introduction

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J M M J S N

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Subsistence farming Farm size 1-8 ha Monocropping system Inputs

• Seed• Labor

Grain Yield (sorghum) 300-800 kg/ha

Introduction

Pre-Emergency Research Findings

1970 091980 1990 00

BIG BANG

Emergency and post Emergency context

Research andAcademic inst.

Somtux

Filsan seed releasePhosphorus

I. FILSAN SEED: PRE-EMERGENCY RESEARCH RESULTS (1981-1986)

Pre-emergency (1981-1986)

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Local Filsan0

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Days to maturity Seeds/pod

Pre-emergency (1981-1986)1000 Seed wt Yield (kg/ha)

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Local Filsan300

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Agronomic Data (1981-1986) Bonka

Variety Days to maturity

Seeds/pod

Seed wt.

Yield (Kg/ha)

% Ashy Stem Blight

Filsan 60 7 60 470 23

Local 76 12 42 458 6

V3474 59 8 57 453 18

V1945 58 8 63 447 52

V1560 60 7 62 418 41

V1177 60 6 62 380 -

Filsan seed was recommended for release in 1987

Filsan seed multiplication was initiated in 1988 and 1989

Civil war 1990 Filsan seed along with all other institutional

memories were vanished

Pre-emergency(1981-1986)

I. FILSAN SEED: PRE-EMERGENCY RESEARCH RESULTS (1981-1986)

2002- Breeders Seed (FILSAN) was obtained from AVRDC-Taiwan

2002 & 2003 seed increased in Minnesota

March 2004-11kg of seed shipped to ICRISAT-Kenya for further seed increase

2005, 110 kg Filsan seed produced with the help of ICRISAT-Nairobi

Filsan: Post-emergency recovery

110 kg Filsan seed repatriated to Somalia and distributed to farmers by SAGRA

Post-emergency recovery

Post-emergency recovery

CEFA conducted 9 demonstration plots using both

FILSAN and a local variety in the Bay region. Filsan

yielded 558 Kg/ha, 37% higher yield than the local

that averaged 407 Kg/ha

Post-War Filsan

I-Limitation Lack of institutional support for

– Evaluation of new potential varieties– Technology transfer support services– Seed support institutions– Small-scale seed multiplication, distribution and marketing

systems– Human resources development

II-Opportunities Emergence of new support services

– INGO and local NGO

Limitations and Opportunities

II- PHOSPHOROUS: PRE-EMERGENCY RESEARCH RESULTS (1981-1986)

Pre-emergency: Response to P

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Control 50N 100N N+P N+P

Gu1986-Sorghum

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N+P = 50N + 17.5P; N+P = 100N + 35P

Pre-emergency: Response to P

Gu1987-Sorghum

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(kg

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Control 50N 100N N+P N+P

Pre-emergency: Response to Animal Manure

Gu1986-Sorghum

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T1=5T/ha Camel T2=5T/ha Goat T3=5T/ha CattleT4= 10T/ha Goat T5=10T/ha Cattle

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Control T1 T2 T3 T4 T5

Pre-emergency: Response to Animal Manure

Gu1987-Sorghum

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Control T1 T2 T3 T4 T5

T1=5T/ha Camel T2=5T/ha Goat T3=5T/ha CattleT4= 10T/ha Goat T5=10T/ha Cattle

Pre-emergency: Response to Animal Manure

Response to P on Filsan mungbean

Similar Experience in the Sahelian Region

44 to 120% yield increase for sorghum and millet- ICRISAT

Why P is not available to plants in the Bay Region soils?

High soil pH

8.0 to 8.3

Why P is not available to plants in the Bay Region soils?

The soil pH range at which maximum P availability occurs is between 6.0

and 7.0

In the Bay Region, the soils are alkaline and have a pH ranging from of 8.0

to 8.5

Soils with a pH of 7.5 and higher typically have a high calcium concentration

that binds P as calcium-phosphate creating an insoluble compound that is

not available to plants

Therefore, it is necessary to amend agricultural soils in the Bay Region with

available forms of P at the correct agronomic rate

Relationship between soil PH and Phosphorous availability

Reccomendations

Would P-Aid be a potential solution?It is an established fact that P is a yield limiting factor in the

Bay Region

The data clearly show that P-application can double/triple

yield

P application establishes a good root system which is

important for the dryland crops

Thank You