Positive

In addition to agricultural inputs and the following technical implementation steps, ISFM requires the farmer to consider farm size (land area), and property rights (land tenure) to ensure that investments are efficient and sustainable.

To implement ISFM approaches, the following should be considered:

• Step 1: Prepare a needs assessment based on understanding of farm challenges – low or declining productivity, soil fertility, low organic content, etc
• Step 2: Measure fields that require attention to understand volumes of inputs required.
• Step 3: Develop (or update) an agricultural calendar to use as a platform for discussion between farmer(s) extension officer(s).
• Step 4: Develop plan and schedule/programme of locally appropriate ISFM interventions between farmer(s) and extension officer(s), obtaining guidance from agricultural suppliers where necessary (lime application, etc). As ISFM is a blended approach, the plan should consider short and medium to long term interventions and outcomes.
• Step 5: Examine cost implications of the plan, revising where necessary based upon available resources, and if necessary/available apply for credit to fund investments.
• Step 6: Assess labour requirements within the ISFM plan to ensure that they can be fulfilled, and considerations of gender and youth have been accommodated – women are not expected to do the majority of work, and children are not missing school.

To effectively apply a green manure approach, the following should be considered:

• Step 1: Select legumes that grow well under local conditions and in local soils. Green manure crops should be resilient and require few crop management practices. A thorough investigation should be made to ensure that green manure crops are appropriate for the local conditions in terms of rainfall, climate, soil pH and texture, and salt tolerance.
• Step 2: Identify the appropriate time for planting the green manure crop to ensure growth, but not impacting the primary crop. Especially if the secondary crop is a climber/creeper. Main crop may need to be mature before planting the manure crop, as if a creeper, it may outcompete or constraint growth of maize or sorghum plants.
• Step 3: If seeking to enrich soil properties, the farmer must allow crop residue to remain in the soil longer. This is particularly relevant with multiple uses – e.g. soil amendments and livestock fodder. In these cases, pods can be harvested for fodder, and the remaining plant residue left in the field to cover the soil.
• Step 4: Crop planting should be alley cropped between the primary crop rows, allowing management of the primary and secondary crops, also reducing the competition between the primary and the secondary crop. If the secondary crop also has pest management properties, it may be beneficial to consider boundary planting.
• Step 5: When harvesting the secondary crop, the farmer should consider leaving the residue in the ground. If it is uprooted, it should left on the soil surface. A common mistake is to remove it from the field and accumulate it in one location, missing the benefits of cover-crops, and exposing the residue to decay.

Unless local examples are available, small test plots should be used to test different cover crops to determine which is the most appropriate, and if necessary, demonstrate value to farmers and communities. As the secondary (green manure) crop is not a direct cash-crop, you may need to ensure expectations are measured. It may take several years to develop enough green manure crop to contribute to crop production; hence, crop production has to fit around existing cash/subsistence crops. Furthermore, benefits may not be realised within a single planting season., e.g. Nitrogen may only be available in the soil in the subsequent season.

To effectively undertake composting:

• Step 1: gather compostable materials - rests of harvests, animal manure and dung, organic kitchen waste (fruit and vegetable waste), other food waste, edible oils and fats, wood shavings, paper products (not printed), hair cut waste. Avoid non-compostable materials such as chemical residues, glass, metals, plastics, carcasses, cooked leftovers or meat.
• Step 2: Chop/cut materials to achieve optimum particle size is between 5 – 20 cm – this will assist decomposition. Wire mesh can be used to sift smaller non-organic particles.
• Step 3: Add water regularly using a watering-can to assist decomposition, ensuring that the materials do not become water logged.
• Step 4: Using a pitchfork or shovel, turn-over or rotate compost materials regularly as oxygen is a key component to the decomposition process.
• Step 5: If available, add earthworms (known as vermiculture) to compostable material, which enriches soil, enhances plant growth (hence yields) and suppresses disease.
• Step 6: Once compost material has been decomposed (three months to two years, depending on climate and composting material) it will be a fine, dark material. Screen the material to remove large particles and mix with soils in gardens or fields prior planting and around plants throughout growing period.
• Step 7: If compost does not include animal manure/waste it can be applied to crops as an organic fertiliser at any point up to harvest. If it does include animal waste, it can be incorporated into soil not less than 120 days prior to harvest, especially where edible portion of crops has been in contact with the soil surface.

Additional notes:

• For Open Composting System (Piles): select a level area or dig a pit with a level bottom away from developed areas, chop collected materials into piles, turn over or rotate and add water to material regularly (weekly or bi-monthly). Cover pile if there is heavy rain to prevent materials from washing away and becoming water-logged.
• For Contained Composting Systems: construct a container unit from mesh, wooden panels, bricks and other suitable building materials, fill the container with chopped material, turn over or rotate, and add water to material regularly (weekly or bi-monthly). Keep compostable material covered.