Neutral

To effectively implement Improved digestibility, Improved protein content:

• Step 1: Inform farmers of the possible benefits of increased dietary protein in their livestock in order to implement dietary supplements.
• Step 2: Identify a supplement contain the key amino acids - Methionine, Lysine, Threonine, and Tryptophan, in consultation with suppliers and veterinarians.
• Step 3: Added supplements to green plant residue (silage) as guided on packaging or by supplier to increase the efficiency of protein in livestock. Ensure that supplement amounts are suitable for animals and the type of feed being supplemented.
• Step 4: Ensure that supplements sourced will be consistently available from suppliers in the region. These supplements can be purchased at most agricultural shops, including rural areas.
• Step 5: As a low-cost option, farmers can formulate rations specific to their livestock. These rations are only for domestic use and not commercial.

To effectively implement Improved digestibility, Improved protein content:

• Step 1: Inform farmers of the possible benefits of increased dietary protein in their livestock in order to implement dietary supplements.
• Step 2: Identify a supplement contain the key amino acids - Methionine, Lysine, Threonine, and Tryptophan, in consultation with suppliers and veterinarians.
• Step 3: Added supplements to green plant residue (silage) as guided on packaging or by supplier to increase the efficiency of protein in livestock. Ensure that supplement amounts are suitable for animals and the type of feed being supplemented.
• Step 4: Ensure that supplements sourced will be consistently available from suppliers in the region. These supplements can be purchased at most agricultural shops, including rural areas.
• Step 5: As a low-cost option, farmers can formulate rations specific to their livestock. These rations are only for domestic use and not commercial.

To effectively implement NCF practices:

• Step 1: Determine potential sources of NCFs in the local area and consider if the potential products are suitable (provide enough energy, are digestible, palatable to livestock animals, etc) and require additional investment to access or use.
• Step 2: Collect for free/negotiate lower rates with producers of agroecological industrial process biproducts or plant materials to gain access to their ‘waste’ materials.
• Step 3: Determine how sustainable and consistent the supply will be from the providers. If possible, identify a range of suppliers to mitigate potential losses of stockpiled NCFs.
• Step 4: Before being used as feed, NCF’s from agroecological processes must be appropriately processed - (grinding (8 mm) and pelleting) and mixed into a uniform blend. Hence, labour requirements may increase. This could be mechanised.
• Step 5: Livestock should be monitored when these feeds are introduced to ensure digestibility of the product for the animals.
• Step 6: Based on advice from the suppliers of agroecological industrial process biproducts, ensure appropriate storage of materials to avoid loss of nutrition, pests and waste.

To effectively implement Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration:

• Step 1: Degraded land needs to be identified and living stumps, roots and seeds need to be encouraged to regrow. This may include periodic watering. Focus should be on indigenous species, and present tree species (existing stumps).
• Step 2: Consider leaving the field un-grazed to promote tree growth.
• Step 3: Select tree stumps and the tallest and straightest stems to grow into trees.
• Step 4: Prune and manage by removing stems and unwanted side branches.
• Step 5: Maintain the process by occasionally pruning side branches.
• Step 6: Manage the land consistently to avoid overgrazing, which can lead to further degradation.
• Step 7: Consider rotational grazing to allow seeds, stumps and underground shrubs to re-grow. This will reduce the cost of replanting. Shrubs and growing trees and saplings need to be protected before introducing livestock. Shrubs and growing trees and saplings need to be protected before introducing livestock.

To effectively implement hedge planting:

• Step 1: Purchase saplings of selected tree species from a local nursery or grow saplings in separate on-farm nursery. If growing on-farm, saplings should be held-up with an upright support bamboo/wooden pole. Ideally, the farmer should begin exploring silvopasture tree species beginning with indigenous trees, such as acacias, and other local trees. It is worth considering a mixture of species, as well as mixed shallower and deeper rooted trees.
• Step 2: Once at a meter or over in height, transplant to pastures, surrounding each individual sapling with a wire mesh cage-tube or insert into five-centimetre diameter PVC pipe to protect from browsers. Plant at least ten to twenty meters apart, in either a random or uniform pattern. This is a matter of preference.
• Step 3: Once saplings are planted, only allow grazing livestock (cows, sheep, ducks, geese, chickens) in the silvopasture, avoiding browsers (goats, etc), which will strip, damage or destroy the saplings.
• Step 4: Once mature and above browsing height, two plus meters, remove protective cage or pipe.
• Step 5: Depending on species, pruning, coppicing etc should be performed every two months to ensure that trees remain healthy and productive, while maximising outputs for in-field and cut and carry fodder.

To effectively undertake weed control measures:

• Step 1: Review weed control measures - crop rotation, intercropping, cover crops, mulching, seed-bed preparation, livestock grazing, seed/variety selection, mowing, hand-weeding and adjustments to tillage practices - and determine which methods are available and appropriate for the farming system and farmer. Two or more of these techniques can be applied to assist in ensuring farmers have more chance of success. Understand possible negative impacts of each weed control method.
• Step 2: Improve weed identification knowledge in specific areas.
• Step 3: Prevent weeds from spreading – clean clothes, animals, machinery, vehicles to limit weed transport; use only well stored/rotted manure (4-5 months) (Knowledge Product 16), include fencing, irrigation and other farm ‘breaks’ where possible
• Step 4: Apply a combination of weed control methods including – cover crops (Technical Brief 15), mulching, intercropping (Technical Brief 07), crop rotation (Technical Brief 09), livestock grazing, seed selection (Technical Brief 20), mowing, hand-weeding. Try to avoid the application of herbicides, tillage and burning.
• Step 5: monitor and document most effective weed management strategies for each farmer, and use lessons learned from the area with other farmers where applicable.

While agroforestry practices are deemed highly beneficial and climate smart, it is important to ensure that proposed practices are appropriate for the specific context – the benefits of the agroforestry practice match the needs of the farmer - and are fit for purpose. Obtain advice from an agroforestry expert before embarking on secondary crop/hedge species selection.

To effectively implement alley-cropping the following should be carried out:

• Step 1: Clearly understand the objectives of the intervention and identify an appropriate species for intercropping. For maize and sorghum in a smaller subsistence farm setting, selection and growth of hedge rows of a legumes such as cowpea or Gliricidia can provide sustainable benefits in terms of soil quality and secondary fodder/food products. In larger fields, timber trees can be planted every five to ten crop rows, depending on the height of the mature tree, and the shade-tolerance of the crop.
• Step 2: Identify and understand key conditions, such as prevailing wind direction, and sunlight to ensure that the field is planted in an appropriate configuration, with primary crop and secondary (hedge/shrub/tree) crops planted in such a way as to benefit the primary crop and not compete with it. East to west row orientation should maxmise sunlight, topography permitting.
• Step 3: For beneficial hedgerow growth with legume species such as Leucaena, cliricidia, and Sesbania sesban, the trees should be planted in rows between two and four metres apart, with individual trees planted as close as possible - between 10 to 15 cm apart. If planted closely, the trees will favour leaves over step growth, creating more mulch to prune for cover. Note that if rows are planted too closely, the secondary crop can dominate the available crop land reducing productivity. Furthermore, the closer the hedges, the more shade will present, which can depress crop growth, and also start to compete for soil water and nutrients, which is not beneficial.
• Step 4: Once reaching sufficient maturity, after approximately six months (one-metre tall for legumes)– hedges should be pruned to generate mulch for working into the soil. Then the primary crop (maize) can be planted. Pruning once per month thereafter provides cover and ensures that light penetration is maintained. Planting legumes approximately six months before planting the primary crop can ensure that sufficient pruned material is available to incorporate into the soil to enhance growth.
• Step 5: After harvesting the primary crop, hedgerows can be left to grow taller so that shade reduces weed grown, and to develop material to prune and incorporate into the soil again during the following crop cycle. However, hedges should not be allow to grow too high or dense as their roots will dominate the soil and out-compete primary crops for water and nutrients.

Before implementing any of these technologies, further research may be required beyond the guidance provided here. The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) has many resources, toolkits and success stories that can support such research.

To effectively undertake contour planting:

• Step 1: Construct an A-frame that has a plumb-line with a rock hanging down the centre. The base of the A-frame should be 90 cm.
• Step 2: Calibrate the A-frame on flat ground. Ensure that both legs are on the ground. Mark where the plumb line meets the cross bar.
• Step 3: On a slope, working perpendicular to the slope, plant one leg of the A-frame and swing the other leg around until the plumb line meets the mark on the cross bar. Drive a stake into the ground where the first ‘planted’ leg is and continue the process across the slope.
• Step 4: Once the extent of the contour has been staked, tie a string from post-to-post across the slope; this identifies the contour to be planted.
• Step 5: Plant selected crops, develop contour ridges or plant contour strips along the contour line.
• Step 6: Subsequent contours should be spaced 3-5 m up or downhill of the preceding contour line. To determine the length between contour lines, measure off the top of each stake to a stake up or downhill with a tape measure or accurately measured third stick.
• Step 7: Contour ridges can be implemented like Water Spreading Bunds (Technical Brief 28) to form ridges of soil that are formed by tilling or ploughing and can be left after land preparation to further prevent erosive forces. Crops can be planted between these ridges.
• Step 8: The planting of contour strips can be implemented by planting grasses or hedges 20 m (shallow slopes) to 10 m (steeper slopes) apart up or downhill, similar to Trash Lines (Technical Brief 14). This intercropping allows for erosion control and can be used as fodder for livestock.

To effectively undertake trash lines:

• Step 1: Collect straw, stalks, picked weed or other organic materials from field or surrounding area.
• Step 2: Establish contour lines using method identified in contour planting (Technical Brief 16).
• Step 3: Contour lines for trash lines should be spaced between 5 to 10 m apart.
• Step 4: Heap straw along contour lines on hilly or sloped fields to be approximately 0.5 m wide and up to 0.3 m in height.
• Step 5: Trash should be piled on annually or as the field is prepared. Lines can be maintained for a few years and then decomposed materials can be mixed into the soil.

To effectively implement biochar the following should be carried out. Tools required – shovel and a metal sieve.

• Step 1: Acquire charcoal from local vendor, and sieve or grate the charcoal into fine material in a pile. Biochar should not be applied to soil directly after production. It should be allowed to ‘rest’ for one to two months.
• Step 2: Rotate the pile every 2-days for a period of up to 10-days (total).
• Step 3: Prior to application, aim to wet (but not waterlog) biochar stock with water or preferably urine. If done when still warm, it will fracture the charcoal, increasing surface area for absorption.
• Step 4: Spread the biochar evenly across soil prior to planting and let it settle or mix with the top layer of soil. One to three kg/m2 is recommended, depending on the degree of soil required.
• Step 5: Regularly monitor soil pH, water retention and soil texture, keeping records if relevant to ensure that improvements are realised, and negative impacts do not arise.

Biochar can be produced on-farm, but will require collection of plant and waste feedstock (see above). Biochar can be produced on-farm using a trench. A biochar trench is a dug recess where crop residues are burned to create charcoal. Tools required are a shovel and one or more roofing sheets (one-metre long).

• Step 1: Dig trench 50 to 70 cm deep, and one to two metres long, ensuring that roofing sheets fully cover the trench void.
• Step 2: Start a fire in one end of the trench, throwing in loose crop residue or other organic waste, keeping the fire under control (not creating large flames and smoke).
• Step 3: Keep fire burning until trench is full of char.
• Step 4: When the trench is full, and flames have burned-out, cover the trench with the roofing sheet, sealing edges with loose soil, trampling it down to ensure closure.
• Step 5: Leave the covered trench for five to six hours to extinguish.