ICRISAT Archival Report 2006 - The seedlings of success in the ...

indigenous knowledge; Output 1.6 – regeneration of vegetal species; Output 7.1 – participation of vulnerable
groups; Output 7.2 – permanent dialogue framework).
• Develop and foster improved and integrated soil, water, nutrient, vegetation and livestock management
technologies and policies to achieve greater productivity of crops, trees and animals to enhance food security,
income generation and ecosystem resilience in the desert margins (Output 4.2 – empowering the local
communities; Output 4.3 – implementation of best-bet options; Output 6.1 – promotion of soil fertility; Output 6.3
– promotion of multiple land use systems).
• Promote more efficient drought-management policies and strategies (Output 5.3 – implement policies; Output 6.2
– promotion of integrated land and pastoral spaces).
• Facilitate the exchange of technologies and information among farmers, communities, scientists, development
practitioners, and policy makers (Output 7.1 – participation of vulnerable groups; Output 7.2 – permanent
dialogue framework).
• Empower rural stakeholders to manage their natural resources by sensitizing and training them in using local
species for restoration and better control of grazing (Output 7). They know more about the principal ecological
factors which lead to land degradation and how to alleviate their effects.
2.2.5 Projected potential impact
It is expected that more than 230,000 trees and 1500 bags of seeds for pasture restoration will be planted each year
and will roughly give carbon accumulation of 7.5 t/ha/yr. This will lead to increased income/reduced poverty,
increased bio-diversity and increased capacity of the local communities. An area larger than 50,000 ha will be
restored and the vegetation will be increased in the Baban rafi area and neighbors and the agricultural zone of
Mayahi.
2.3 Use of fertilizer microdosing and ‘warrantage’ credit system to improve soil fertility and increase income
2.3.1 The basis of the technology’s success
Crop yields in Niger are low due to abiotic factors such as low and erratic rainfall and poor soil fertility.
Furthermore small-scale farmers have little or virtually no access to credit to purchase inputs like fertilizers and
improved seeds. The technology of fertilizer micro-dosing which consists of applying small quantities of fertilizer in
the hill of plants has proved to increase fertilizer use efficiency, improve yield and reduce costs of inputs. The
‘warrantage system’ or inventory credit system enables the farmers to get good prices for his products, enhance his
access to cash and inputs and increase his income. More than 5000 on-farm demonstration trials have been
conducted by Projet Intrants FAO, INRAN, ICRISAT on fertilizer micro-dosing on cereal crops (millet and
sorghum) and more recently on other crops (cowpea, sesame, etc). The results of these trials indicated that millet
yield increased by 44 to 120% while income of farmers increased by 52 to 134% using the fertilizer micro-dosing
technology and warrantage systems. DMP-GEF Niger has used this approach and linked it to various activities for
income generation, natural resources conservation, biodiversity conservation and use in its two sites of Kouré and
Mayahi/Baban Rafi.
2.3.2 How is it implemented?
This technology is being implemented for soil fertility improvement, land degradation control, natural resources
conservation and use (eg, honey production) and biodiversity improvement (seed production) using the large
network of warrantage groups installed by the Projet Intrants FAO and according to the specific needs and activities
of stakeholders in the DMP-GEF. The main partner for the implementation of this technology is Projet Intrants
FAO. Other partners include farmers associations (seed producers, bee keepers, FUMA Gaskya etc). The technology
is successful, but has strict requirements. DMP-GEF needs to establish the system in villages where it does not exist
following a request from local stakeholders and their fulfillment of some prerequisites.
2.3.3 Up-scaling the technology
The technology is being up-scaled through dissemination to other villages/groups based upon request from them.
Training of the farmers is conducted by Projet Intrants FAO. The technology can be applied to other countries, and
tests are actually underway in Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal. Partners who may assist in the up-scaling phase are
all the rural development projects or NGOs interested in crop/animal production, natural resources management, etc.
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