Project Leader: Ramadjita Tabo, ICRISAT, Niamey, Niger

A large proportion of the population in the Volta basin comprises small-scale resource-poor farmers who rely mainly on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihoods. However, rainfall in this region is erratic, poorly distributed and very variable, which makes rain-fed agriculture a risky enterprise. Furthermore, the increasing population, livestock concerns and growing competition over the use of water for generating hydroelectricity and other uses are contributing to water scarcity. Declining water quantity and quality, increasing soil degradation and inappropriate crop management methods limit agricultural productivity, making food security a major concern.

Improving water productivity requires that more value be obtained from every drop used for crops, trees and livestock while conserving the natural resource base. Though it is believed that an integrated approach to soil, water, crop and nutrient management is essential for increasing crop productivity and optimizing the use of inputs, there is a dearth of empirical studies on such interactions. In addition, rural populations are looking for alternative means of intensifying and diversifying their systems to meet their food needs as well as to increase their incomes. There is therefore a need to use a systems research, which integrates germplasm, crop, soil, nutrient and water management, and empowers farmers and rural communities to exploit market opportunities to raise their incomes and invest in better management of their resources.

Yet, until recently, agricultural research has not been effective in responding to these challenges. A win-win situation can occur when a system integrates all contributing factors. The overall goal of this project is to reduce poverty and improve food security, income and livelihoods of small-scale resource poor farmers in the Volta Basin. Our overall research hypothesis is that using a systems approach that integrates water use efficiency, nutrient, soil and crop management, and improved germplasm together with market opportunity identification and rural agro-enterprise development, and empowering rural communities will result in significant benefits to the rural poor and the environment, which can be scaled out to wider geographic areas.

The project draws on and applies principles and approaches of Integrated Natural Resources Management (INRM). The project is implemented by a multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary team of research and development partners using a combination of scientific and participatory action research approaches to reach thousands of male and female farmers and rural poor in the pilot communities of the Volta Basin. These farmers will benefit from a range of integrated technologies that will contribute to increased land productivity, and water use efficiency and incomes, while protecting the natural resource base. Successful technologies and approaches will be scaled out and disseminated to more farmers in wider geographic areas within the Volta basin, and beyond in the semi-arid zones of eastern and southern Africa through the Desert Margin Program, for example.

Output 1. A wide range of ‘best bet’ integrated technology options that enhance water and nutrient use efficiency, developed, evaluated, and adopted by farmers in the different agro-ecological zones of the Volta Basin.

Output 2. Methodologies, approaches and tools for integrated water, nutrient and crop management practices developed, tested and disseminated to a wide range of stakeholders.

Output 3. Market opportunities identified and market institutional innovations developed to increase farmer’s access to markets and alternative/diversified crop production options.

Output 4 Increased capacities of farmers and rural communities to make effective demands to research and development organizations, and influence policies that promote the adoption of water use and nutrient efficient technologies

Output 5 More effective alternative technology, information and methodology dissemination mechanisms (farmer field schools, rural information centers, farmer to farmer, mass media, extension materials, field days) and scaling up and out strategies applied and promoted.