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Maize crop residue uses and trade-offs on smallholder crop-livestock farms in Zimbabwe: economic implications of intensification

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Maize crop residue uses and trade-offs on smallholder crop-livestock farms in Zimbabwe: economic implications of intensification. / Rusinamhodzi, Leonard; van Wijk, Mark T.; Corbeels, Marc et al.
In: Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, Vol. 214, 27.12.2015, p. 31-45.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Rusinamhodzi, L, van Wijk, MT, Corbeels, M, Rufino, MC & Giller, KE 2015, 'Maize crop residue uses and trade-offs on smallholder crop-livestock farms in Zimbabwe: economic implications of intensification', Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, vol. 214, pp. 31-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.012

APA

Rusinamhodzi, L., van Wijk, M. T., Corbeels, M., Rufino, M. C., & Giller, K. E. (2015). Maize crop residue uses and trade-offs on smallholder crop-livestock farms in Zimbabwe: economic implications of intensification. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 214, 31-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.012

Vancouver

Rusinamhodzi L, van Wijk MT, Corbeels M, Rufino MC, Giller KE. Maize crop residue uses and trade-offs on smallholder crop-livestock farms in Zimbabwe: economic implications of intensification. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 2015 Dec 27;214:31-45. Epub 2015 Aug 28. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.012

Author

Rusinamhodzi, Leonard ; van Wijk, Mark T. ; Corbeels, Marc et al. / Maize crop residue uses and trade-offs on smallholder crop-livestock farms in Zimbabwe : economic implications of intensification. In: Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 2015 ; Vol. 214. pp. 31-45.

Bibtex

@article{a9acecb5845944889a8868b20620f26c,
title = "Maize crop residue uses and trade-offs on smallholder crop-livestock farms in Zimbabwe: economic implications of intensification",
abstract = "Decisions to use crop residues as soil cover for conservation agriculture create trade-offs for farmers who own cattle in crop-livestock systems. Trade-offs among soil C, crop and animal and crop productivity were analysed using the NUANCES-FARMSIM (FArm-scale Resource Management SIMulator) dynamic model. Retention on the soil surface of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the maize stover yield produced per farm, and the use of the remainder as animal feed was quantified over a 12 year period for four farm types in Murehwa, Zimbabwe. Retaining 100% maize residues in the field led to an annual loss of on average 68 and 93 kg body weight per animal for cattle on farms of the relatively wealthiest farmers (Resource Group, RG1) who had most land and cattle and RG2 respectively), and is therefore unsustainable for livestock production. There was an increase in grain yield of 1.6 t farm(-1) and 0.7 t farm(-1) for RG1 and RG2 respectively. Farmers without cattle (RG3 and RG4) may have a greater incentive for retaining their crop residues but they have to invest labour to keep the residues during the dry season. However, improved crop productivity for these farmers is limited by lack of access to fertiliser. The current practice of allocating all crop residues to animals results in average gross margin of US$7429 and US$4037 for RG1 and RG2 farmers respectively. Our results showed that from an economic perspective, it is logical that farmers prioritise the sustenance of cattle with crop residues over soil fertility management. We conclude that at current productivity levels, farmers who own cattle have limited scope to allocate crop residues for soil cover as it leads to significant loss in animal production and economic value. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.",
keywords = "Conservation agriculture, Feed, Simulation modeling, Fertilisers, Soil C, SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE, ORGANIC-MATTER, WATER-USE, SYSTEMS, AFRICA, MANURE, RESOURCE, TILLAGE, IMPACT",
author = "Leonard Rusinamhodzi and {van Wijk}, {Mark T.} and Marc Corbeels and Rufino, {Mariana C.} and Giller, {Ken E.}",
year = "2015",
month = dec,
day = "27",
doi = "10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.012",
language = "English",
volume = "214",
pages = "31--45",
journal = "Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment",
issn = "0167-8809",
publisher = "ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Maize crop residue uses and trade-offs on smallholder crop-livestock farms in Zimbabwe

T2 - economic implications of intensification

AU - Rusinamhodzi, Leonard

AU - van Wijk, Mark T.

AU - Corbeels, Marc

AU - Rufino, Mariana C.

AU - Giller, Ken E.

PY - 2015/12/27

Y1 - 2015/12/27

N2 - Decisions to use crop residues as soil cover for conservation agriculture create trade-offs for farmers who own cattle in crop-livestock systems. Trade-offs among soil C, crop and animal and crop productivity were analysed using the NUANCES-FARMSIM (FArm-scale Resource Management SIMulator) dynamic model. Retention on the soil surface of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the maize stover yield produced per farm, and the use of the remainder as animal feed was quantified over a 12 year period for four farm types in Murehwa, Zimbabwe. Retaining 100% maize residues in the field led to an annual loss of on average 68 and 93 kg body weight per animal for cattle on farms of the relatively wealthiest farmers (Resource Group, RG1) who had most land and cattle and RG2 respectively), and is therefore unsustainable for livestock production. There was an increase in grain yield of 1.6 t farm(-1) and 0.7 t farm(-1) for RG1 and RG2 respectively. Farmers without cattle (RG3 and RG4) may have a greater incentive for retaining their crop residues but they have to invest labour to keep the residues during the dry season. However, improved crop productivity for these farmers is limited by lack of access to fertiliser. The current practice of allocating all crop residues to animals results in average gross margin of US$7429 and US$4037 for RG1 and RG2 farmers respectively. Our results showed that from an economic perspective, it is logical that farmers prioritise the sustenance of cattle with crop residues over soil fertility management. We conclude that at current productivity levels, farmers who own cattle have limited scope to allocate crop residues for soil cover as it leads to significant loss in animal production and economic value. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

AB - Decisions to use crop residues as soil cover for conservation agriculture create trade-offs for farmers who own cattle in crop-livestock systems. Trade-offs among soil C, crop and animal and crop productivity were analysed using the NUANCES-FARMSIM (FArm-scale Resource Management SIMulator) dynamic model. Retention on the soil surface of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the maize stover yield produced per farm, and the use of the remainder as animal feed was quantified over a 12 year period for four farm types in Murehwa, Zimbabwe. Retaining 100% maize residues in the field led to an annual loss of on average 68 and 93 kg body weight per animal for cattle on farms of the relatively wealthiest farmers (Resource Group, RG1) who had most land and cattle and RG2 respectively), and is therefore unsustainable for livestock production. There was an increase in grain yield of 1.6 t farm(-1) and 0.7 t farm(-1) for RG1 and RG2 respectively. Farmers without cattle (RG3 and RG4) may have a greater incentive for retaining their crop residues but they have to invest labour to keep the residues during the dry season. However, improved crop productivity for these farmers is limited by lack of access to fertiliser. The current practice of allocating all crop residues to animals results in average gross margin of US$7429 and US$4037 for RG1 and RG2 farmers respectively. Our results showed that from an economic perspective, it is logical that farmers prioritise the sustenance of cattle with crop residues over soil fertility management. We conclude that at current productivity levels, farmers who own cattle have limited scope to allocate crop residues for soil cover as it leads to significant loss in animal production and economic value. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

KW - Conservation agriculture

KW - Feed

KW - Simulation modeling

KW - Fertilisers

KW - Soil C

KW - SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT

KW - CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

KW - ORGANIC-MATTER

KW - WATER-USE

KW - SYSTEMS

KW - AFRICA

KW - MANURE

KW - RESOURCE

KW - TILLAGE

KW - IMPACT

U2 - 10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.012

DO - 10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.012

M3 - Journal article

VL - 214

SP - 31

EP - 45

JO - Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment

JF - Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment

SN - 0167-8809

ER -