In the past two years, ICRISAT, in collaboration with other International Agricultural Research Centres, National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems, has been evaluating and promoting point or hill application of fertilizer along with "Warrantage" in three West African countries, namely, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The hill application of fertilizers consists of applying small doses of fertilizer in the planting hills of millet and sorghum. The combination of strategic hill application of fertilizer with complementary institutional and market linkages, through an inventory credit system (known as "Warrantage") offers a good opportunity to improve crop productivity and farmers' incomes. Results from the two year on-farm trials showed that, on average, in all the three countries, grain yields of millet and sorghum were greater by 44 to 120% while incomes of farmers increased by 52 to 134% when using hill application of fertilizer than with the earlier recommended fertilizer broadcasting methods and farmers' practice. Substantial net profits were obtained by farmers using "Warrantage". Farmers' access to credit and inputs was improved substantially through the "Warrantage" system. The technology has reached up to 12650 farm households in the three countries and efforts are in progress to further scale-up and out the technology to wider geographical areas.

The fertilizer microdosing technology deals with the application of small quantities of fertilizers in the planting hole, thereby increasing fertilizer use efficiency and yields while minimizing input costs. In drought years, microdosing also performs well, because larger root systems are more efficient at finding water, and it hastens crop maturity, avoiding lateseason drought. Recent research found that solving the soil fertility problem unleashes the yield potential of improved millet varieties, generating an additional grain yield of nearly the same quantity. Recognizing that liquidity constraints often prevent farmers from intensifying their production system, the warrantage or inventory credit system helps to remove barriers to the adoption of soil fertility restoration. Using a participatory approach through a network of partners from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), farmers and farmer groups and other international agricultural research centres, the microdosing technology and the warrantage system have been demonstrated and promoted in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger during the past few years with encouraging results. Sorghum and millet yields increased by up to 120%, and farmers' incomes went up by 130% when microdosing was combined with the warrantage system. This chapter highlights the outstanding past results and the ongoing efforts to further scale up the technology using Farmer field schools (FFS) and demonstrations, capacity and

A reconnaissance survey and participatory varietal selection trials (PVS) were conducted in four major pearl millet-growing countries of the Sahel between 2001 and 2003. The studies aimed to identify farmers' preferences in improved pearl millet varieties, increase awareness, test new varieties and enhance farmers' access to the improved varieties. Farmers selected five out of 10 tested varieties, with preferred characteristics, namely, maturity cycles of 80-90 d in the Sahel and 90-100 d in the Sudanian agroecozones, acceptable grain yield, compact and long (30-100 cm) panicles, a large number of tillers with panicles, adaptation and an acceptable taste. Farmers indicated that their local varieties were of superior adaptation and taste. They mentioned that hindrances to uptake and sustained use of improved varieties were due to lack of awareness, traditional values, seed unavailability, early maturity, bird damage and lack of fertilizer. The strong genotype × environment interactions in the Sahel suggests that breeding should be directed towards producing varieties adapted to specific zones rather than for wide adaptation. Notably, since farmers often cultivate pearl millet without any soil amendments, it may be advisable to disseminate varieties as a package (with fertilizer and agronomic instructions) rather than as varieties alone in a PVS programme, in order to achieve the full potential of improved varieties. The PVS trials are synergistic to plant breeding in identifying varieties suitable for harsh environments, which are difficult to duplicate in the research station. However, in the absence of formal distribution seed systems in the trial countries, villageor community-based seed production of varieties selected by farmers appears critical to the sustainable adoption of selected varieties.

Les cultures de soudure comme stratégie de lutte contre l'insécurité alimentaire saisonnière en Afrique de l'Ouest : le cas du fonio (Digitaria exilis Stapf) Résumé En Afrique subsaharienne la population est exposée à différentes formes d'insécurité alimentaire. Pour lutter contre l'insécurité alimentaire saisonnière les producteurs mobilisent différentes stratégies. Le fonio, Digitaria exilis Stapf, est une céréale traditionnelle endémique d'Afrique de l'Ouest qui est peu étudiée. Son maintien dans les systèmes de production peut être lié à son rôle face à l'insécurité alimentaire saisonnière. L'objectif de l'article est d'explorer cette hypothèse. L'étude se fonde sur une comparaison, en zones semi-arides et subhumides, des rythmes de consommation, des modes de production et des rythmes de commercialisation du fonio à partir d'enquêtes conduites chez 250 producteurs de fonio maliens, burkinabè et guinéens. L'étude montre qu'en zone semi-aride, les périodes de consommation du fonio se situent en période de soudure (principalement en septembre-octobre et secondairement en mai-juin). Pour permettre au fonio de remplir son rôle de culture de soudure, le choix variétal (variétés à cycles court, long et intermédiaire), les assolements et les modes de récolte ont été adaptés. L'analyse des rythmes de vente du fonio confirme son importance en période de soudure. En zone subhumide le fonio est davantage une culture de diversification alimentaire ; il peut être stocké plusieurs années. Cette étude permet d'analyser l'intérêt des cultures de soudure comme stratégie de lutte contre l'insécurité alimentaire en zone semi-aride. Le fonio, parce qu'il est cultivé sans intrants chimiques, constitue donc une piste à explorer par la recherche-développement pour limiter la vulnérabilité des populations les plus pauvres.

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