Agronomic and socio-economic assessment of the introduction of a rice-based mixed cropping system to the Cuvelai seasonal wetland system in northern Namibia

Abstract

In the semi-arid regions of southern Africa, around the borders of Angola with Namibia, the Cuvelai seasonal wetland system is formed by floods during the rainy season. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of introduction of a rice-based mixed cropping system to the seasonal wetlands (ondombe in the local language) from agronomic, social, and economic perspectives. For this purpose, we used a simple methodology with a multidisciplinary approach for yield and household survey and scenario analysis in northern Namibia. The yield survey revealed that in ondombe, rice showed a higher yield performance than that of pearl millet and sorghum, even in a drought year. The farm household survey showed that introducing a rice-based mixed cropping to ondombe could help local farmers enhance crop productivity by reducing labour and providing high rice yield. In addition, scenario analysis based on the yield and household surveys conducted in these regions suggested that the introduction of the mixed cropping system to ondombe could compensate for one-fourth of the governmental urgent food import budget even in drought years. Therefore, this system is an effective option for sustainable agricultural production and environmental management in the studied region.

Co-Cultivation and Matching of Early- and Late-Maturing Pearl Millet Varieties to Sowing Windows Can Enhance Climate-Change Adaptation in Semi-Arid Sub-Saharan Agroecosystems

“…However, current FAOSTAT [4] database data show an on-farm grain yield range of 0.09-0.36 t/ha for the 2011/2012-2020/2021 period. Moreover, much higher on-farm pearl millet yields, ranging from 0.71-0.94 t/ha, were found by Hirooka et al [75] in their yield survey study conducted in 2016 in the Omusati Region, NCR. Rohrbach et al [70] stated that the actual grain yield obtained by farmers depends mainly on the timing and amount of localized rainfall, time of sowing, and level of crop management; thus, farmers tend to practice multiple sowings to reduce production risk.…”

Co-cultivation and Matching of Early- and Late-maturing Pearl Millet Varieties to Sowing Windows can Enhance Climate-Change Adaptation in Semi-arid Sub-Saharan Agroecosystems.

“…The pearl millet sowing-date field experiment was carried out for two summer-rainy seasons, 2017/2018 and 2019/2020, at the University of Namibia-Ogongo Campus Farm (17° 40′ S, 15° 18′ E, 1109 m ASL), North-Central Region (NCR), Namibia. With an area of 84 582 km 2 , accounting for 10% of the country's land area [1], the NCR comprises four administrative regions, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, and Oshikoto [2,3], characterized by a semi-arid climate (also see Error! Reference source not found.).…”

“…Namibia's current pearl millet yield level is relatively low [2,44], requiring scientific intervention to improve household food self-sufficiency and national food security. National production data show domestic grain production over the past 10 years (2012-2021) never reached 50% of the national cereal requirements; the shortfalls were covered with imported grains and grain products [44,45].…”

Mixed cropping with duck co‐culture: an agroecological system to improve grain quality and farm profitability

“…7 Mixed cropping is a type of agroecological farming that involves planting two or more plants which are the same or different species in the same field simultaneously to use space more efficiency. 8 Numerous studies reported that mixed-cropping systems provide more control over pests, diseases, and weeds, [9][10][11] use nutrients, water, and solar radiation more efficiently, 12,13 significantly increased rice yield and improved rice grain quality and socio-economic benefits, 14,15 and promoted the micro-environment 16 better than mono-cropping system. For example, Malézieux et al 17 reported a mixed-cropping system produced higher yields than a mono-cropping in the same area.…”