Farmer experiences of Tiyeni’s ‘deep-bed farming’ conservation agriculture system in Malawi

Abstract

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Knowledge of climate change and adaptation by smallholder farmers: evidence from southern Ethiopia

“…The average family size of the households’ ranges between five and seven members, and a large family size in the study area is considered an asset. The majority of family members spent their time in the field due to the labor-intensive nature of agricultural activities and the existence of a large number of family members in a household ( Mvula and Dixon, 2021 ). The average farming experience of the smallholder farmers in the area is about 25 years.…”

Socioeconomic pathways toward sustainable food systems

“…Farm side. At the producer level, most of the research covered effects on land resources & soil health and precision agriculture (Figure 4b) with various sub-topics, including, for example, smart technologies (e.g., O'Shaughnessy et al, 2021), conservation agriculture (e.g., Mvula and Dixon, 2021), and crop rotation and diversification (e.g., Kasu et al, 2019).…”

“…In many cases, producers' decision to adopt sustainable farming practices is motivated by saving money, not having enough money, and maximizing profits, reflecting income & price as the most influential and commonly discussed drivers across geographies and socioeconomic attributes (Figure 2b, Figure 3). For example, farmers might adopt a new sustainable agricultural practice because it saves money due to cheaper production costs and increases revenue due to higher yields, like in the case of Malawian farmers adopting 'deepbed farming', a practice of conservation agriculture (Mvula and Dixon, 2021). Meanwhile, they might not adopt some practices because of the high cost (e.g., the case of farmers in Eastern India who did not adopt farm inputs, machinery, and irrigation (Urfels et al, 2021)).…”

Comparative effects of legume‐based intercropping systems involving pigeon pea and cowpea under deep‐bed and conventional tillage systems in Malawi

“…However, studies have shown that the long‐term benefits of CA can outweigh these challenges, leading to increased productivity and profitability for farmers (Erenstein et al., 2012; Thierfelder & Mhlanga, 2022). The growing challenges of climate change and limited access to agricultural inputs have highlighted the need for even more innovative and effective techniques to be explored and implemented in SSA, and the deep bed farming (DBF) system promoted by Tiyeni in Malawi, is one such example (Mvula & Dixon, 2021).…”

“…All crop residues after harvest are returned to the deep bed as mulches. Although evidence suggests that the DBF system makes a significant contribution to soil and water conservation through reduced runoff and soil erosion (Mvula, 2021), and enhanced maize yields are also reported in many DBF farmers' fields (Mvula & Dixon, 2021), the impacts of legume‐based intercropping systems under the DBF are not well understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of incorporating legume‐based intercropping systems involving pigeon pea ( Cajanus cajan ) and cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ) into the DBF system on soil nutrients and grain yield.…”