Experimental Agriculture

Table of Contents - 2007 - Volume 43, Issue 03  


THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL AND FARMER PERCEPTIONS OF HERBACEOUS LEGUME FALLOWS IN GHANA

BEATRICE DARKO OBIRI a1, GEOFF BRIGHT a2c1, MORAG MCDONALD a2, JOHN AYISI JATANGO a3, JOSEPH COBBINA a1 and FERGUS SINCLAIR a2
a1 Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, P.O. Box 63, UST Kumasi, Ghana
a2 School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Wales Bangor, Bangor. Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
a3 Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Sunyani, Ghana

Article author query
obiri bd   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
bright g   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
mcdonald m   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
jatango ja   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
cobbina j   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
sinclair f   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

A technology for improving the productivity of short fallows using herbaceous legumes as cover crops was evaluated with farmers in the forest and savannah transition zones of Ghana. Legumes were relayed in maize 5–8 weeks after planting maize, depending on the legume species. An economic analysis of the technology compared with natural fallow over two cropping seasons (2001–2002) showed that the legume fallows were more profitable under the scenarios tested. Farmer assessment of the biological performance of the technology revealed the benefits of weed suppression and soil moisture conservation potential of the legume biomass as well as an improvement in the yield of the succeeding maize crop. However, farmers realized that planting legumes at close spacing and weeding before and after relaying are essential in the development of an appreciable biomass cover. The technology is suitable for farmers of all strata, in several major ecological zones of Ghana, and for planting on land with poorly secured tenure. However, at least two years of tenancy is required for the landless to derive some benefits from the legume fallow.

(Published Online July 6 2007)
(Accepted November 13 2006)


Correspondence:
c1 Corresponding author: g.a.bright@bangor.ac.uk