Pearl Millet Production System(s) in the Communal Areas of Northern Namibia: Priority Research Foci Arising from a Diagnostic Study

Matanyaire, C M (1996) Pearl Millet Production System(s) in the Communal Areas of Northern Namibia: Priority Research Foci Arising from a Diagnostic Study. In: Drought-tolerant crops for southern Africa: Proceedings of the SADC/ICRISAT Regional Sorghum and Pearl Millet Workshop, 25-29 July 1994, Gaborone, Botswana.

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Abstract

Pearl mtht tr the major crop in nonhem Namzbta where 60% of the population ltvr Akhoyn agndrurd rrrnrch was rmdu:trl ~n rnrre rea as aunng theprr. mdepmdmcr penod thrhrrt 5t.d) rooot~rn barrone ~njomatloa uar conauctra in 1993. The study conjned the predominance of pearl millet tn norihrm Namtbia, wrh an average sown area per household of 3.5 ha. The farmers identify sbrt duration as the morr preferred vanrtd rratt above grotn yield, and research needs to be rargrtcd tn 11nr mth rhtfnrmers'prcjerences. Drought war idmt~fied as the ma]orcmtraznt on pearl mtUetproducrionfollowd byiach ofdraft power. Fanners do recogntu the importance of a good crop srod, early thinnzng, ad ~edtngT he use of manure 8s mdespread whtk the use of chemtcal feriilrzer is very hmtted. Research priorittes tdmtified tn the study include the developmenr of droughrdmating technulogtes, devrlopnent of pearl miht mltivars that meet the jnmrs' prrjerewe, ad tmpmvemmt of roil fmiltry and cmp management rtratcfles A lnrgc pearl millet grain yleld gap war tdentlfied mth on-farm yields of 0.15 to 0.20 t ha-1 compared with on.rtotionylcldr of3 63 to 3.87 t ha-' dunng the 1992/93 reasa. The yield gap analys~ssh ows the comparanuc gram yield gains of tmproved mnnagmmt to be bctwcrn I34 ad 725% (for the levrlr ofmanage. mat identified) compared mrh va"ctd change yield gatns of 6 to 44% at the spectfied mawgemrnr heh. Based on these findings the Mtnisty of Agriculture, Walcr and Rural D~e~opmrn(MtA WRDJ zr requeried to put more effort tnfo resource management research ar opposed to genetic improvement, with more empivrr~so n on.farm research.

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Divisions: UNSPECIFIED
CRP: UNSPECIFIED
Subjects: Mandate crops > Millets
Depositing User: Library ICRISAT
Date Deposited: 03 Dec 2011 13:20
Last Modified: 03 Dec 2011 13:20
URI: http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/4739
Acknowledgement: UNSPECIFIED
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