Best Management Practices for Small-Holder Irrigated Maize Producers in Somalia.

In March 2014 the Agri-Business Incubation Centre (ABIC) was established near the Shebelle River at Afgoi, Somalia, to conduct research on best management practices for irrigated maize production.  This USAID-funded “Partnership for Economic Growth (PEG)” project represented the first development project in southern Somalia following over two decades of emergency aid efforts. The Somali Agricultural Technical Group (SATG www.satg.org) was the on-the-ground implementer of the project.

The ABIC location was near where the former Central Agricultural Research Station once existed prior to the collapse of the Siad Barre government in 1991. Research results from the 2014 and 2015 April-June “Gu” seasons and   the 2014 November-December “Deyr” season on the ABIC and on associated on-farm demonstration plots documented the necessity of timely agronomic practices in order to improve production. Yields of the local maize more than doubled with improved fertility, as the soils are generally calcareous with a high pH and low inherent plant-available phosphorus. The importance of quality seed, timely planting, pest control, and appropriate plant stand density and weed management was demonstrated during the training of over 20 “extension workers” who in turn worked with over 200 “lead farmers”. Demonstration plots on the lead farmers’ land compared their practices with those recommended by SATG. During the project over 2000 “contact farmers” visited the ABIC and lead farmer demonstration plots. The project successfully involved female extension workers and lead and contact farmers. An important outcome of the project is that the maize farmers gained an appreciation for good agricultural practices, including the difference between nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers and the proper method and rate of fertilizer application.

Also attending ABIC field days were community elders, agro-dealers, members of government ministries and agricultural students and faculty from several universities including Benadir, City, and Zamzam and Plasma University.