N2Africa | Putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers in Africa

Evaluation of the progress made towards achieving the Vision of Success in N2Africa

Drawing lessons from the variability in climbing bean productivity in Rwanda

Climbing bean is a key crop in the northern Rwandan cropping system, grown by 95% of the interviewed households in the N2Africa baseline survey. N2Africa promotes the use of improved varieties and P based fertilizers in climbing bean cultivation in Rwanda. Through dissemination trials, farmers get the opportunity to test new climbing bean technologies. N2Africa monitors in each country a sample of these multi-locations trials through a field book providing valuable information on driver of variability in yield and in performance of N2Africa technologies.

N2Africa proposes standards for inoculant quality

In Kenya, efforts are undertaken to develop and implement registration guidelines for microbial products including rhizobium inoculants, assisted by the COMPRO II and N2Africa project. The draft bio-fertilizer act, in which requirements for bio-fertilizers is stipulated, is before parliament. Similarly in Nigeria and Ghana efforts are underway to establish regulatory guidelines for bio-fertilizers.

MSc thesis on quality control of legume inoculant on bean and soyabean in East and Central Africa: Isaac Balume from DRC

I did my MSc in Sustainable Soil Resource Management sponsored by N2Africa. After successfully following one year of course work I worked closely with Dr Paul Woomer in data collection, analysis and thesis writing. Paul became a personal friend who I will never forget.

N2Africa and its impact on human nutrition

Both protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, especially among children and women of reproductive age. Undernutrition results in substantial increases in overall disease burden and mortality, decreases in intellectual development and reduction in productivity and economic development. Grain legumes add energy, proteins, minerals and B vitamins to the African diet. Evidence from randomized controlled trials show that the consumption of legume-based foods improves growth in children.

SDSN report on Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems

N2Africa received the report of the SDSN Thematic Group 7 on Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. It can be downloaded from this link.

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Announcement IFDC international training program

The training program The Fertilizer Value Chain – Supply System Management and Servicing Farmers’ Needs "Pathways to Optimize Stakeholder Returns in Unstable Markets" will convene in Accra, Ghana, December 2-6, 2013. For more detailed information click here and read the detailed program description.