Options for improving the yield and nutritive value of maize and grain legume residues for ruminants in East African farming systems
Introduction
N2Africa is a large scale, science-based “research-in-development” project funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and focused on putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers growing legume crops in Africa. N2Africa aims to enhance productivity of grain legumes of smallholder farmers which in turn helps to increase income, improve household nutrition, and enhance soil fertility.
Farmers' use and adaptation of improved climbing bean production practices in the highlands of Uganda
N2Africa DRC exit and continuation by partners
The DRC is the third largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria. It stretches from the Atlantic to the East African Rift plateau. It includes the major part of the Congo River basin. Crossed by the equator, it has a warm and humid climate in the region of the river basin, and a drier and cooler climate in the south. The DRC counts 64 million inhabitants.
N2Africa reinforced nutrition education for HIV-AIDS care groups in Zimbabwe
The Cluster Agriculture Development Services (CADS) implemented the N2Africa project activities during the last six years, principally in Goromonzi and Mutoko districts. CADS fosters better livelihoods for various communities faced with different challenges. The high HIV-AIDS prevalence has intensified the challenges. One of the entry points to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic is through improved access to locally produced nutritious diets.
Zimbabwe N2Africa project exit strategy
After eight good years of working with thousands of smallholder farmers across seven districts during Phase I and five districts during Phase II, N2Africa Zimbabwe is now wrapping up the active funding phase of the project. In Zimbabwe, we are entering ‘Phase III’ in which farmers and our N2Africa partners will continue to reap the benefits of N2Africa technologies and approaches.
COCOF and the soyabean value chain
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COCOF is a Rwandese organization created in 1994 by a group of rural women from the district of Kamonyi, with the aim to promote the socio, economic and political development of women. To date COCOF has 482 women members and 5881 beneficiaries with 68% women and 32% men. Beneficiaries are grouped in cooperatives. |
Strategic scenario to close the gaps identified in Rwanda
N2Africa activities were initially introduced in three provinces, namely Eastern, Northern, and Southern Provinces of Rwanda. In Phase 2, activities were scaled up in Western Province by partners operating there.
ACOF and N2Africa: the soyabean partnership
Agro Commercial Olinda Fondo (ACOF) is a woman-headed agribusiness company based in Mocuba District of Zambezia Province in Mozambique. ACOF produces and markets soyabeans and maize, selling mostly to the poultry industry. To supplement its own production, ACOF has an outgrower scheme involving women smallholder farmer groups in several districts: Dhere, Mocuba, Lugela, Maganja da Costa, Morrumbala, Gurue, Maua, Malema and Alto-Molocue. Ms Olinda Fondo, founder of ACOF, calls her outgrowers “my farmers”.