Science and Technology Backyard model: implications for sustainable agriculture in Africa

doi:10.15302/J-FASE-2020360

Front. Agr. Sci. Eng.

2020, Vol. 7

Issue (4) : 390-400 https://doi.org/10.15302/J-FASE-2020360

REVIEW

Science and Technology Backyard model: implications for sustainable agriculture in Africa

Xiaoqiang JIAO¹, Derara Sori FEYISA¹, Jasper KANOMANYANGA¹, Ngula David MUTTENDANGO¹, Shingirai MUDARE¹, Amadou NDIAYE¹, Bilisuma KABETO¹, Felix Dapare DAKORA²(

), Fusuo ZHANG¹(

)

¹. National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Department of Plant Nutrition, College of Resource and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
². Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

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Abstract

Sustainable food production to feed the growing population in Africa remains a major challenge. Africa has 64% of the global arable land but produces less than 10% of its food locally due to its inherently low soil nutrient concentrations. Poor soil fertility and a lack of fertilizer use are the major constraints to increasing crop yields in Africa. On average only about 8.8 kg NPK fertilizer is applied per hectare by African smallholder farmers. There is therefore considerable potential for increasing food production through sustainable intensification of the cropping systems. The low crop yields in Africa are also partly due to limited farmer access to modern agronomic techniques, including improved crop varieties, a lack of financial resources, and the absence of mechanisms for dissemination of information to smallholders. This study analyzed the Science and Technology Backyards (STBs) model and investigated its use for the transformation of agriculture in Africa. Some key lessons for sustainable crop intensification in Africa can be found from analysis of the STB model which is well established in China. These include (1) scientist-farmer engagement to develop adaptive and innovative technology for sustainable crop production, (2) dissemination of technology by empowering smallholders, especially leading farmers, and (3) the development of an open platform for multiple resource involvement rather than relying on a single mechanism. This review evaluates the benefits of the STB model used in China for adoption to increase agricultural productivity in Africa, with a perspective on sustainable crop intensification on the continent.

Keywords sustainable agriculture Africa smallholder Science and Technology Backyards

Corresponding Author(s): Felix Dapare DAKORA,Fusuo ZHANG

Just Accepted Date: 24 September 2020 Online First Date: 21 October 2020 Issue Date: 06 November 2020

Cite this article:

Xiaoqiang JIAO,Derara Sori FEYISA,Jasper KANOMANYANGA, et al. Science and Technology Backyard model: implications for sustainable agriculture in Africa[J]. Front. Agr. Sci. Eng. , 2020, 7(4): 390-400.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/10.15302/J-FASE-2020360
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/Y2020/V7/I4/390

Fig.1 Percentage of arable land (a), chemical fertilizer use per unit area (b) and grain yield (c) in Africa, China and the world from 1961 to 2018. Data was collected from FAOSTAT^[¹^].

Tab.1 Comparison of several pilot activities conducted by international experts in Africa for agricultural transformation

Fig.2 Implications of Science and Technology Backyards for sustainable agricultural intensification in Africa.

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