Smallholder farmers often lack empirical data on their farm sizes and corresponding yields, information that is crucial for planning, decision-making and validating the farm practices they adopt.
As part of the Strengthening of Smallholder Farmers' Resilience Against a Changing Climate (SCRAS) Project funded by Misereor of Germany, NABOCADO's Livelihood and Agriculture Directorate is conducting a yield assessment exercise across project communities.
Earlier in the year, farmers established 10m x 10m demonstration plots and received guidance from Project Officers on Sustainable Agriculture Practices (SAP) such as mulching, mono- and intercropping, crop diversification, cereal-legume integration, and the use of local innovations for weed and pest control.
Now that harvesting and threshing have been completed, the team is supporting farmers to measure their yields and reflect on what worked, what changed and what can be improved.
From maize to beans and millet, farmers are excited about the increase in productivity from their small demonstration plots, and many are already planning to scale up SAP onto larger fields next season.
This assessment will not only validate the impact of SAP but also help farmers and project staff identify gaps, strengthen adoption and improve long-term food security.
Originally posted on NABOCADO's Facebook page.