Identifying key entry-points for strategic management of smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa using the dynamic farm-scale simulation model NUANCES-FARMSIM

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cg.coverage.countryKenya
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2KE
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africa
cg.coverage.regionSub-Saharan Africa
cg.creator.identifierMark van Wijk: 0000-0003-0728-8839
cg.creator.identifierMariana Rufino: 0000-0003-4293-3290
cg.creator.identifierMario Herrero: 0000-0002-7741-5090
cg.creator.identifierKen E Giller: 0000-0002-5998-4652
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2009.07.004en
cg.issn0308-521Xen
cg.issue1-3en
cg.journalAgricultural Systemsen
cg.subject.ilriFARMING SYSTEMSen
cg.subject.ilriLIVESTOCK SYSTEMSen
cg.subject.ilriCROP-LIVESTOCKen
cg.volume102en
dc.contributor.authorWijk, Mark T. vanen
dc.contributor.authorTittonell, Pablo A.en
dc.contributor.authorRufino, Mariana C.en
dc.contributor.authorHerrero, Marioen
dc.contributor.authorPacini, C.en
dc.contributor.authorRidder, N.A. deen
dc.contributor.authorGiller, Kenneth E.en
dc.date.accessioned2010-01-13T10:43:39Zen
dc.date.available2010-01-13T10:43:39Zen
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/387
dc.titleIdentifying key entry-points for strategic management of smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa using the dynamic farm-scale simulation model NUANCES-FARMSIMen
dcterms.abstractAfrican smallholder farming systems are complex, dynamic systems with many interacting biophysical subcomponents. In these systems the major inputs and outputs are managed by human agency – the farmers. To analyse potential developmental pathways of smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), we recognised the need for a tool that can capture the effects and consequences of decision-making on the use of resources. Here we describe and apply such a new modelling tool, developed within the NUANCES framework (Nutrient Use in Animal and Cropping systems: Efficiencies and Scales), called NUANCES-FARMSIM (FARM SIMulator), an integrated crop – livestock model developed to analyse African smallholder farm systems. NUANCES-FARMSIM was used to analyse a representative case study farm in the highlands of Western Kenya, a site for which each of the components of FARMSIM has been thoroughly tested. We present the results of a sensitivity analysis which showed the model to be sufficiently robust to identify key management options that explain most of the variability in farm productivity, and the long-term consequences of these options for the case study farm. The analyses showed clearly that the most important decisions are those related to the interactions between the different components of the farm and therefore justify the need of integrating crop and livestock components within one modelling tool. The allocation of limited resources across the farm, and the way organic matter is recycled or redistributed within the farm determines the long-term production capacity of the system. The results of the sensitivity analyses further showed that for the case study farm in Western Kenya a strong focus on improving the reliability of the subsystem level or process descriptions will only result in minor improvement in simulating productivity at farm level.en
dcterms.accessRightsLimited Access
dcterms.bibliographicCitationWijk, M.T. van; Tittonell, P.; Rufino, M.C.; Herrero, M.; Pacini, C.; Ridder, N. de; Giller, K.E. 2009. Identifying key entry-points for strategic management of smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa using the dynamic farm-scale simulation model NUANCES-FARMSIM. Agricultural Systems. v. 102(1-3). p. 89-101.en
dcterms.descriptionMario Herrero is ILRI authoren
dcterms.extentp. 89-101en
dcterms.issued2009-10
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCopyrighted; all rights reserved
dcterms.publisherElsevieren
dcterms.typeJournal Article

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