Economic trade-offs of biomass use in crop-livestock systems: Exploring more sustainable options in semi-arid Zimbabwe

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cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropicsen_US
cg.contributor.crpDryland Systemsen_US
cg.contributor.donorCGIAR Systemwide Livestock Programmeen_US
cg.coverage.countryZimbabween_US
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2ZWen_US
cg.coverage.regionAfricaen_US
cg.coverage.regionSouthern Africaen_US
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africaen_US
cg.creator.identifierKatrien Descheemaeker: 0000-0003-0184-2034en_US
cg.howPublishedFormally Publisheden_US
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2014.06.009en_US
cg.isijournalISI Journalen_US
cg.issn0308-521Xen_US
cg.journalAgricultural Systemsen_US
cg.reviewStatusPeer Reviewen_US
cg.subject.ilriCROP RESIDUESen_US
cg.subject.ilriCROP-LIVESTOCKen_US
cg.subject.ilriCROPSen_US
cg.subject.ilriFARMING SYSTEMSen_US
cg.subject.ilriLIVESTOCKen_US
cg.subject.ilriMARKETSen_US
cg.subject.ilriTRADEen_US
cg.volume134en_US
dc.contributor.authorHomann-Kee Tui, Sabineen_US
dc.contributor.authorValbuena, Diegoen_US
dc.contributor.authorMasikati, Patriciaen_US
dc.contributor.authorDescheemaeker, Katrien K.en_US
dc.contributor.authorNyamangara, Justiceen_US
dc.contributor.authorClaessens, Lievenen_US
dc.contributor.authorErenstein, Olafen_US
dc.contributor.authorRooyen, Andre F. vanen_US
dc.contributor.authorNkomboni, D.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-08-24T11:41:25Zen_US
dc.date.available2014-08-24T11:41:25Zen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/42184en_US
dc.titleEconomic trade-offs of biomass use in crop-livestock systems: Exploring more sustainable options in semi-arid Zimbabween_US
dcterms.abstractIn complex mixed crop-livestock systems with limited resources and biomass scarcity, crop residues play an important but increasingly contested role. This paper focuses on farming systems in the semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe, where biomass production is limited and farmers integrate crop and livestock activities. Conservation Agriculture (CA) is promoted to intensify crop production, emphasizing the retention of surface mulch with crop residues (CR). This paper quantifies the associated potential economic trade-offs and profitability of using residues for soil amendment or as livestock feed, and explores alternative biomass production options. We draw on household surveys, stakeholder feedback, crop, livestock and economic modeling tools. We use the Trade-Off Analysis Model for Multi Dimensional Impact Assessment (TOA-MD) to compare different CR use scenarios at community level and for different farm types: particularly the current base system (cattle grazing of maize residues) and sustainable intensification alternatives based on a CA option (mulching using maize residues ± inorganic fertilizer) and a maize–mucuna (Mucuna pruriens) rotation. Our results indicate that a maize–mucuna rotation can reduce trade-offs between CR uses for feed and mulch, providing locally available organic soil enhancement, supplementary feed and a potential source of income. Conservation Agriculture without fertilizer application and at non-subsidized fertilizer prices is not financially viable; whereas with subsidized fertilizer it can benefit half the farm population. The poverty effects of all considered alternative biomass options are however limited; they do not raise income sufficiently to lift farmers out of poverty. Further research is needed to establish the competitiveness of alternative biomass enhancing technologies and the socio-economic processes that can facilitate sustainable intensification of mixed crop-livestock systems, particularly in semi-arid environments.en_US
dcterms.accessRightsLimited Accessen_US
dcterms.audienceScientistsen_US
dcterms.bibliographicCitationHomann-Kee Tui, S., Valbuena, D., Masikati, P., Descheemaeker, K., Nyamangara, J., Claessens, L., Erenstein, O., Rooyen, A. van and Nkomboni, D. 2014. Economic trade-offs of biomass use in crop-livestock systems: Exploring more sustainable options in semi-arid Zimbabwe. Agricultural Systems.en_US
dcterms.extentpp. 48-60en_US
dcterms.issued2015-03en_US
dcterms.languageenen_US
dcterms.licenseCopyrighted; all rights reserveden_US
dcterms.publisherElsevieren_US
dcterms.subjecttradeen_US
dcterms.subjectmixed farmingen_US
dcterms.typeJournal Articleen_US

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