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
cg.contributor.crpDryland Systems
cg.contributor.donorCGIAR Systemwide Livestock Programmeen
cg.coverage.countryZimbabwe
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2ZW
cg.coverage.regionAfrica
cg.coverage.regionSouthern Africa
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africa
cg.creator.identifierKatrien Descheemaeker: 0000-0003-0184-2034en
cg.howPublishedFormally Publisheden
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2014.06.009en
cg.isijournalISI Journalen
cg.issn0308-521Xen
cg.journalAgricultural Systemsen
cg.reviewStatusPeer Reviewen
cg.subject.ilriCROP RESIDUESen
cg.subject.ilriCROP-LIVESTOCKen
cg.subject.ilriCROPSen
cg.subject.ilriFARMING SYSTEMSen
cg.subject.ilriLIVESTOCKen
cg.subject.ilriMARKETSen
cg.subject.ilriTRADEen
cg.volume134en
dc.contributor.authorHomann-Kee Tui, Sabineen
dc.contributor.authorValbuena, Diegoen
dc.contributor.authorMasikati, Patriciaen
dc.contributor.authorDescheemaeker, Katrien K.en
dc.contributor.authorNyamangara, Justiceen
dc.contributor.authorClaessens, Lievenen
dc.contributor.authorErenstein, Olafen
dc.contributor.authorRooyen, Andre F. vanen
dc.contributor.authorNkomboni, D.en
dc.date.accessioned2014-08-24T11:41:25Zen
dc.date.available2014-08-24T11:41:25Zen
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/42184
dc.titleEconomic trade-offs of biomass use in crop-livestock systems: Exploring more sustainable options in semi-arid Zimbabween
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
dcterms.accessRightsLimited Access
dcterms.audienceScientistsen
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
dcterms.extentpp. 48-60en
dcterms.issued2015-03en
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCopyrighted; all rights reserved
dcterms.publisherElsevieren
dcterms.subjecttradeen
dcterms.subjectmixed farmingen
dcterms.typeJournal Article

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