The Institute for Rural Economy (IER) and DCG are implementing experimental and on-farm seed soaking and microdosing technology transfer activities in Mali. Seed soaking removes all dormancy, improves the germination, shortens the process of passage from seed to seedling and increases the vigour and mineral nutrition in areas where rains are scarce and droughts intermittent.

The objective of this activity is to show on-farm the effectiveness of the soaking technique on improving seedling fixation and the yields of food crops. An experimental design is put in place in the agronomic research centres of Sotuba (900mm) and Cinzana (700mm) where the soaking technology is compared with a non-soaking method with the objective of evaluating the effect of the soaking technique and fertilisation on the establishment of food crops such as millet, sorghum, maize, groundnuts, beans and voandzou.

As regards microdosing of fertiliser, it enables to avoid constraining factors such as soil nutrient deficiency, the lack of conditioned seeds, poor density of seedbeds and long care activities in the planting of food crops. The objective of this activity is to better document the economic and agronomic aspects with regard to the implementation of this technique in order to evaluate the impact of the mechanisation of microdosing of fertiliser on millet yields in a monitored environment and to show the microdosing technique of millet seeds on-farm. The experiments will take place in the agronomic research centre of Sotuba/Samanko and will concern the Djiguifa millet variety. Two types of sowing techniques (manual or mechanical with a SMECMA drilling machine) are the main designs with 3 doses of microdose under the form of complex cereals (CC) as a secondary design. The seeds and the fertilisers are mixed according to prescribed doses.

The study is carried out in collaboration with the NGOs  AMAPROS, ADRA Mali, ADAF/GALLE through research and development activities with food crop producers in the regions of Ségou and Koulikoro and in the site villages of Konobougou and Kolokani.

Here is a report on the activities for 2006 in French.

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