Yield gap analyses to inform policy on sustainable crop intensification pathways in Uganda

Smallholder potato yields in Uganda are low (<4.7 tha-1) compared to 25 tha-1 attainable on-station yields, attributed to: poor quality seed, low soil fertility, pests and diseases, limited knowledge and weak policy environment. Potatoes however represent about half of the total monetary value of cr...

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Autores principales: Walukano, W., Pali, Pamela N., Wairegi, L.W.I., Nanfumba, D., Arinaitwe, A., Basalirwa, D., Asiimwe, R., Asten, Piet J.A. van
Formato: Conference Paper
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Tropentag 2016
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/81524
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author Walukano, W.
Pali, Pamela N.
Wairegi, L.W.I.
Nanfumba, D.
Arinaitwe, A.
Basalirwa, D.
Asiimwe, R.
Asten, Piet J.A. van
author_browse Arinaitwe, A.
Asiimwe, R.
Asten, Piet J.A. van
Basalirwa, D.
Nanfumba, D.
Pali, Pamela N.
Wairegi, L.W.I.
Walukano, W.
author_facet Walukano, W.
Pali, Pamela N.
Wairegi, L.W.I.
Nanfumba, D.
Arinaitwe, A.
Basalirwa, D.
Asiimwe, R.
Asten, Piet J.A. van
author_sort Walukano, W.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Smallholder potato yields in Uganda are low (<4.7 tha-1) compared to 25 tha-1 attainable on-station yields, attributed to: poor quality seed, low soil fertility, pests and diseases, limited knowledge and weak policy environment. Potatoes however represent about half of the total monetary value of crop production in Uganda’s Southwestern highlands.Development and policy actors wish to intensify potato systems to sustain rural livelihoods and high population growing at 3.4% per annum. The agronomy study was undertaken to understand how genotype x environment x management interactions affect potato yields at plot, farm and community levels to generate evidence for stimulating policy action relevant to crop intensification. The objectives of the study were to; (1) analyze the magnitude of the yield gap by determining attainable and actual potato yields, (2) establish the resource utilization (land, seed quality and fertilizers) and management practices for potato production (3) develop policy recommendations to largest potato yield to support increase and improve potato production systems in Uganda. The study was conducted in 2014- 2015 in the highlands of Southwestern Uganda using a total of 283 households in rainfed potato farms surveyed for: production and crop management, access to services and technologies. Households were selected using stratified cluster sampling. Yield data obtained were compared to on-station yields to establish the yield gap. Results show a large yield gaps (60-80%) exist between average farmer and best on-station yield. The results suggest that seed is the major limiting constraint in potato cropping systems. Households using good quality seed potato obtained an average 11.1 tha-1 versus 6.4 tha-1 for those using poor quality seed. On-station yields reach 25 tha-1. It can be concluded that Uganda has the potential to more than double the yield if an enabling policy environment of increasing access to quality seed for potato is created. This can be through the National Seed Policy to guide production marketing, distribution and access to quality seed for smallholder potato farmers. Sustainable intensification would require easy access to key yield augmenting inputs used in a stepwise approach starting with quality seed and then other complementary inputs.
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language Inglés
publishDate 2016
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spelling CGSpace815242023-02-15T07:27:24Z Yield gap analyses to inform policy on sustainable crop intensification pathways in Uganda Walukano, W. Pali, Pamela N. Wairegi, L.W.I. Nanfumba, D. Arinaitwe, A. Basalirwa, D. Asiimwe, R. Asten, Piet J.A. van smallholders potato yield livelihoods agronomy crop intensification genotype x environment southwestern uganda households sustainable intensification Smallholder potato yields in Uganda are low (<4.7 tha-1) compared to 25 tha-1 attainable on-station yields, attributed to: poor quality seed, low soil fertility, pests and diseases, limited knowledge and weak policy environment. Potatoes however represent about half of the total monetary value of crop production in Uganda’s Southwestern highlands.Development and policy actors wish to intensify potato systems to sustain rural livelihoods and high population growing at 3.4% per annum. The agronomy study was undertaken to understand how genotype x environment x management interactions affect potato yields at plot, farm and community levels to generate evidence for stimulating policy action relevant to crop intensification. The objectives of the study were to; (1) analyze the magnitude of the yield gap by determining attainable and actual potato yields, (2) establish the resource utilization (land, seed quality and fertilizers) and management practices for potato production (3) develop policy recommendations to largest potato yield to support increase and improve potato production systems in Uganda. The study was conducted in 2014- 2015 in the highlands of Southwestern Uganda using a total of 283 households in rainfed potato farms surveyed for: production and crop management, access to services and technologies. Households were selected using stratified cluster sampling. Yield data obtained were compared to on-station yields to establish the yield gap. Results show a large yield gaps (60-80%) exist between average farmer and best on-station yield. The results suggest that seed is the major limiting constraint in potato cropping systems. Households using good quality seed potato obtained an average 11.1 tha-1 versus 6.4 tha-1 for those using poor quality seed. On-station yields reach 25 tha-1. It can be concluded that Uganda has the potential to more than double the yield if an enabling policy environment of increasing access to quality seed for potato is created. This can be through the National Seed Policy to guide production marketing, distribution and access to quality seed for smallholder potato farmers. Sustainable intensification would require easy access to key yield augmenting inputs used in a stepwise approach starting with quality seed and then other complementary inputs. 2016 2017-06-12T10:18:06Z 2017-06-12T10:18:06Z Conference Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/81524 en Open Access application/pdf Tropentag Walukano, W., Pali, P.N., Wairegi, L., Nanfumba, D., Arinaitwe, A., Basalirwa, D., ... van Asten, P.J.A. (2016). Yield gap analyses to inform policy on sustainable crop intensification pathways in Uganda. Poster: Tropentag 2016: Conference on International Research on Food Security, Natural Resource Management and Rural Development; 2016 Sept. 14-21; Vienna, Austria.
spellingShingle smallholders
potato yield
livelihoods
agronomy
crop intensification
genotype x environment
southwestern uganda
households
sustainable intensification
Walukano, W.
Pali, Pamela N.
Wairegi, L.W.I.
Nanfumba, D.
Arinaitwe, A.
Basalirwa, D.
Asiimwe, R.
Asten, Piet J.A. van
Yield gap analyses to inform policy on sustainable crop intensification pathways in Uganda
title Yield gap analyses to inform policy on sustainable crop intensification pathways in Uganda
title_full Yield gap analyses to inform policy on sustainable crop intensification pathways in Uganda
title_fullStr Yield gap analyses to inform policy on sustainable crop intensification pathways in Uganda
title_full_unstemmed Yield gap analyses to inform policy on sustainable crop intensification pathways in Uganda
title_short Yield gap analyses to inform policy on sustainable crop intensification pathways in Uganda
title_sort yield gap analyses to inform policy on sustainable crop intensification pathways in uganda
topic smallholders
potato yield
livelihoods
agronomy
crop intensification
genotype x environment
southwestern uganda
households
sustainable intensification
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/81524
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