Description

The challenges one faces in trying to increase improving ecosystem services, improve yields and increase farm level profitability in West African countries largely revolve around the environmental and economic constraints. Improving ecosystem services with a focus on maintaining soil quantity, quality and moisture in West Africa will require the adoption of conservation agricultural practices (CAPS) such as legumes to fix nitrogen, a focus on reduced tillage and practices that maintain as much residue in the system as possible and integrated nutrient, water and pest management practices.

The Goal of this project is to contribute to poverty alleviation and improve food security by improving economic returns, system productivity and sustainability of agricultural production systems, creating market opportunities and livelihoods of small holder farming households dependent on rain fed agriculture through the evaluation, development and dissemination of conservation agricultural production practices that improve soil quality, water use efficiency, crop productivity, ecosystem services and efficient use of farm inputs and labor.