Africa research in sustainable intensification for the next generation: sustainable intensification of key farming systems in east and southern Africa

The current reporting period presents substantial research products as most of the research data were collected during this period.In some cases, it is a build-up, reflecting trends starting with data collected in previous seasons.We continued deployment of elite crop varieties, which have a critical and significant role in improving smallholder agricultural production systems using the SI approach.Drought tolerant and high yielding maize hybrids are among the elite crops that were validated in central Tanzania.Eighteen best performing hybrids selected from previous years' studies, were further validated for their performance under on-farm conditions during the 2019 cropping season.Out of these, four hybrids (CKDHH170114, CKH160231, CKDHH170346, and CKDHH1600016) have now been identified for scaling, based on their superior yield and agronomic performance as well as profitability.Africa RISING is partnering with formal seed companies, notably Meru Agro, to push for promotion of these hybrids as a precursor to production of seed for farmers.In the same central region of Tanzania, new Africa RISING crop (groundnut, pigeonpea, sorghum, and pearl millet) varieties, released or proposed for release, were tested.The elite materials out-performed the landrace controls and had relatively less yield loss, sometimes up to three-fold less when planted late compared with the landrace There was differential site reaction of the test material, confirming our early classification of sub-ecologies, while identifying the suitable adapted high performing material.We therefore successfully mapped genotype to ecology to inform scaling out.Production of seed for these crops is through the informal community seed bank approach.To address improved availability of seed for the introduced elite crop varieties, both maize and groundnut seed value chains were studied as representatives of the formal and informal seed systems in central Tanzania.Preliminary analysis of the survey data shows that improvement of the groundnut seed systems to deliver technologies requires, among others, strategic partnerships and building the seed value chains from the supply side.Grain production is slowly driving demand for improved inputs such as seed.Starting with informal seed systems is critical because it provides basic information to guide private sector investment into formal seed systems.In Malawi, Africa RISING consolidated availability of quality seed for soybean, groundnut, and nutrient-dense common bean varieties, through a network of 300 seed producers who received 20 kg foundation seed each during the 2017/18 cropping season.About 46 tons (t) of Quality Declared Seed (QDS) were distributed to over 4000 baby farmers at 10 kg seed for each farmer during December 2018.During 2019, we engaged the same experienced 300 farmers to produce seed, with an estimated 50t seed produced.Seed farmers have been linked to the Agriculture Extension Coordination Committee (DAECC) for assistance with marketing the seed they produced.Over the next few months, we will study the viability of this community seed production and marketing system when farmers seek for real markets, beyond the Africa RISING project facilitation.Validation of cereal-legume intercrop and rotational diversity has continued in terms of identifying when and where each offers advantage and sufficiency.In Malawi, four cropping systems that have been running since 2016 (sole pigeonpea rotated with maize, sole groundnut