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This Case Study is located in western Kenya where maize, common beans and cowpeas are important staple food crops. They are cultivated as intercrops in smallholder farming systems involving of various crop combinations and rain-fed with two growing seasons per year. The major challenge is low productivity and irregular supply chain to end-markets, and under-developed value addition from farm gate to consumers. The main objective is to increase productivity of the legume-based agroforestry system that optimises economic and positive environmental impacts. The Case study aims to close yield gaps, extend production beyond the existing farmer network and improve nutrition and socio-economic wellbeing of the smallholder farmers in the region through improved crop management practices such and markets for products. This Case Study in an opportunity to generate comparable data with European legume cropping systems, and determines optimised legume-based silvo-arabale (agroforestry) cropping systems in sub-Saharan Africa settings.

More information:

• Practice Abstract: Effects of inoculated legumes in intercropping systems on weeds and soil fertility in Kenya (page 12 f.)
• Video on Case Study 24