Participatory Pathways to Sustainable Intensification. Innovation platforms to integrate leguminous crops and inoculants into small-scale agriculture and local value chains

Projekti: Tutkimusprojekti

Projektin yksityiskohdat

Kuvaus (abstrakti)

Feeding the world’s population in an environmentally and socially sustainable way is a major challenge for the future. Farmland should be used
productively without compromising the environment. Sustainable intensification can contribute to this goal by mitigating climate change, creating better
soil fertility and health and improving resilience, while providing nutritious food to humans and feed to cattle. Legumes have the capacity to fix nitrogen,
when inoculated with rhizobia which can be used as biofertilizers. PASUSI will develop ways to integrate this technology in local farming systems,
evaluate the economically viability and risks connected with these crops, and support local biofertilizer production. The target crops are cowpea,
soybean, groundnut and Bambara groundnut which form an important dietary basis in Ghana and Uganda, and are commonly grown by women. For a
lasting impact, farmers need to be actively involved in developing sustainable intensification models. Therefore, we take a participatory approach,
involving both farmers and other relevant stakeholders through establishing Innovation Platforms. We aim at a holistic approach to find integrated,
lasting solutions for both production, environment and for the rural community. Producing high quality biofertilizers requires knowledge and skills about
rhizobium bacteria isolation and characterization, carrier material, quality control, proper storage and distribution. Current rhizobia inoculant production
chains in Ghana and Uganda will be developed in collaboration with a skilled Finnish inoculant producer and scientific partners in Norway and Finland.
The laboratories in Ghana and Uganda will be equipped for the purposes and scientists trained. The expected impact is improved food security,
livelihoods and economic improved income generation for small-scale farmers, increased capacity of scientific and technical staff as well as positive
environmental effects and improvements in community resilience.
AkronyymiPASUSI
TilaPäättynyt
Todellinen alku/loppupvm20/08/201831/12/2021