ACP SUGAR RESEARCH PROGRAMMEProject 2.3

Mid Term Report - October 2012

Increasing Sugarcane Yields For Smallholder Farmers Through Improvements In Irrigation Scheduling

SWAZILAND SUGAR ASSOCIATION TECHNICAL SERVICES

P. O. Box 367, Simunye, Swaziland Tel: (268)383-8998; Fax (268)383-8731 E-mail: jabss@ssa.co.sz, noah@ssa.co.sz, patrickm@ssa.co.sz

BackgroundProject Goals and Objectives Project EnvironmentProgress To Date MethodologyPreliminary ResultsOpportunities ChallengesComing Year Forecast

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

BACKGROUND• Study by SSATS has shown that most smallholder

farmers do not follow any form of irrigation scheduling.• This has led to potential losses in sugarcane

productivity from: – Losses in irrigation water– Increase in electricity cost for pumping– Leaching of nitrogen fertilizers resulting in high

fertilizer costs– Aggravated soil losses and therefore pollution of the

environment– Increase in weeds and weed control costs

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES1. Goals

To increase smallholder growers’ understanding of irrigation scheduling

To effectively use smallholder grower extension collaborators as a major factor in helping farmers to learn irrigation scheduling

To improve smallholder grower cane yields and quality

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (cont’d)2. Objectives To provide irrigation scheduling training for selected

smallholder growers to be used as extension service collaborators

To provide selected growers with information on irrigation scheduling techniques (using Canepro/Canesched, Peg Board, Irrigation Profit/Loss Records and Soil Auger systems).

To ensure growers learn about timely and proper amount of water application during irrigation

To assist selected growers in learning how to effectively use the irrigation scheduling techniques to improve the cane yield and quality

PROJECT ENVIRONMENT1. Political Climate Remains stable for the foreseeable future (project life

time)

2. Weather Conditions Remain favourable for sugarcane production and the

minimum of 400mm of rainfall between October and March was exceeded, and forecasted to be normal this year. Water storage dams near full capacity

3. Markets and Prices The African and European markets remained stable for

Swazi sugar and prices are looking better for 2012/13

PROGRESS TO DATE1. Project Information

Information collected from participating growers and captured into Canesched (computer irrigation scheduling system) include:

• Irrigation Systems; types, discharge rates, stand time and application rates.

• Field records; crop ratoons and harvest dates

2. Selection of participants A total of 63 smallholder growers were selected throughout the

industry Cooperating Extension Officers were identified

3. Project Evaluation 12 of the 63 growers have harvested their fields, and have been

evaluated.

METHODOLOGY 63 growers across the industry were selected

for the project Participants were trained on irrigation

scheduling methods (profit and loss book, Pin-peg board and Canesched), handling of the SMS programme and soil and crop water use monitoring.

Growers run an onsite profit and loss record sheet and/or Canesched, and Pin-peg board simultaneous

Daily actual ET values sent by SMS

PRELIMINARY RESULTS Use of the Pin-Peg board method

Pin Peg Board Yes No Total % Yes

1. Is pin peg board being used 12 0 12 100%

2.Is it displayed correctly in a visible place 10 2 12 83%

3.Are pegs put in correctly according to colour coding 12 0 12 100%

4.

Are pegs moved correctly according to Profit and Loss data 9 3 12 75%

5. Is pin peg board up to date 11 1 12 92%

6. Members trained 11 1 12 92%

PRELIMINARY RESULTS Use of the Profit and Loss method

Profit & Loss Yes No Total% Yes

1Is the profit & loss method done 11 1 12 92%

2Are the records available and filled in correctly 10 2 12 83%

3 Is it up of date 11 1 12 92%

4 Members trained 10 2 12 83%

PRELIMINARY RESULTS SMS Delivery ReportsArea Targeted

growersNo. of growers received sms

Delivered messages (%)

 South 29 21 72

North  30 24 80

Malkerns  4 2 50

Average 63 47 75

PRELIMINARY RESULTS Irrigation Adequacy• Growers applied on average 68% (between 26% and

123%) of the required irrigation water• Some of the growers had very low supply/demand

index because they misplaced some of the irrigation records and as a result, those records were not included in the analysis

Pin-Peg Board

Growers Training Session

Growers Rain gauge

OPPORTUNITIES• Record keeping systems including year planners• Records of other farming operations, which will be

useful in analysing yields outcome at the end of the season– fertilizer application– chemical and hand weeding– smut rouging– ripening.

• Interest in evaluation of irrigation systems

CHALLENGES• Labour turn-over/absenteeism as some

growers need to be re-trained because they missed the scheduled trainings.• Growers are not always keeping their cell

phones on to receive the sent messages• Newly recruited extension officers have

not been trained. Some existing ones need refresher training

CHALLENGES (Cont’d)• Two of the evaluated growers did not

have offices where to display their pin-peg boards.• Some growers delayed in applying other

agronomic practices because of financial constraints and this impact on the resultant yield.

2012 FORECASTED SITUATION1. Conduct at one extension officer and one grower

training sessions (October and November 2012)2. Send out and receive daily irrigation messages3. Continue project monitoring and evaluation4. Compile annual report for 2012

END

Thank You!