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2018-12-10T09:53:36Z

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PopoolaSamuel001 at 09:47, 10 December 2018

2018-12-10T09:47:05Z

PopoolaSamuel001 at 09:27, 10 December 2018

2018-12-10T09:27:42Z

JonathanOdhong: Imported from Wikispaces

2017-07-19T11:02:55Z

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==Africa RISING Malawi cropping system design modelling meeting==
==5 - 7 June, 2017==
==Lilongwe, Malawi==
----
'''Participants'''
# Leonard Rusinamhodzi, CIMMYT
# Anthony Whitbread, ICRISAT
# Patrick Okori, ICRISAT
# Vincent Vadez, ICRISAT
# Amos Ngwira, ICRISAT
# Vimbayi Chimonyo, MSU
# Princess Adjei Frimprong, MSU
# John Dimes, ICRISAT
# Regis Chikowo, MSU
# Sieg Snapp, MSU
# Brad Peter, MSU
# Placid Mpeketula, MSU
# Timmy Silberg, MSU
# Robbie Richardson, MSU
# Ho Young Kwo, IFPRI
# Carl Timler, WUR
# Jeroen Groot, WUR
# Patricia Masikati, ICRISAT
# Jim Kells, MSU
# Esther Mugi, IPNI/WUR
# Ron Bates, MSU

'''Objective/Purpose'''
The main objective of the workshop was to take stock of findings based on application of APSIM and related cropping system models to enhance design and sustainable intensification of farming systems, including what has been learned over two decades in Malawi and surrounding countries, and frame a pathway for the future.

'''Agenda'''
'''Day 1 (5 June, 2017)'''
Morning: Big picture' what have we learned? (FarmSim, APSIM applications in SE African farming system sustainable intensification design)
* Welcome and Introductions - Sieg Snapp
* ESA Africa RISING farm system design - insights from models - Leonard Rusinamhodzi
* Modeling at farm scale and beyond - Carl Timler
* APSIM for participatory action research on sustainable intensification - a changing climate - Regis Chikowo
* APSIM - applications and aspirations in cropping system design - Vimbayi Chimonyo
* APSIM lessons learned in cropping system designs - John Dimes

Afternoon: 'Deep dive' what have we learned
* Crop modelling insights from a plant physiologist - Vincent Vadez
* APSIM lessons in understanding cropping systems performance - Leonard Rusinamhodzi
* Stock taking on existing data, validation and parameterization - Amos Ngwira
* Systems dynamics modelling - new directions for Africa RISING research - Robbie Richardson
* Modeling marginal and resilient agriculture at scale - Brad Peter (MSU geographer/APSIM)

'''Day 2 (6 June, 2017)'''
Where are we going?
* Crop modeling application, how can we use it and limitations - Anthony Whitbread
* Application examples: Princess, Carl, Amos, others - (reports on outputs from APSIM training session conducted just before the workshop)
* Hands-on feedback sessions for model application examples - (participants to work in small groups with students to help improve the model applications and studies underway)
* Small group work - What is underway - what trials can provide input into model validation and parameterization
* Anthony Whitbread New science needed to improve crop models

'''Day 3 (7 June, 2017)'''
* Next steps - planning a ways forward
----
==NOTES==
----
'''Day 1 (Monday June 5th) morning - 'Big picture' what have we learned?'''
* Patrick Okori - Welcome and Introductions
* Chair Morning Session: Dr. M. Lowole, Soil Scientist, LUANAR
* Speakers (20 min talks with 10 min for discussion)
* Sieg Snapp - Conjunctions or disruptions?
* Leonard Rusinamhodzi - Farm system design in East and Southern Africa - insights from models
* Anthony Whitbread - Crop modeling application, how can we use it and limitations
* Regis Chikowo - APSIM for participatory action research on SI - Africa RISING experience
''' Tea/Coffee break
* VimbayiChimonyo - APSIM - review of literature on applications to cropping systems
* John Dimes - APSIM - lessons learned in cropping system designs
* Panel discussion by the morning session speakers: Modelling Tradeoffs and Synergies in SI
''' Lunch
* Day 1 Afternoon: Experiences from the field and moving forward
* Chair Afternoon Session Dr. WeziMhango
* Marc Corbeels - Experiences in SI with FIELD
* Robbie Richardson - Integrated modeling of social-ecological systems
''' Tea/Coffee break
* Carl Timler - Modelling from the farm to the landscape level using FARMDESIGN
* Ho Young Kwo - Improvements in modeling soil C pools
* Amos Ngwira - APSIM intercropping system applications

'''Day 2 (6th June)- 'Deep dive' - application of APSIM'''
* Chair Morning Session: Dr Patrick Okori
* Anthony Whitbread - Introduction - next steps in modeling and cropping systems design for SI
* Student Reports - Reports on outputs from APSIM training session
''' Tea/Coffee Break
* Student and Postdoc Reports
* Reports on outputs from APSIM training session
* General Discussion of Topics
''' Lunch
* Chair Afternoon Session: Dr Anthony Whitbread
* Small group work model applications
* Six groups based on the reports presented in the morning.
''' Tea/Coffee Break
* Report back/discussion

'''Day 3'''
* Chair Morning Session - Dr. Chikowo Chair
* Way forward
* Amy Quand - LandPKS landpotential.org
* Placid Mpeketula - LandNPK for citizen science
* Sieg Snapp et al. - Technologies and targeting for precision agriculture
* Summary
* Next Steps

'''Key priorities for next steps and for Africa RISING Malawi discussed at workshop:'''
# There is a need to concentrate on improving legume productivity across the different cropping systems
# There is need to tailor technologies based on agro-ecology, socio-economic characteristics and market access
''' This can be done by using the available data on productivity and yield stability
''' Assessing farmer preferences and market trends of component crops
''' There may be need also to adjust technology options for farmers based on market fluctuations
# It was suggested that there is a need to influence current policy for the production and economics of legume crops.
''' This was mainly directed at the value of pigeon pea as a multipurpose crop, groundnut seed systems and soybean market volatility
# To improve uptake and adoption it was suggested that there should be more farmer and extension services exchange visits within and across the districts
# To deal with some bottlenecks in uptake and adoption of technologies, it was suggested that there is need to assess the whole value chain of the technologies under Africa RISING and for legumes
# There may be need to further capacitate extension services so as to improve uptake and adoption of technologies, and technical management of on-farm trials.
''' This may be done by increased engagement via workshops and training
''' Producing training manuals for the technologies, based on farmer participatory research linked to farming systems modeling

'''Key points regarding modeling next steps:'''
# One step that was agreed upon was the need to get good estimates of soil moisture lower limit (LL-15) and drained upper limit (DUL) for pigeonpea for different soils to improve model parameterization. Dr Amos Ngwira has began work on this already with initial bulk density and soil moisture measurements at Chitedze on 2 soils as part of methodology development, along with nine sites under Africa RISING (5 old ones and 4 residue management sites, Chiwimbo Gwenambira’s dissertation research)
''' Amos Ngwira to document available data, activities and experiments drawing from experiences of Africa RISING, with support from Drs. Chikowo and Snapp. This will be complemented with literature review on intercropping and APSIM modelling. Gaps identified from past data will inform new sets of experiments to support modelling work.
# APSIM is sensitive to mineral N initialization –at the workshop this was highlighted and ChiwimboGwenambira will focus on this data at several Africa RISING sites, with 7 sampling dates to depth over the 2017-2018 growing seasion as part of her investigations on residue quality and quantity effects. She will sample in unfertilzed plots, + maize stover, + pigeon residues, and + pp and groundnut stover (doubled-up system) at the beginning of the season, 2 weeks after rains to get an estimate of the N flush that can be directly used to parameterize starting mineral N, and all through the growing season (using direct KCl extraction in the field for moist soil, plus gravimetric soil moisture determinations to depth).
# Future steps: Africa RISING Malawi to work with graduate students to include at least onemodelling chapter in their theses. Aspects such as use of appropriate curve numbers to represent the effect of tied ridging would make APSIM handy when analyzing soil water -nutrients relations for climate smart interventions.

'''Appendix: Outputs from the working Groups'''

''APSIM application – Dr Amos Ngwira and DrVimbayiChimonyo and colleagues''
# To identify the best spatial arrangements of intercropping maize and pigeon pea varieties (short, medium and long pigeon pea varieties) for different farms and agro ecological zones. This will be in terms of resource use efficiencies I.e. nutrients, water and light
# To identify the most suitable groundnut varieties for intercropping with pigeon pea and most suitable varieties of pigeon pea for intercropping with maize
# To assess the contribution of double up legumes to the following maize/cereal crop (residual N)

''Weed management – Dr. Robbie Richardson Timmy Silberg and colleagues''
Research questions
* What is the role of soil texture and nutrients in Striga emergence?
''' (a) 2015 and 2016 survey data on high- and low-fertility plots (Africa RISING Malawi panel data)
''' (b) Soil sample data
* Which weed management method is most effective at sustaining maize yields? (APSIM)
''' (a) Kill date
''' (b) Kill fraction (?) (e.g., burn = 100%, tillage = X%)
''' (c) Tillage
''' (d) Sowing density/competition
* What are the determinants of weed prevalence?
''' (a) Ridge weed ranking (e.g., soil > weeds, soil = weeds, soil < weeds)
''' (b) 2015 and 2016 survey
* Time: What is the share of the labor budget devoted to weeding? (bean game, maize seeds)
''' (a) Focus group discussions in 2017
* Tradeoffs: What are the tradeoffs farmers face across weeding methods? (choice modeling)
* Case study of farmers using herbicides, explore in the future?
''' (a) Farm budget
''' (b) Labor / cost ratios


{|
| Anthony Whitbread |||||| Crop modeling application, how can we use it and limitations || ||
|-
||| Application examples: Princess, Carl, Amos, others |||||| (reports on outputs from APSIM training session conducted just before the workshop) ||
|-
||| Hands-on feedback sessions for model application examples |||||||| (participants to work in small groups with students to help improve the model applications and studies underway)
|-
| Small group work |||||||| What is underway - what trials can provide input into model validation and parameterization ||
|-
| Anthony Whitbread |||| New science needed to improve crop models || || ||
|-
|}

@@ Line 85: / Line 85: @@
 * Anthony Whitbread - Introduction - next steps in modeling and cropping systems design for SI
 * Student Reports - Reports on outputs from APSIM training session
-''' Tea/Coffee Break
+* Tea/Coffee Break
 * Student and Postdoc Reports
 * Reports on outputs from APSIM training session

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-==Africa RISING Malawi cropping system design modelling meeting==
+==Africa RISING Malawi cropping system design modelling meeting<br/>5 - 7 June, 2017<br/>Lilongwe, Malawi==
-==5 - 7 June, 2017==
 ----
 '''Participants'''
@@ Line 136: / Line 135: @@
 Research questions
 * What is the role of soil texture and nutrients in Striga emergence?
-''' (a) 2015 and 2016 survey data on high- and low-fertility plots (Africa RISING Malawi panel data)
+(a) 2015 and 2016 survey data on high- and low-fertility plots (Africa RISING Malawi panel data)<br/>
-''' (b) Soil sample data
+(b) Soil sample data<br/>
 * Which weed management method is most effective at sustaining maize yields? (APSIM)
-''' (a) Kill date
+(a) Kill date<br/>
-''' (b) Kill fraction (?) (e.g., burn = 100%, tillage = X%)
+(b) Kill fraction (?) (e.g., burn = 100%, tillage = X%)<br/>
-''' (c) Tillage
+(c) Tillage<br/>
-''' (d) Sowing density/competition
+(d) Sowing density/competition<br/>
 * What are the determinants of weed prevalence?
-''' (a) Ridge weed ranking (e.g., soil > weeds, soil = weeds, soil < weeds)
+(a) Ridge weed ranking (e.g., soil > weeds, soil = weeds, soil < weeds)<br/>
-''' (b) 2015 and 2016 survey
+(b) 2015 and 2016 survey<br/>
 * Time: What is the share of the labor budget devoted to weeding? (bean game, maize seeds)
-''' (a) Focus group discussions in 2017
+(a) Focus group discussions in 2017<br/>
 * Tradeoffs: What are the tradeoffs farmers face across weeding methods? (choice modeling)
 * Case study of farmers using herbicides, explore in the future?
-''' (a) Farm budget
+(a) Farm budget<br/>
-''' (b) Labor / cost ratios
+(b) Labor / cost ratios<br/>
 {|
 | Anthony Whitbread |||||| Crop modeling application, how can we use it and limitations ||   ||

AR Malawi sys design model training June2017 - Revision history

PopoolaSamuel001: /* NOTES */

PopoolaSamuel001 at 09:47, 10 December 2018

PopoolaSamuel001 at 09:27, 10 December 2018

JonathanOdhong: Imported from Wikispaces