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“Enhancing resilience in smallholder cropping systems and food security
through agro-forestry: The case of green grams (Vignia radiata) intercropped
with Melia volkensii in the Semiarid Eastern Kenya”
Lawrence M. Kimotho1, David Muchiri2.and Lutta. W. Mohammad3
Presented at the International Food Security Dialogue 2014
“Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a
Changing World.”

2. Introduction
• The arid and semi arid lands of Kenya are characterized by low erratic and
unreliable rainfall which often results in crop failures.
• There is need therefore to device innovative ways of cushioning the
farmers in these areas against loses and food shortage caused by these
frequent droughts.
• Agroforestry using adapted crop varieties and tree species has shown
good potential in terms of providing food and tree products (Broadhead J.
S. 2000, Juma et al 1995, M. R Rao et al 1998, and Sheffy et al 2010).
• Efforts to establish Melia volkensii a well adapted multi purpose tree in
this area has faced challenges especially the tree spacing, propagation
materials and intercropping possibilities (Kimondo et al 2008, Kimondo et
al 2004, Muok et al 2010, and Mulanda et al 2013).
“Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”

3. Introduction cont
• Melia volkensii has higher economic value when
compared to other multi purpose trees in this
area (Wekesa et al 2012)
• A trial was therefore established to evaluate the
performance of green grams (Vigna radiata
Wilczek) intercropped with Melia volkensii at
varying spacing.
• The aim was to establish the best spacing for the
tree which will result in optimum tree products at
the same time maximizing on crop production.
“Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”

4. Methodology
• The study was initiated during the short rains (SR) 2009/2010
November January season.
• Study sites: Kibwezi in Makueni County and Mutomo in Kitui
county
• Design: Randomized complete block design. Replicated 3
times.
• Trees were planted in 5 plots spaced at 3m by 3m, 4m by 4m,
4m by 4m total pruning, 5m by 5m, 6m by 6m, and a control
plot without the trees.
“Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”

5. Methodology cont.
• Green grams (N26 variety) were intercropped with the trees
and in the control plot spaced at 45cm by 15cm.
• Initial tree growth in the 1st season was based on increase in
diameter at ground level / root collar diameter (RCD) and later
on diameter at breast height i.e. at 1.3m (DBH)
• The diameter and height measurements were taken at 3, 6,
12, and 24 months after planting
• The other data taken included green gram grain yields
“Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”

6. Table 1: - Treatments and plot sizes.
“Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
Treatment Plot size Net plot size
3m by 3m 12m by 21m 9m by 9m
4m by 4m 20m by 24m 8m by 8m
4m by 4m Total
pruning
20m by 24m 8m by 8m
5m by 5m 20m by 20m 10m by 10m
6m by 6m 24m by 24m 12m by 12m
Control (No trees) 10m by 10m 8m by 8m

7. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
Plate 1: Planting green grams with the Melia volkensii trees

8. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
Plate 2: Harvesting green grams

9. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
Table 2: Green gram Grain Yields at various Spacing during LR
2010 and SR 2010/2011
Treatments
Grain Yields in Kgs/Ha
LR 2010 SR 2010/2011
3m by 3m 523 b 280 b
4m by 4m 742 ab 322 b
4m by 4m Total Pruned 595 b 388 ab
5m by 5m 767 ab 373 b
6m by 6m 822 ab 276 b
No Melia 1093 a 607 a
LSD (0.05) 355 225
CV % 25.6 33.1
Results

10. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
Table 3: Melia volkensii tree Height at various Spacing at 3
months, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months
Treatment
Tree Height in cm
3 Months 6 Months 12 Moths 24 Months
3m by 3m 75 a 192 a 237 a 342 b
4m by 4m 71 a 208 a 274 a 387 ab
4m by 4m Total
Pruned
76 a 195 a 251 a 384 ab
5m by 5m 76 a 202 a 258 a 358 b
6m by 6m 71 a 202 a 288 a 434 a
LSD (0.05) 20.2 43.5 55.0 59.3
CV % 33.0 26.1 28.2 20.0

11. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
Table 4: Melia volkensii tree Diameter - RCD and DBH at various Spacing
at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months
Treatment
Tree Diameter - RCD and DBH in cm
RCD 3 Months DBH 6 Months DBH 12 Moths DBH 24
Months
3m by 3m 1.8 a 1.6 a 2.6 b 3.9 b
4m by 4m 1.6 a 1.9 a 3.2 ab 4.8 b
4m by 4m
Total Pruned
1.6 a 1.6 a 2.7 b 4.1 b
5m by 5m 1.7 a 1.7 a 2.7 b 4.4 b
6m by 6m 1.7 a 2.0 a 3.7 a 6.2 a
LSD (0.05) 0.4 0.7 0.91 0.93
CV % 29.9 50.7 36.6 23.6

12. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
y = 0.1x + 1.55
R² = 0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
0 2 4 6
Diameter
Spacing
Spacing - Diameter Relationship at 6
months
y = 0.28x + 2.35
R² = 0.509
0
1
2
3
4
0 2 4 6
Diameterincm
Spacing
Spacing - Diameter
Relationship at 12 months
Figure 1: Tree Diameter at Varying Spacing Figure 2: Tree Diameter at Varying Spacing

13. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
y = 2.4x + 195
R² = 0.218
190
195
200
205
210
0 2 4 6
Heightincm
Spacing
Spacing - Height Relationship
at 6 months
y = 13.7x + 230
R² = 0.651
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
0 2 4 6
Heightincm Spacing
Spacing - Height Relationship at
12 months
Figure 3: Tree Height at Varying Spacing Figure 4: Tree Height at Varying Spacing

14. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
y = 92.2x + 483
R² = 0.821
0
200
400
600
800
1000
0 2 4 6
GrainYieldsKgs/Ha
Spacing
Spacing - Grain Yield
Relationship during LR 2010
y = 49.6x + 200.7
R² = 0.569
0
200
400
600
800
0 2 4 6 8
GrainyieldsKgs/Ha
Spacing
Spacing - Grain yields
Relationship during SR
2010/2011
Figure 5: Grain Yield at Varying Spacing Figure 6: Grain Yield at Varying Spacing

15. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
GG Pure
Stand
6mX6m 5mX5m 4mX4mPr 4mX4m 3mX3m
100
75.2
70.2
54.4
67.9
47.8
100
45.5
61.4 63.9
53
46.1
Green gram Grain Yields at various Treatments Expressed
as % of Pure stand during LR 2010 and SR 10/11
Figure 7: Green grams grain yields in inter cropped plots as % of pure stand

16. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
Challenges
• Droughts: Out of the six planted seasons there
was crop in only three
• Availability of planting materials: Melia volkensii
seedlings are difficult to raise due to the seeds
two hard coats and its dormancy.
• Funding: Funding of the activity has been on and
off
• Many farmers in the dry areas of Kenya have not
taken trees as enterprises which could be
commercialized

17. Conclusions and Way forward
• The green grams grain yields of 75% during the second
season and 63% during the third season for the best
spacing treatment as compared with the control shows that
there is potential in inter cropping green grams with Melia
volkensii.
• This practice if adopted would provide
food, fodder, timber, fire wood, charcoal and hence
improve the farmers lively hoods.
• There is need for the trial to continue in order to establish
for how long the Melia volkensii would be inter cropped
with the green grams economically and what would be the
best spacing for the Melia volkensii which would give the
optimum green gram grain yields and tree products.
“Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”

18. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
(CIFSRF, IDRC/DRATD, CIDA) Canada
University of Alberta Alberta Canada
Director KARI Kenya
Assistant Director Social Economics and Applied
Statistics KARI
Assistant Director Food Crops KARI
Center Director KARI Katumani
Dr. Kigwa KEFRI Kitui
Joyce Kituku and Pius Matieka KEFRI Kibwezi
Acknowledgements

19. “Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”
Thanks for Listening