Grain legumes for food security in Africa [05.09.22]
Grain legumes have great potential for smallholder farms in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): They could improve the food, income, and sustainability situation in a climate-friendly way. Strategies and techniques for making better use of this potential are being developed in a collaborative project with the participation of the University of Hohenheim. The European Union is funding LEG4DEV with a total of approximately EUR 6.5 million, of which about EUR 360,000 have been allocated to the Department of Agronomy in the Tropics and Subtropics headed up by Prof. Dr. Georg Cadisch in Hohenheim.
Grain legumes not only provide high-quality protein – their cultivation in maize and cassava crops can also have a positive impact on soil fertility. Nevertheless, grain legumes are not currently widely used in SSA. The causes are manifold: low productivity, problems with seed supply, labor and machinery use, cultural preferences and concerns about food security and marketability to name but a few.
The task of tackling these various hurdles simultaneously has been taken up by researchers in the collaborative project LEG4DEV, led by the National University of Ireland Galway (Ireland). Another partner is the Wageningen University and Research Center (Netherlands) with whom the University of Hohenheim and four other leading universities in the field of bioeconomy have joined forces to form the European Bioeconomy University (EBU).
The goal of LEG4DEV is to promote the cultivation of grain legumes with a view to strengthening not only livelihoods and sustainability but also resilience to climate change in rural communities. In Hohenheim, Prof. Dr. Cadisch's study group is focusing more particularly on the question of how the expanded use of mixed crops can contribute to soil improvement and climate resilience. The team led by apl. Prof. Dr. Frank Rasche is looking at a very different problem. The researchers are investigating how the integrated use of grain legumes and fungi can control the growth of the parasitic weed of the Striga genus.
LEG4DEV looks at the entire value chain – from producers to consumers. The researchers work with farmers' organizations, youth and women's groups, businesses, advisory services, research institutes, and decision-makers. The focus is on the countries of Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Ethiopia.
If poor smallholder farmers, in particular, are to switch to more economical and sustainable grain legume-based farming systems, then they must also be able to access the new developments. This is achieved through collaboration with various local partner institutions that make research results and innovations accessible so that they can be more easily adopted by farmers and enterprises. Furthermore, grain legumes are also grown and processed mainly by women. In this way, profitable cultivation can also strengthen the role of women, as it enables them to generate income of their own.
New enterprises that manufacture products and by-products from grain legumes are also creating new jobs, especially for young people and women. This will encourage further innovation in rural bioeconomies.
Project details
- Title: Legume-based agroecological intensification of maize and cassava cropping systems in Sub-Saharan Africa for water-food-energy nexus sustainability, nutritional security & livelihood resilience in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia & Malawi - LEG4DEV
- Funding amount: Total budget around EUR 6.5 million, including EUR 359,214 for Hohenheim
- Funding institution: European Union
- Project duration: 1 November 2020-31 October 2025
- Collaborative project:
- Head of project: National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway)
- Partners: Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
- Project website
Contact
Prof. Dr. Georg Cadisch, University of Hohenheim, Department of Agronomy in the Tropics and Subtropics, +49 711 459-22438, georg.cadisch@uni-hohenheim.de
Heavyweights of research
The series “Heavyweights of Research" presents outstanding research projects with a financial volume of at least 350,000 euros for research requiring equipment or 150,000 euros for research without specialized equipment.
