The Challenge

Most Liberian small-scale farmers are experiencing low and declining crop productivity. This has been attributed to, among other factors, low uptake and adoption of improved Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) technologies by smallholder farmers. The underlying reasons for the low adoption include limited access to and poor dissemination of the improved ISFM innovations.

Legumes represent a major direct source of food for man and livestock and, therefore, make a critical contribution to increased food security of subsistence farmers, reduced costs of food for poor consumers and enhanced rural incomes. Moreover, the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen makes legumes excellent components within the various farming systems because they provide residual nitrogen and reduce the needs for mineral nitrogen fertilizers by associated non-legumes. 

The Intervention

The project worked with small scale farmers to increase the benefits from legume nitrogen fixation by integrating grain legumes in their local farming systems. The project was a science-based research programme that working in Northern and Central Liberia. It worked with smallholders to pilot groundnut and soybean.

Legumes bring atmospheric nitrogen into the crops and the soil through a symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria, and they are an important source of protein in a healthy diet. Enhanced productivity of legumes thereby contributes to improvements in soil fertility, household nutrition and income. N2Africa enabled its beneficiaries to reap these benefits through the implementation of effective production technologies including inoculants and fertilizers.

Key facts

Sector: Food Security and Livelihoods Enhancement

Domain: Agriculture and Food security
Benefiting zone: Liberia (Bong and Lofa Counties)
Nature: Action Grants
Duration: 2012 – 2014
Status: Completed