Adoption of improved fallows in West Africa: lessons from mucuna and stylocase studies

Traditional shifting cultivation systems can no longer be sustained in West Africa because of rapid increases in human and livestock populations. Shor t-duration, improved fallows are among the alternative land-management stra tegies that have evolved. This paper reviews how velvetbean or mucuna (Mucu na pruriens) and stylo (Stylosanthes hamata and Stylosanthes guianensis) ma nagement systems were developed and disseminated in West Africa. Mucuna was first adopted by farmers in southwestern Benin between 1988 and 1992, and the number of testers of the innovation rose to 10,000 farmers throughout B enin by 1996. Suppression of spear grass (Imperata cylindrica) was perceive d as the main benefit of mucuna fallows. The stylo technology was introduce d in the late 1970s, and it was primarily targeted to livestock production in the subhumid monomodal rainfall zone. The uptake of stylo has been relat ively slow and modest in West Africa in contrast to the faster rate of adop tion of mucuna in southwestern Benin. Some of the contributory factors to t he slower adoption of stylo than mucuna include rainfall regime, lack of mo tivation of livestock keepers, insecure land tenure, limited capability and facilities of extension staff, poor communication among scientists, and un satisfactory establishment of the crop. Recommendations to increase the ado ption of improved fallows include the use of a participatory approach in pr oblem identification, expansion of the genetic base of cover crops for use in fallows, optimization of the multiple benefits of cover crops, managemen t of the improved system, promotional strategies, and appropriate policies.