Participatory Evaluation and Demonstration of Maize Forage Intercropping Practice at Adami Tulu Jiddo Kombolcha District, Central Rift Valley of Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

An intercropping practice of maize with forages were evaluated and demonstrated at Adami Tulu Jiddo kombolcha district of East shoa zone with the participation of farmers in collaboration with district office of agriculture. The objectives were to to create awareness on maize forage intercropping, to evaluate grain and biomass yield of the intercropped maize and forage varieties under farmers condition, to analyze the cost-benefit  of the demonstrated practices and to assess farmers’ and other stakeholders’ feedbacks for further technology development/improvement. The results indicated that the forage intercropping practice have no significant effect on maize yield. Numerically better yield was obtained from sole maize (62.23qt/ha) followed by Maize intercropped with lablab (61.45qt/ha). Maize intercropped with cowpea gave the least maize grain yield (55.2qt/ha). However, the forage intercropping practices gave more than 4 ton/ha of forge biomass yield without significantly affecting the yield of Maize crop. Furthermore, intercropping maize with Lablab weighed better than intercropping maize with cowpea in terms of its grain yield, dry matter yield as well as financial performance. Therefore, further wider scaling up works on Maize lablab intercropping is recommended.

Keywords: Intercropping, Pre-extension Demonstration, forages, rift valley

DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/14-5-02

Publication date:March 31^st 2023