Ngonidzashe Chirinda

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University · AgroBioScience (AgBS)

The underperformance of agricultural education systems in Africa is evident through various indicators such as increased unemployment among recent agricultural graduates, inefficiencies in agricultural product value chains, and a decline in enrollment in agricultural schools. The AgriENGAGE project, which included eight African universities, was su...

In the smallholder farming areas located in semi-arid regions of Zimbabwe, low and unreliable rainfall distribution and poor soil fertility are the major factors limiting crop production. The negative efects of these biophysical factors have been worsened by climate change. However, the major challenges have been the lack of sustainable, low�cost...

Gender inclusivity has recently captured the world's attention and has been upgraded to play a central role in the international food security agenda. The relationship between gender equality, economic development, and the preservation of the environment is becoming increasingly apparent. Simultaneously, several previous studies have shown that inc...

Agricultural production, food, nutrition and income security of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are threatened by extreme weather events, such as increased frequency of mid-season dry spells and increased temperatures. Their impacts are exacerbated by the prevalence of sandy soils, characterized by limited water and nutrient retention cap...

When success stories from agricultural cooperatives are identified they deserve to be studied and told to inform actions for scaling out best management. We explore how cooperatives encourage strategies for livelihood improvement and support economic and social innovations to foster community adaptation to climate change. Lessons from the Taymate O...

Sugarcane is an important crop for tropical countries and to accurately inventory its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions baseline measurements are needed. In Colombia, sugarcane is one of the most important crops in terms of cultivated area and, paradoxically, scientific information reporting GHG emissions based on field measurements is almost nonexist...

In irrigated rice fields, plant-mediated transfer of CH4 from submerged soils to the atmosphere raise the possibility of genotypic differences in CH4 emissions. Previous research has been contradictory, and varietal differences in rice CH4 emissions in Latin America have not been examined. A field experiment in Colombia tested whether irrigated ric...

Simulation models represent a low-cost approach to evaluating agricultural systems. In the current study, the precision and accuracy of the RUMINANT model to predict dry matter intake (DMI) and methane emissions from beef cattle fed tropical diets (characteristic of Colombia) was assessed. Feed intake (DMI) and methane emissions were measured in Br...

As the human population grows, the amount of household-generated waste is projected to grow. However, data on the amounts of household-generated waste are lacking in many regions. Uncertainties in the amounts and fractions of biowaste make it challenging to manage actions that reduce its environmental impacts and generate value. The current observa...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.992663.].

Ruminant livestock, such as cattle, can convert biomass into high-quality, nutrient-dense foods (Broderick, 2018). This ability enables livestock to play a critical role in increasing the productive utilization not only of fertile but also of marginal lands unsuitable for crop production (Wang et al., 2021). In the tropics, the sustainable intensif...

Africa’s lands are largely vulnerable and threatened by soil degradation and low water availability, especially in semi-arid and arid regions, limiting crop and livestock productivity and farmer livelihood options. Therefore, in African agricultural lands, adopting/improving measures that conserve soil and water resources is crucial. This review ai...

The OMICAS alliance is part of the Colombian government’s Scientific Ecosystem, established between 2017-2018 to promote world-class research, technological advancement and improved competency of higher education across the nation. Since the program’s kick-off, OMICAS has focused on consolidating and validating a multi-scale, multi-institutional, m...

in vitro study was carried out to measure methane (CH4) production and ruminal fermentation parameters of tropical forages either commonly used and with a potential for inclusion in Colombian livestock systems. The forages evaluated wereUrochloa hybrid cv. Cayman, Leucaena leucocephala, Leucaena diversifolia, Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombaza, Urochl...

This study evaluates the effects of the inclusion of two different Leucaena species as a source of condensed tannins based on in vitro fermentation, methane production and post-ruminal protein supply in a diet based on Urochloa hybrid cv. Cayman CIAT BR02/1752 grass. Under in vitro conditions, Leucaena leucocephala CIAT 17263 and Leucaena diversifo...

Irrigated rice, represents a methane (CH 4 ) emissions source. In rice fields, the dominance of plant-mediated transportation of CH 4 from submerged soils to the atmosphere raises the possibility of varietal differences in CH 4 emissions. Previous findings remain inconclusive and no study has explored varietal differences in CH 4 emissions of rice...

Grazing-based production systems are a source of soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions triggered by excreta depositions. The adoption of Urochloa forages (formerly known as Brachiaria) with biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) capacity is a promising alternative to reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from excreta patches. However, how this fora...

Due to climate change and variability, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent worldwide, causing significant reductions in agricultural production and food security. The livelihoods of smallholder farmers, especially those eking out a living by farming on sandy soils, are particularly affected. We examined this issue using the case of Ma...

Enteric methane (CH4) emitted by ruminant species is known as one of the main greenhouse gases produced by the agricultural sector. The objective of this study was to assess the potential the potential for CH4 mitigation and additionally the chemical composition, in vitro gas production, dry matter degradation (DMD), digestibility and CO2 productio...

The Zimbabwean dairy industry is massively underperforming, as evidenced by a reduction in milk yield from 262 million liters in 1990 to <37 million liters in 2009 and a steady but slow increase to 82 million liters in 2021. The current demand for milk in Zimbabwe stands at 130 million liters, and there is a national capacity for processing 400 mil...

Highly digestible forages are associated with an in vitro low-methane (CH4) rumen fermentation profile and thus the possibility of reducing CH4 emissions from forage-based systems. We aimed to assess the in vitro ruminal fermentation profile, including CH4 production, of the top stratum of Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus - Hochst. ex Chiov) har...

Livestock are critical for incomes, livelihoods, nutrition and ecosystems management throughout the global South. Livestock production and the consumption of livestock-based foods such as meat, cheese, and milk is, however, under global scrutiny for its contribution to global warming, deforestation, biodiversity loss, water use, pollution, and land...

Enteric methane (CH4) emitted by ruminant species is known as one of the main greenhouse gases produced by the agricultural sector. The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, in vitro gas production, dry matter degradation (DMD), digestibility, CO2 production and CH4 mitigation potential of five tropical tree species with...

The effect of the inclusion of Leucaena leucocephala and Tithonia diversifolia in Zebu steers receiving a diet based on improved pastures such as Brachiaria decumbens and Brachiaria hybrid cv Cayman on nitrogen (N) excretion, urinary volume and rumen microbial population was evaluated. To determine the dry matter intake and nutrient excretion, eigh...

In Colombia, the beef production chain accounts for approximately 11.6 million cattle heads and annually produces 933 million kg of the beef carcass. There are no life cycle assessment (LCA) studies that have evaluated the environmental performance of Colombian beef systems. The present study aimed to estimate the carbon footprint (CF), non-renewab...

Forage grass nutritional quality directly affects animal feed intake, productivity, and enteric methane (CH 4 ) emissions. This study evaluated the nutritional quality, in vitro enteric CH 4 emission potential, and optimization of diets based on two widely grown tropical forage grasses either alone or mixed with legumes. The grasses Urochloa hybrid...

Africa’s need to double food production and feed the burgeoning human population, without compromising its natural resource base, has raised the momentum for sustainable agricultural intensification on the continent. Many studies describe agronomic practices that can increase productivity on existing agricultural land without damaging the environme...

Enteric methane (CH4) emission from ruminant livestock is one of the main sources of greenhouse gases from the agricultural sector worldwide. In tropical regions there is a wide variety of forage species that have the capacity to improve cattle diets and reduce enteric CH4 emissions. A screening trial was conducted to investigate the nutrient and p...

CONTEXT During crises, adaptation or recovery measures or plans at local or national scales may not necessarily address longer-term or structural problems such as climate change mitigation. OBJECTIVE This article describes farmers and policymakers' responses to mitigate the adverse effects of Covid-19 on the agricultural sector. We then assess the...

Pasture conditions influence the nutrients use efficiency and nitrogen (N) losses from deposited excreta. Part of the N is lost as nitrous oxide (N 2 O), a potent greenhouse gas. The objective of this study was to characterize apparent N recovery in milk of dual-purpose cattle and to quantify N 2 O emissions from the urine they deposit following gr...

Cassava production requires nitrogen (N) inputs to drive processes such as protein synthesis. Nevertheless, N not taken up by cassava roots is subjected to microbial transformation resulting in nitrous oxide (N2O) production, a potent greenhouse gas. The temporal dynamics of soil N is partially influenced by the N source (i.e., organic or inorganic...

Turning national restoration commitments into action involves systematic spatial planning and prioritization of areas for investment. To achieve restoration at the landscape level, efforts must focus on ecological recovery, where productivity and ecosystem services are recovered on degraded agricultural lands, to meet not only environmental objecti...

The agricultural sector is the second major source of climate change globally, contributing to anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. In low-to-middle income countries, estimations indicate future increases in agricultural emissions. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) has an express opportunity to transform agriculture across the globe. In Afri...

Dual-purpose cattle systems (DPS) include more than 75% of all dairy cows in Latin America and produce 40% of total milk production. Colombia has the fourth largest cattle herd in Latin America, and DPS account for 39% of the cattle population, and 58% of national milk production. Therefore, focusing on reducing the carbon footprint (CF) of DPS can...

The purpose of this study was to determine the in vitro fermentation and methane (CH4) production in the grass Brachiaria brizantha (B) alone or when mixed with Gliricidia sepium forage (G) and/or Enterolobium cyclocarpum pods (E). Theses substrates were incubated in the following proportions: B100 (B100%), B85E15 (B85% + E15%), B85G15 (B85% + G15%...

Methane (CH4) emissions from enteric fermentation in cattle are an important source of greenhouse gases, accounting for about 40% of all agricultural emissions. Diet quality plays a fundamental role in determining the magnitude of CH4 emissions. Specifically, the inclusion of feeds with high digestibility and nutritional value have been reported to...

The beef production chain in Colombia accounts for approximately 15.5 million cattle heads. Cow-calf and cattle-fattening represent 40.4 and 45.2% of the Colombian beef herd respectively, and the remaining 14.4% corresponds to full-cycle systems. The present study aimed to estimate, based on a farm gate LCA approach, the carbon footprint (CF) of 25...

Integrated research efforts are needed to provide insights for simultaneously achieving food production and environmental goals in rice production systems. In this study we evaluated eight Sustainable Rice Platform performance indicators (net profit, labor productivity, grain yield, water use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency, phosphorus use effi...

Con el propósito de evaluar las emisiones de metano y óxido nitroso en el suelo a través del método de cámaras estáticas cerradas en tres sistemas de uso; bosque secundario, sistema agroforestales Quesungual y sistema tradicional agrícola, en la micro cuenca Tecomapa, Somotillo, Nicaragua, setenta y dos cámaras estáticas cerradas fueron establecida...

INTRODUCTION • Livestock production is a fundamental source of income and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Latin American (LA) countries. • 20 percent of the region's emissions come from agriculture, 70 percent of which comes from livestock. • There are several management and technology options with enteric methane (CH4) mitigation potential th...

There are few reports on dual-purpose cattle systems characterization in Latin America and Colombia based on large datasets. This limits our understanding of their dynamics, and the establishment of public policies and government programs to improve their productive performance, promotion and rural development. This study aimed to characterize very...

Methane (CH 4 ) is a greenhouse gas ( GHG ) produced and released by eructation to the atmosphere in large volumes by ruminants. Enteric CH 4 contributes significantly to global GHG emissions arising from animal agriculture. It has been contended that tropical grasses produce higher emissions of enteric CH 4 than temperate grasses, when they are fe...

Livestock production is a pivotal source of income and agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Mexico and Peru. Several management and technological options, with enteric methane mitigation potential, have been evaluated and their scaling is anticipated to contribute towards achieving GHG emi...

En Colombia, la cría bovina representa el 15% del inventario ganadero, siendo un eslabón importante en la cadena de producción de carne. La carencia de estudios de caracterización limita la adecuada planificación técnica y ambiental de esta actividad. El objetivo de este estudio fue caracterizar los parámetros técnicos y ambientales de fincas de cr...

Methods to estimate greenhouse gas emissions and removals in the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) Sector can be divided into two broad categories: 1) methods that can be applied in a similar way for any of the types of land use (i.e., generic methods for Forest Land, Cropland, Grassland, Wetlands, Settlements and Other Land); and 2)...

https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2019rf/index.html

In Colombia, cattle-fattening farms account for 20.7% of the Colombian cattle herd and play an important role in terms of economic and social benefits for rural communities. However, few characterization studies have been conducted on these production systems, which limit our understanding of their production dynamics and environmental impacts. Thi...

Poster No. 3.23

Understanding catchment sediment or solute transport frequently relies on understanding of soil nutrient con- ditions and physical properties. This study investigates hydropedological patterns in a tropical catchment by understanding soil nutrient and soil surface changes. Soil nutrient concentrations and hydraulic properties were measured from the...

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), many smallholder communities continuously grapple with soil-based poverty as the coarse-textured (sandy) soils, on which they eke out a living, have low water and nutrient retention capacities. The new sub-surface water retention technology (SWRT), which is based on the subsurface installation of impermeable water-retai...

There is growing international interest in better managing soils to increase soil organic carbon content to contribute to climate change mitigation, to enhance resilience to climate change and to underpin food security, through initiatives such as international “4p1000″ initiative and the FAO's Global assessment of soil organic carbon sequestration...

The livestock sector in the LAC region is facing different problems of: (i) low productivity (ii) soil erosion, and (iii) low profitability due to inadequate insertion to markets. To address these issues, improved pastures with environmental traits along with adequate management practices might be one of the most promising options of the livestock...

Carbon Footprint of 192 dairy cattle farms in Colombia by using Life Cycle Assessment Methodology.

A summary presenting the challenges for soil carbon sequestration research, hypothesis to be further tested and key research (and innovation) products.

The main purpose of this work was analyzing how an innovation platform can foster and provide a basis for multi-actor collaboration in order to enable climate-smart agriculture (CSA) implementation at the local level. Using a mix of social (interactions between stakeholders, knowledge changes, adoption of practices) and technical indicators (income...

The main purpose of this work was analyzing how an innovation platform can foster and provide a basis for multi-actor collaboration in order to enable climate-smart agriculture (CSA) implementation at the local level. Using a mix of social (interactions between stakeholders, knowledge changes, adoption of practices) and technical indicators (income...

A decline in pasture productivity is often associated with a reduction in vegetative cover. We hypothesize that nitrogen (N) in urine deposited by grazing cattle on degraded pastures, with low vegetative cover, is highly susceptible to losses. Here, we quantified the magnitude of urine-based nitrous oxide (N2O) lost from soil under paired degraded...

As scientists working at the International Rice Research Institute and other institutions that have investigated greenhouse gas emissions from rice fields, we read the recent article in PNAS by Kritee et al. (1) with great interest. The observed N2O emissions from rice fields in South India including previously unknown high rates definitely constit...

Globally, rice cultivation is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions released by agricultural activities. To sustainably reduce the contribution of rice to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is important to pursue management and technological options that reduce emissions and improve farmer productivity, adaptation and resilience to climat...

This study investigates the effect of different crop rotation systems on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in root biomass as well as on soil organic carbon (SOC). Soils under spring barley and spring barley/pea mixture were sampled both in organic and conventional crop rotations. The amounts of root biomass and SOC in fine (250–253 μm), medium (425–250...

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