Importance of dual-purpose sorghum and cowpea cultivation on farms in the northern Sudanese zone

the case of two villages in the province of Yatenga

Abstract

In Burkina Faso, with the aim of improving the availability and quality of fodder while

helping to meet the food needs of producers' families, work was carried out during the 2018/2019 agricultural season in two villages in the province of Yatenga. The survey

phase involved 12 target producers in each of the two sites. For the trial, the experimental design was a randomized block design comprising three treatments with different levels of intensification. Each producer had two (02) plots, each with an area of 0.125 ha: one for growing Sariaso 16 sorghum and the other for growing KVX- 745-11P cowpea. The survey identified three (03) groups of producers who differed,

among other things, in their use of fertilizers and feeding practices. The results of the

trial showed average sorghum forage yields of 3288.33 ± 234.4; 3100.00 ± 209.6;

4621.67 ± 209.6 kg DM/ha and cowpea 1980.83 ± 409.8, 2570.00 ± 366.5, 2390.00 ±

366.5 kg DM/ha respectively for the three treatment levels. As for grain production,

the results showed sorghum grain yields of 799.17 ± 73.4, 808.33 ± 65.7, 1160.0 ±

65.7 kg DM/ha and cowpea grain yields of 572.50 ± 57.2, 655.0 ± 51.2, 816.67 ± 51.2

kg DM/ha during the season. When these varieties are used at a medium level of

intensification, where water and soil conservation measures and organic fertilization

are applied, crop yields increase significantly, reaching up to 1160.0 kg of grain and

4621.67 kg of DM/ha of forage, thus providing additional food for families and

livestock.