Page 112 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 10

GREEN HANDS

Rotations have great advantages vegetables. the selected alternative crop specifi-
over mono cropping systems, in- • The 3rd rotation portion can also cations, adjusting fertilization, spac-
cluding be subdivided further to include ing, seeding rates, depth of planting,
• Providing for protein and vitamins a variety of vegetables for a fam- thinning and topdressing etc. If
in family diets, ily’s nutritional supplement. Select you don’t practice rotations you are
• Fixing of nitrogen by legumes, the rotational crop based on your going to encounter problems typical
which result in cost savings and climate, soil and objectives. Prepare of a mono cropping system, such as
yield improvements for the follow- and manage the land according to an increase in pest and diseases and
ing season’s crops,
• Breaking disease and pest cycles,
• Improving soil structure; and
•Spreading financial risk.
Rotational crops are many and the
variations thereof are innumerable,
however here are some general
guidelines:
• The rotation should have a change
from a monocotyledonous to a
dicotyledonous species
• Rotational crops should prefer-
ably include a legume such as beans,
soya beans, pigeon peas, cowpeas,
sugar beans or groundnuts but can
include sunflower, sweet potato and

Pigeon Pea relay crop at maize harvest time
112 | Heal . Restore . Rebirth . Afrika