NWPStaging

Some lessons learned include the following steps for the implementation of the technology: Step 1: Harvest Guinea Grass before flowering (seeding), because when the seeding begins, the guinea grass stem becomes more liquefied and thus more difficult to break down as mulch. There are also a higher proportion of stems to leaves after seeding, and it is the leaves that account for the bulk of the matting that forms mulch. Timing is therefore critical when harvesting the guinea grass. Step 2: Secure sufficient amount of grass to adequately cover the area prepared for cultivation. To provide a mat that will not break down before the cropping season is over, it is recommended to use 46 cubic meters of dried grass per hectare of prepared land. Step 3: Apply fertilizers and any other soil treatment, especially if fertilizer will be broadcast and incorporated into the soil. Step 4: Prepare holes for sowing seeds or for transplant. Step 5: For ease of preparation the dried grass to be used should be piled in the vicinity of the land to be treated. Dried grass is to be removed from the heap, and the leaves arranged length-wise in a single direction over the prepared area, completely covering the soil. The process is to be repeated in the opposite direction, forming a matt. Step 6: Mulching operation is now complete and crop production activities may now proceed as usual. Additional lessons learned focus on the advantages of mulching: i. it allows crop production during dry periods in areas where this would not be possible without irrigation. The process reduces evapotranspiration and traps soil moisture within the mulch environment and makes it available for an extended period for the establishment of crops. In the early stages of seed germination, condensation on the mulch provides moisture for germinating seeds. Mulch also keeps the root environment cool, allowing better crop establishment and nutrient uptake; ii. it suppresses weed growth, reduces competition for soil nutrients and reduces cost of weed control; iii. it reduces soil loss from wind erosion, when soil structure is disturbed during harrowing or other traditional forms of land preparation. Mulching protects the soil from splash and rill erosion by reducing the impact of rainfall on the surface and prevents the development of rills; iv. the presence of mulch on the surface helps to deflect direct sunlight from the root zone of crops thus resulting in lower temperature in the root zone and more efficient utilization of soil nutrients; v. it facilitates improvement in soil structure by preventing deterioration of soil surface Incorporation of organic matter into the soil structure. This helps to bind soil particles together, thus improving structure and moisture-holding capacity; vi. it reduces the exposure to high temperature by the application of mulch, thus allowing greater availability of nutrients to plants. Many inorganic fertilizers, especially those with high nitrogen content and some organic manures (such as poultry manure), volatize if left exposed to high temperature; vii. it ensures a more even coloration between the parts of vine crops, such as melons and pumpkins that rest on the ground and the rest of the crop, and thus mulching improves their marketability. Mulching also prevent scarring of crops by providing a cushion for vine crops. viii. the improvement of soil properties achieved will benefit the resilience of farmers against climate variability and adverse climate events (droughts, floods, ect.). Also, it will improve the potential of the soil to increase the crop yield