Managing biomass, nutrients and soil fertility on family farms in Mayotte - BIOFERM (RITA Mayotte)

The BIOFERM project aims to integrate service plants in food crop systems to limit weeds and improve soil fertility in Mayotte.
Mahoran garden © E. Savignan, EPN Coconi
Mahoran garden © E. Savignan, EPN Coconi

Mahoran garden © E. Savignan, EPN Coconi

Issues

Agriculture in Mayotte mostly takes the form of food crops and traditional farming systems called “Mahoran gardens”. These systems occupy over 90% of cultivated areas and use virtually no chemical inputs, primarily growing banana and cassava. These crops are faced with a drop in yields and soil fertility according to the farmers. Given the Millennium social and societal goals, traditional conventional agricultural models are evolving and new agroecological systems combining and integrating ecological, environmental and social dimensions are developing. These new agrosystems provide multiple services. It is therefore essential to increase those services within agricultural systems, in order to cope with the gowing global population, while limiting harmful effects on the environment. 

Description

The BIOFERM project, being conducted as part of RITA Mayotte, is structured around three operations:​​​

  •  Coordination and scientific and technical leadership between the different partners and beneficiaries of the project (administrative and financial management, workshops, back-up missions, coordination of transfers); 
  •  Development of novel crop management sequences based on conservation agriculture, and the biological fertilization of plots to maintain or restore soil fertility; 
  • Transfer of actions and development of system performance benchmarks.

Expected changes

Changes expected from the BIOFERM project:

  • Optimum use of local organic matter and characterization of livestock effluents and crop residues; 
  • Organic matter conservation practices (composting); 
  • Assessment of the agricultural (yields) and environmental impacts of organic fertilization in food, fodder and market garden crops;
  •  Use of service plants, either in association or rotation; 
  • Characterization of local plants of agronomic interest;
  • Cropping systems including service plants; 
  •  Various tools: technical information sheets, demonstration plots, professional days, co-design workshops, extension publications, videos, training sessions, scientific articles.

Expected Impacts 

More sustainable systems with novel agroecological management procedures (organic fertilization, associated service plants), particularly for local production of forage and cattle feed resources.

Contract partners 
COOPADEM, COMAVI, CAPAM, EPN, INRAE