Farmers Review Africa May/June 2017 Farmers Review Africa | Page 25

Insights several options we're pursuing to reduce nitrogen losses from wheat farming, but more funding is needed.” BNI Brachiaria to feed cattle e Plant Science study also mentions high- BNI forage crops, such as certain tropical Brachiaria grasses that produce brachialactone, a powerful BNI chemical. e grasses can be eaten by cattle, while reducing N20 emissions and improving soil fertility for other crops grown in rotation on the same land, according to Michael Peters, leader of the tropical forages programme at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). “It may be counter-intuitive to many, but growing BNI Brachiaria to feed cattle can actually help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production,” Peters said, adding that unlocking BNI capacity in other crops would help reduce nitrogen fertiliser use across the board, bene ting farmers and the environment at large. Work on BNI-enabled sorghum is also under way at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). Difficult and costly But scientists at CIMMYT and ICRISAT say that BNI-enabled food crops will be a few years in coming, because it is difficult and costly to transfer the genetically complex BNI trait into elite crop varieties while preserving high yield potential and other desirable qualities. Subbarao and others are calling for major research investments to have high BNI food and forage crops grown widely across the globe by 2050 and thus help to meet the goal of limiting global temperature increases to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. “Dramatically reducing nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture requires a complex, integrated approach that includes more precisely calculating and applying fertiliser doses,” Subbarao said. “But the beauty of BNI technology is that it works with and reinforces biological processes, and all you'll need to do is sow a seed.” According to Masa Iwanaga, the president of JIRCAS, BNI technology typi es the transformation needed in the current agricultural model and practices, to meet 21st century food production challenges. “Feeding a global population projected to exceed 9-billion by 2050 will place a tremendous strain on agri-food systems and the environment,” Iwanaga said. “At the same time, agriculture is not merely a commodity- producing industry, but part of a larger ecosystem that offers life support and services to human society.” Farmers participatory selection of brachiaria grasses [email protected] www.farmersreviewafrica.com [25] FARMERS REVIEW AFRICA May - June 2017