By planting Desmodium between rows of maize, kale and vegetables, pests are repelled (“pushed”) and at the same time attracted (“pulled”) by Napier grass or Brachiaria planted around the fields. Napier grass, Brachiaria and Desmodium are all healthy supplemental feed for livestock and help retain moisture in the soil – and they help increase soil fertility: all three contribute to depositing more carbon in the soil (due in part to their large root masses), but they are also useful for sustaining soil structure and living organisms. In addition, Desmodium fixes atmospheric nitrogen and pumps it into the ground, which has a positive effect on the soil’s nitrogen balance (very important for maize and millet).
Through this innovative approach, small farmers can control pests, reduce the soil from drying out and improve soil fertility naturally.
- The benefits of push-pull are scientifically proven.
- Smallholder farmers integrate the Push-Pull approach in cultivating maize, vegetables and millet.
- The health of people involved in the project improves thanks to a more balanced diet and food and income security.
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This project is supported by SDC
Biovision has been supporting projects to spread Push-Pull in Kenya since 2006. The approach was applied later in Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia, and since 2016 also in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Burundi and Burkina Faso.
While the method was originally developed for cultivating maize and millet, our project partner, icipe, began integrating vegetables with maize and millet in the Push-Pull system in 2020. These trials have shown that the method provides significant protection against several major vegetable pests, thus leading to increased yields.
In the new phase, the Push-Pull system will be firmly anchored in village communities. In Homabay, Kisumu and Kiambu, 100 new smallholder farmers will be trained in each region. They will learn how to adapt the Push-Pull technology to their local conditions – for example by combining it with vegetable production, livestock keeping or forage crops.
The goal is to scale the method in a way that allows it to function sustainably even without project support. To this end, "living labs" will be established, peer-to-peer training structures set up, and new knowledge-sharing methods tested.
A special focus is on the availability of planting material: the project promotes local seed banks and supports the registration of companion plants like desmodium. This will give farmers long-term access to high-quality seeds. Marketing of seeds and products will also be strengthened through partnerships with local companies.
