Closing yield gaps in China by empowering smallholder farmers.
Sustainably feeding the world's growing population is a challenge, and closing yield gaps (that is, differences between farmers' yields and what are attainable for a given region) is a vital strategy to address this challenge. The magnitude of yield gaps is particularly large in developing countries where smallholder farming dominates the agricultural landscape. Many factors and constraints interact to limit yields, and progress in problem-solving to bring about changes at the ground level is rare. Here we present an innovative approach for enabling smallholders to achieve yield and economic gains sustainably via the Science and Technology Backyard (STB) platform. STB involves agricultural scientists living in villages among farmers, advancing participatory innovation and technology transfer, and garnering public and private support. We identified multifaceted yield-limiting factors involving agronomic, infrastructural, and socioeconomic conditions. When these limitations and farmers' concerns were addressed, the farmers adopted recommended management practices, thereby improving production outcomes. In one region in China, the five-year average yield increased from 67.9% of the attainable level to 97.0% among 71 leading farmers, and from 62.8% to 79.6% countywide (93,074 households); this was accompanied by resource and economic benefits.
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Weifeng
W
Zhang
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Guoxin
G
Cao
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Xiaolin
X
Li
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Hongyan
H
Zhang
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Chong
C
Wang
Institute of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050051, China.
Quanqing
Q
Liu
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Xinping
X
Chen
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Zhenling
Z
Cui
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Jianbo
J
Shen
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Rongfeng
R
Jiang
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Guohua
G
Mi
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Yuxin
Y
Miao
College of Resources &Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Fusuo
F
Zhang
Center for Animal Health and Productivity, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, USA.
Zhengxia
Z
Dou
D002681:China; D057231:Climate Change; D000069599:Crop Production / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004463:Ecology; D058735:Environmental Policy; D000067565:Farmers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009584:Nitrogen; D012424:Rural Population; D012639:Seeds; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014908:Triticum / Q000254:growth & development*; D014867:Water; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development*
D014867:Water; D009584:Nitrogen