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We investigated the current use of legumes in soil fertility management and the feasibility of promoting use of pigeonpea in smallholder farming systems of a Communal Area in Northeast of Zimbabwe. Participatory rural appraisal methods were used to establish farmer management strategies and perceptions on major constraints to crop productivity. Soil fertility parameters were evaluated through farmer participatory experiments. The study revealed limited cultivation of legumes for both human nutrition and soil fertility management. Legumes were generally regarded as women's crops, and therefore minor, because of men's domination over women in the household decision-making process. Balancing gender interests in terms of allocation of inputs and distribution of benefits at household level was identified as a major challenge to the implementation of legume technologies. Poor extension thrusts with respect to legume production, and poor agronomic practices were identified as major production constraints. Over-emphasis on maize in the current extension packages led to the relegation of legumes to the status of 'minor crops'. Participatory experiments suggested that pigeonpea can be successfully grown by farmers under poor soil fertility conditions. The crop yielded about 3 to 9 t ha-1 of shoot biomass in a single cropping season, and up to 23 t ha-1 after two seasons of growth. High amounts leaf litter released by the crop in one season (up to 3 t ha-1) are considered a potentially viable source of nutrients for subsequent crops, as confirmed by a 22% maize yield increase obtained from a field that was previous cultivated with pigeonpea. RESUME Les investigations sur l' utilisation des legumineuses dans la gestion de fertilite du sol ainsi que les possibilites d' incorporer le pois cajan dans le systeme agricole de petits fermiers ont ete fait dans un milieu rural au Nord-Est du Zimbabwe. La methode "Participatory rural appraisal" a ete utilisee pour determiner les strategies de gestion du sol et les perceptions qui contribuent a la reduction de la productivite de la recolte. Les parametres de fertilite du sol ont ete analyses en collaboration avec des agriculteurs. Cette etude a revele qu' il y a une utilisation limitee de legumineuses dans l' alimentation des gens ainsi que dans la gestion de fertilite du sol. Les legumineuses sont generalement considerees commes la recolte pour les femmes, sur ce, de peu d' importance, et a cause de la domination des hommes dans la prise de decision dans le foyer. L'execution des technologies d' incorporer les legumineuses dans le systeme de production agricole s' est heurtee a un probleme majeur de domination de l'homme, ses preferences dans la repartition et la distributions des intrants et les benefices. Un autre probleme identifie, c'est une vulgarisation tres limitee de la production de legumineuses et une difficile adaptation agronomique de varietes de legumineuses qui sont deja dans le systeme. Le systeme de vulgarisation existant s'est concentre plus sur la production du mais, ce qui a mene a considerer les legumineuses commes les plantes de moins d' importance. Les experiences participatives ont suggere que le pois cajan peut etre produit par les fermiers dans des sols moins fertiles. La production a ete estimee de 3 a 9 t ha-1 de biomasse dans une seule saison de production, et de 23 t ha-1 apres deux saisons. Une quantite considerable de litiere de feuilles venant de plantes dans une seule saison (jusqu'a 3 t ha-1) est consideree comme une source importante de nutriments pour les plantes consecutives, comme l' augmention de 22% de production de mais l'a confirme apres une culture de pois cajan. (Af Crop Science and Production: 2001 9(4): 629-644)

Legumes in soil fertility management: The case of pigeonpea in smallholder farming systems of Zimbabwe