Adaptation and Use of the Gangaria Seed Drill for the Improvement of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) Cultivation in Niger: Case of the Maradi and Zinder Regions

Abstract

In Niger, peanut cultivation plays a significant role in food security and improving the incomes of rural households, particularly in the Maradi and Zinder regions. However, this crop remains hampered by low mechanization, the use of traditional tools, and inefficient fertilization, resulting in consistently low yields of around 600 to 800 kg/ha. Faced with these constraints, this study aims to investigate the effect of the Gangaria seed drill, powered by animal traction, combined with organomineral fertilization on peanut cultivation. An experiment was conducted over two growing seasons (2023-2024). The results allowed for a comparison of four treatments combining sowing methods (manual/mechanized) and fertilization (with/without) using a randomized complete block design. These results show that the grain yield for mechanized sowing combined with localized organomineral fertilization (T3) is 1,372 kg/ha compared to 654 kg/ha for the control (T0), representing an increase of 108%. The haulm yield averaged 1,721 kg/ha for Treatment (T3) compared to 1,111 kg/ha for the control (T0), an increase of 55%. Treatment (T3) also had the highest net margin (453,158 FCFA/ha). Labor requirements were reduced from 10.28 person-ha for treatment T1 to 2 person-ha for the mechanized treatments T3, with a labor output of 1.02 days/ha. The hourly productivity is 7.5 hours/ha for treatment T3 compared to 27 hours/ha for treatment T1, representing a gain of 19.5 hours/ha or a 72% reduction in sowing time. The study thus confirms that adapting the Gangaria seed drill is a promising avenue for increasing productivity, improving profitability, and strengthening the resilience of the agricultural system. However, the local availability of compost and access to equipment for small-scale producers will determine the large-scale adoption of this innovation.