Intercropped with sweet potato. Harvesting of canavalia. Plant two seeds where the furrows between the mounds intersect. Before planting the next crop, harvest Incorporate canavalia after harvest of mature pods to obtain seed to plant in IMPROVE SOIL sweet potato. subsequent seasons. Uproot the PRODUCTIVITY canavalia. The plant residues can be incorporated into the soil or left on the WITH CANAVALIA surface to slowly decompose and release nutrients to the following crop.

Canavalia as livestock feed. Canavalia is palatable to livestock and high in protein. However, it contains a toxic compound and canavalia must be used with caution. Wilt after cutting, and feed as a small proportion of the animal’s diet. surface to decompose slowly, providing Sole crop production of canavalia. Farm productivity can be improved by nutrients to the following crops. This is most appropriate on fields growing canavalia. Canavalia has Intercropped with maize. where soil fertility is low. Sow the several good features. Sow canavalia four weeks after sowing canavalia in rows spaced 75 cm apart • It adds nitrogen to the soil maize. Place one seed per hole in a row and plant one seed per hole at 30 cm • It improves soil organic matter between the maize rows with 50 cm spacing. Allow the canavalia to grow • It reduces the hardness of the soil between the holes. Allow canavalia to for one season. • It has an erect growth habit and its grow after harvesting maize until it is roots grow deep time to plant the next crop. • It is easy to manage and produces Intercropped with newly planted much seed Note: Canavalia grown with other banana or coffee. • It is easily produced with other crops is to benefit the following crop, Plant two rows spaced 60 cm apart crops not the associated crop. between rows of banana or coffee. Space the plants at 60 cm. Avoid • It results in improved productivity planting within one meter of the of following crops, and is banana or coffee plants. Uproot at early especially beneficial to maize-bean pod formation. intercrop

Canavalia has some bad features. Intercropped with established • It does not benefit the associated banana. crop in intercrop production Plant two rows between rows of

• It contains a toxin. It should not be banana. Uproot when canavalia used for human consumption matures, and apply as mulch. Harvest mature seed. After producing canavalia, it is uprooted. It should immediately be incorporated into the soil if the plants Intercropped with cassava. are young. If the plants have matured, Plant one row between rows of cassava the plant residues can be left on the soil immediately after planting cassava.