Optimisation of costs associated with sugarcane intercropping - IntercropVALUES Practice Abstract

Summary

Harvesting companion crops can generate additional income, thereby mitigating costs and losses associated with intercropping. However, it can be challenging to mechanise and can negatively impact sugarcane production.
Practical recommendations
• When sowing with a micro-tractor, concentrate the cane straw manually on the row before sowing, unlike with other mechanised practices.
• Depending on the purpose of harvesting (personal consumption, sale at markets, etc.), different species can be considered for human or animal consumption, with a preference for grain legumes (chickpeas, mung beans, pigeon peas).
• To harvest the companion plant, sow early after the cane harvest.
• Favor short-cycle companion plant varieties to allow harvesting before sugarcane canopy closure (~4 months after cane harvest).
• When using climbing species (e.g., beans), plan to mix them with support plants (e.g., corn).
To support the uptake of intercropping and enable its widespread adoption, policymakers should encourage sharing of agricultural machinery to promote mechanisation and limit costly manual labour, provide support for individual investment in mechanisation, and subsidise ecosystem services provided by intercropping.