Creeper crusade

In the mid '80s, the traditionalfarming system in southern Beninhad collapsed because extensive tilling affected soil fertility. The problem was aggravated by the spread ofa grass weed Imperata cylindrica.When advised by researchers of theInternational Institute of TropicalAgriculture, Nigeria, farmers wereapprehensive about plantingMucuna pruriens, an annual leguminous creeper, which has no foodvalue. But Mucuna, when it dies inthe dry season, leaves behind a lot ofnitrogen-rich organic matter andhelps the soil retain rainfall.Mucuna also helps in eliminatingImperata grass by cutting off itsrequirement of sunlight. Cornyields have trebled when plantedafter Mucuna (Ceres, The FAOReview, Vol 28, No 158).