Farmers in the semi-arid regions of West Africa face challenges related to poor crop establishment, variable rainfall, low soil fertility and a shortage of labour at times of peak demand. Scientists Aune et al. showed that selecting good quality seeds, seed priming, seed treatment with a fungicide/insecticide, micro-dosing of fertilizers and water-harvesting structures increased yields in those areas. Mechanized sowing and weeding can ensure that the practices are applied at the right time and increase precision of application.
