Re-designing organic maize systems to improve a local maize yield through co-experimentation of complex agroecosystems

Conservation of local food culture depends on protection of local varieties and their cultivation methods that rely on place-based ecological processes. While local food cultures still persist in many communities, knowledge on fostering ecological processes is underdeveloped. Redesigning current production systems using co-experimentation with 20 farmers, researchers and stakeholders on four commercial farms with four complexity treatments for three cropping cycles in each farm was set to ensure appropriate implementation. The results show that a local maize variety performed better in complex agroecosystems than in monocultures. Velvet-bean and chickens reduced weed infestation by 47% to 64% and 18% to 42% from organic and conventional monocultures with 13% to 75% lower maize damage by stemborers and cutworms. Velvet-bean added nitrogen (ca. 40–100 kg N/ha) in intercropped systems, while chicken manure added 74 kg N/ha. Maize yields in complex systems were 6% to 47% and 8% to 34% higher than in organic and conventional monocultures. Farmers’ feedback was positive for all organic systems and ranked low for conventional on socio-cultural aspects. Interaction among local maize, legumes and chickens shaped the synergistic power of combining culture, nature and science through co-experimentation to protect bio-cultural diversity while enhancing food sovereignty and security.