How Do Management Choices Impact the Performance of Cassava‐Legume Intercropping in Africa? A Meta‐Analysis

ABSTRACT Intercropping can enable sustainable intensification. In Africa, smallholder farmers rely on Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) as a staple food. Nevertheless, the performance of cassava intercropping emerges from management choices such as legume species selection, planting density, sowing time, and nitrogen (N) fertilisation as well as soil properties and climate. We assembled a meta‐analysis of published studies in Africa, encompassing 42 field experiments and 184 paired comparisons of intercropping systems. Cassava‐legume mixtures were evaluated by (i) the yield of cassava in intercrops versus monocrops as a partial land equivalent ratio (LER) of cassava (as Ln PLER Cas ), and (ii) the overall LER. The most common intercropped legumes were soybeans, cowpeas and groundnuts. Sowing legumes slightly later than cassava was more productive. Based on back‐transformed PLER Cas , a yield reduction of −18% (CI 95% : −13% to −23%) when cassava and legume were planted simultaneously shifted to cassava yield gains of +16% (CI 95% : +1% to +34%) when the legume sowing was delayed by 2–4 weeks ( p < 0.001). When intercropped, increases in cassava planting density beyond 10,000 plants ha −1 gradually reduced cassava yields ( p < 0.001). Intercropping cassava with legumes greatly benefited cassava yield, particularly on coarse‐textured soils ( p < 0.001). In general, based on all available pairwise comparisons, although intercropped cassava yielded 16% (CI 95% : 11%–20%) lower than cassava monocrops, an overall LER of 1.84 (unitless; CI 95% : 1.78–1.90) for cassava‐legume mixtures showcased a substantial advantage in land use efficiency. Results highlight the intercropping opportunities to further develop much needed food production systems that are sustainable and resilient.