Authors : Mutombo Tshibamba Jean Michel; Kizungu Vumilia Roger; Tshibamba Mukendi John; Tshilenge Lukanda Luc; Malumba Kamba Paul; Muyayabantu Mupala Georges

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 7 - July

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/mr45zc3e

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jul337

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Abstract : Smallholder agriculture in developing countries, such as sub-Saharan Africa, represents about 80 to 90% of agricultural holdings, with an average area ranging from 0.5 to 2 hectares per household, and employs 60-70% of the active population, thus constituting the main source of employment. The present study aims to determine whether rice-Vigna radiata intercropping constitutes a sustainable and profitable alternative for family farmers. To this end, a field experiment was conducted in Tshilenge, specifically in the village of Bena-Ntanda (-6.130199, 23.432759 and 621m), using a Fisher complete randomized block design. In pure stands, mung beans (yellow and green cultivars) and rice (Nerica 4 variety) were sown at spacings of 0.20 m x 0.20 m with two seeds (mung bean) and four grains (rice) per hole, respectively. In intercropping, rice was sown one month before mung beans at spacings of 0.40 m x 0.20 m (4 grains per hole), while for Vigna radiata (yellow and green) spacings were 0.30 m x 0.20 m (2 seeds per hole). The rice-Vigna radiata cropping system represents a sustainable and profitable alternative for family farmers in smallholder farming environments. It has promoted increased vegetative growth in both mung bean and rice. Although a slight reduction in yield (13%) was observed for the two crops, the attack incidence was significantly lower in intercropping compared to pure stands. Thus, rice-Vigna radiata intercropping constitutes a simple, affordable (low-cost) agricultural practice that enables income diversification and enhances the resilience of production systems to climate change.

Keywords : Rice-Vigna radiata Cropping System, Agronomic Performances, Ecological Performances, Phytosanitary Performances, Tshilenge, Kasaï-Oriental, D.R. Congo.

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