General
FARMSIM consists of a crop-soil (FIELD), a livestock (LIVSIM) and a manure (HEAPSIM) module that are functionally integrated to allow capturing feedbacks between these identities at farm scale, as affected by farmers’ management decisions. FIELD simulates long-term changes in soil fertility (C, N, P and K), interactions between nutrients that determine crop production, and crop responses to management interventions such as mineral fertiliser and/or manure applications. Different fields within a farm represent combinations of crop types and sets of soil properties. Simulation of livestock productivity, growth and herd dynamics is done with LIVSIM, while nutrient cycling through manure is simulated with HEAPSIM.
For instructions on installing and running the model, please consult the user's guide under 'Download documents'.
Specifications
FIELD:
- Soil carbon and nutrient dynamics
- Crop yield
LivSim:
- Cattle body weight
- Milk production
- Manure production
Software requirements
R-version 3.0.0 or higher with add-on package 'abind' installed.
R-version 3.0.0 or higher with add-on package 'abind' installed and R-tools 2.15 or higher.
Download documents
Mark T. van Wijk, Pablo Tittonell, Mariana C. Rufino, Mario Herrero, Cesare Pacini, Nico de Ridder, Ken E. Giller. Identifying key entry-points for strategic management of smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa using the dynamic farm-scale simulation model NUANCES-FARMSIM. 10.1016/j.agsy.2009.07.004
P. Tittonell, S. Zingore, M.T. van Wijk, M. Corbeels, K.E. Giller. Nutrient use efficiencies and crop responses to N, P and manure applications in Zimbabwean soils: Exploring management strategies across soil fertility gradients. 10.1016/j.fcr.2006.09.003
Examples
Analyses of crop-livestock interactions in small-holder African farming systems.
Contact
katrien.descheemaeker@wur.nl; mink.zijlstra@wur.nl