Farm productivity can be improved by occasionally growing mucuna. Mucuna is a plant which takes nitrogen from the air and produces plant matter for improving soil fertility. Mucuna suppresses weeds reducing problems during subsequent seasons. Mucuna is suitable as fodder for livestock, but the seed should not be used for human consumption. It can be produced sole crop or intercropped with other crops. Maize and the maize-bean intercrop are especially responsive to the improved soil.

Mucuna is especially favoured for sole crop production on soils with low fertility and where weeds are difficult to control. Sow the mucuna in a clean seed bed with two seeds per hole spaced at 60 cm (2 feet) x 75 cm (3 feet). The mucuna will need to be weeded once before it can effectively compete with weeds.

Intercropped with maize.Sow mucuna four weeks after planting maize (if mucuna is sown earlier, it can be very competitive with maize). Place one seed per hole in a row between the maize rows with 50 cm between the holes. Allow mucuna to grow after harvesting the maize until it is time to plant the next crop. Then incorporate mucuna into the soil or leave it on the surface. Mucuna intercropped with maize is intended to benefit the subsequent crops. It may depress yield of the associated maize.

Allow mucuna to grow for the full season and uproot when it is time to plant the next crop. Harvest mature pods to obtain seed for planting in other fields.

The plant residues can be left on the surface to decompose slowly, releasing nutrients to feed the subsequent crop. Crop productivity is normally improved for two seasons following sole crop mucuna.

Harvest mucuna before flowering to obtain high quality fodder to supplement Napier grass. Cut the stems of mucuna 40 cm from the base to allow rapid regrowth. Feed cows the fresh clippings, mucuna should not exceed 20% of the total ration.

Soak mucuna seed overnight and sow the swollen seeds for fast emergence of mucuna.