The main challenges for farmers in semi-arid and arid areas of the tropics and subtropics are poor food security, yield instability and risk of crop failure. These are associated with the biggest physical constraint to crop production in these areas:erratic and unreliable rainfall resulting in shortages of water. Under these conditions there is a considerable risk of failed crops, patchy stands and high re-planting costs. Transplanting within this system was a practical option which enabled farmers to maximise the growing season and minimise the risk of failed crops, patchy stands and reduce the costs of re-planting. Early crops are important to farmers as they break the hunger gap; transplanting early crops breaks this gap two to three weeks earlier, and yield more (often double) than normal direct-sown crops, providing food when it is in short supply and very expensive in the market place