Long-term effects of integrated soil fertility management practices on soil chemical properties in the Sahel

Geoderma ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 366 ◽  
pp. 114207
Author(s):  
Alexis M. Adams ◽  
Adam W. Gillespie ◽  
Gurbir S. Dhillon ◽  
Gourango Kar ◽  
Colin Minielly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Soil Chemical Properties ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Fertility Management

scholarly journals Awareness of Integrated Soil Fertility Management Practices in the Savelugu Municipal of the Northern Region of Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (338) ◽  
pp. 35-41
Author(s):  
Ammal Abukari ◽  
Rahamatu Abukari
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Household Size ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Inorganic Fertilizer ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Appropriate Use ◽  
Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Fertility Management

AbstractIn sub-Saharan Africa intensifying small-scale farming is essential in addressing poverty related issues in rural communities and the degradation of natural resources. Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) are the best practices used to improve the productivity of crops whilst maximizing agronomic efficiency of inputs applied and hence contributing to sustainable intensification. ISFM usually include the appropriate use of inorganic fertilizer and organic resources, good agronomic practices and appropriate use of germplasm. The survey was carried-out on the awareness of Integrated Soil Fertility Management practices in the Savelugu Municipal of Northern Ghana to study the awareness of integrated soil fertility management practices amongst farmers through the administration of questionnaires. A multistage method of sampling was used in selecting thirty (30) respondents randomly from five (5) selected communities namely Jana, Yapalsi, Diari, Nabogu and Gushie to make up a total sample size of 150 respondents. Frequency distribution and percentages were used to represent the data. Correlation analysis was used to test for the relationship between awareness, educational level and household size. The survey showed that majority of the respondents at ages between 21 and 30 years were married and majority with household size of 3 to 5 as well as primary and secondary education. Farming activities were carried-out by hand (80%). Majority of the respondents (43.3%) were informed about ISFM through demonstrations and 20% of the farmers apply inorganic fertilizer. About 85.5% of the respondents were aware of ISFM. The research also revealed that ISFM improves production and supports finances of respondents. The assessment of respondents’ perception of ISFM revealed a positive agreement of the effect of ISFM on soil health as well as improved production. In conclusion, it is thus suggested that it is needful for the involvement of the government on the adoption of ISFM via Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) locally and or internationally for a suitable advancement and to guarantee a sustainable environment with a world-wide corporation for improvement.

scholarly journals DETERMINANTS OF THE DECISION TO ADOPT INTEGRATED SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES BY SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF KENYA

2009 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAYNE MUGWE ◽  
DANIEL MUGENDI ◽  
MONICAH MUCHERU-MUNA ◽  
ROEL MERCKX ◽  
JONAS CHIANU ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Household Head ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Fertility Management ◽  
Central Highlands

SUMMARYDeclining soil fertility is a major cause of low per capita food production on smallholder farms of sub-Saharan Africa. This study attempted to provide an empirical explanation of the factors associated with farmers' decisions to adopt or not to adopt newly introduced integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) technologies consisting of combinations of organics and mineral fertilizer in Meru South district of the central highlands of Kenya. Out of 106 households interviewed, 46% were ‘adopters’ while 54% were ‘non-adopters’. A logistic regression model showed that the factors that significantly influenced adoption positively were farm management, ability to hire labour and months in a year households bought food for their families, while age of household head and number of mature cattle negatively influenced adoption. The implication of these results is that the adoption of ISFM practices could be enhanced through targeting of younger families where both spouses work on the farm full-time and food insecure households. It is also important to target farmers that lack access to other sources of soil fertility improvement. Examples include farmers that do not own cattle or those owning few and who, therefore, have limited access to animal manure.

scholarly journals Response of Soil Chemical Properties to Rhizobium and Rock Phosphate Fertilizer Application under Green - Grams in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya

2020 ◽  
pp. 43-52
Author(s):  
F. K. Mbaka ◽  
H. O. Ndukhu ◽  
G. O. Oloo-Abucheli
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Rock Phosphate ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Phosphate Fertilizer ◽  
Soil Chemical Properties ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Rhizobium Inoculation ◽  
Fertility Management

Soil fertility decline is one of the major constraints in agricultural productivity. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in legumes can offer a cost-effective and sustainable means towards soil fertility management. There is limited information on green-gram BNF enhancement through Rhizobium inoculation with rock phosphate fertilizer. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of Rhizobium and rock phosphate fertilizer application on soil chemical properties under green-gram varieties. The study was carried out at Chuka university horticultural research farm in two seasons (November 2019 - January 2020 and February - April 2020). A factorial experiment of 2 x 2 x 2 was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). There were three factors; varieties (N26 and KS20), rock phosphate (0 and 30 kg P ha-1) and Rhizobium inoculation (0 and 100 g ha-1) making a total of eight treatments which were replicated three times. Soil sampling and analyses were done for soil pH, fixed-N, total nitrogen (TN), exchangeable cations (EC), available Phosphorous (P), total organic carbon (TOC), and exchangeable potassium (K) before planting and after harvesting of green-grams for the two seasons. Data was analysed using GENSTAT 15th edition (P≤0.05). Results from both seasons indicated that combined application of rock phosphate at 30 kg P ha-1 and Rhizobium inoculation at 100 kg ha-1 showed significant (P≤0.05) higher increase in soil chemical properties over other treatments. However, treatment R1P1KS20 recorded significantly higher results in soil pH (7.54), TN (0.58%), TOC (3.45%), P (68.20 ppm) and EC (0.95 CmolKg-1), fixed-N (0.50%) and K (1.75 CmolKg-1). On the other hand treatment R0P0N26 recorded significant (P≤0.05) lower results in soil pH (5.23), TN (0.04%), TOC (1.86%), P (8.76 ppm), EC (0.21 CmolKg-1) and K (0.58 CmolKg-1). Therefore, Rhizobium inoculation in green-grams in combination with rock phosphate is an important legume nitrogen fixation enhancement method. This method is cost effective for farmers in sustainably supplementing nitrogen and phosphorous in their farms for improved soil fertility management. Based on the findings, combining Rhizobium 100g ha-1 and rock phosphate 30 kg P ha-1 with variety KS20 were recommended for a sustainable soil fertility management in Tharaka Nithi County.

scholarly journals Integrated soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa: unravelling local adaptation

SOIL ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 491-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Vanlauwe ◽  
K. Descheemaeker ◽  
K. E. Giller ◽  
J. Huising ◽  
R. Merckx ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Local Adaptation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Farm Level ◽  
Fertility Management ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract. Intensification of smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is necessary to address rural poverty and natural resource degradation. Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) is a means to enhance crop productivity while maximizing the agronomic efficiency (AE) of applied inputs, and can thus contribute to sustainable intensification. ISFM consists of a set of best practices, preferably used in combination, including the use of appropriate germplasm, the appropriate use of fertilizer and of organic resources, and good agronomic practices. The large variability in soil fertility conditions within smallholder farms is also recognized within ISFM, including soils with constraints beyond those addressed by fertilizer and organic inputs. The variable biophysical environments that characterize smallholder farming systems have profound effects on crop productivity and AE, and targeted application of agro-inputs and management practices is necessary to enhance AE. Further, management decisions depend on the farmer's resource endowments and production objectives. In this paper we discuss the "local adaptation" component of ISFM and how this can be conceptualized within an ISFM framework, backstopped by analysis of AE at plot and farm level. At plot level, a set of four constraints to maximum AE is discussed in relation to "local adaptation": soil acidity, secondary nutrient and micronutrient (SMN) deficiencies, physical constraints, and drought stress. In each of these cases, examples are presented whereby amendments and/or practices addressing these have a significantly positive impact on fertilizer AE, including mechanistic principles underlying these effects. While the impact of such amendments and/or practices is easily understood for some practices (e.g. the application of SMNs where these are limiting), for others, more complex processes influence AE (e.g. water harvesting under varying rainfall conditions). At farm scale, adjusting fertilizer applications to within-farm soil fertility gradients has the potential to increase AE compared with blanket recommendations, in particular where fertility gradients are strong. In the final section, "local adaption" is discussed in relation to scale issues and decision support tools are evaluated as a means to create a better understanding of complexity at farm level and to communicate appropriate scenarios for allocating agro-inputs and management practices within heterogeneous farming environments.

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