Costs and Returns of Soil Fertility Management Options in Western Kenya

2007 ◽  
pp. 881-890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul L. Woomer
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Fertility Management

Exploring diversity in soil fertility management of smallholder farms in western Kenya

2005 ◽  
Vol 110 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 166-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Tittonell ◽  
B. Vanlauwe ◽  
P.A. Leffelaar ◽  
K.D. Shepherd ◽  
K.E. Giller
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Smallholder Farms ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Fertility Management

Exploring diversity in soil fertility management of smallholder farms in western Kenya

2005 ◽  
Vol 110 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 149-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Tittonell ◽  
B. Vanlauwe ◽  
P.A. Leffelaar ◽  
E.C. Rowe ◽  
K.E. Giller
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Smallholder Farms ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Fertility Management

SEQUENCING INTEGRATED SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE CROP INTENSIFICATION BY DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN ZIMBABWE

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. NEZOMBA ◽  
F. MTAMBANENGWE ◽  
R. CHIKOWO ◽  
P. MAPFUMO
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Integrated Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Fertility Management ◽  
Maize Grain

SUMMARYResearch has proved that integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) can increase crop yields at the field and farm scales. However, its uptake by smallholder farmers in Africa is often constrained by lack of technical guidelines on effective starting points and how the different ISFM options can be combined to increase crop productivity on a sustainable basis. A 4-year study was conducted on sandy soils (<10% clay) on smallholder farms in eastern Zimbabwe to assess how sequencing of different ISFM options may lead to incremental gains in soil productivity, enhanced efficiency of resource use, and increase crop yields at field scale. The sequences were primarily based on low-quality organic resources, nitrogen-fixing green manure and grain legumes, and mineral fertilizers. To enable comparison of legume and maize grain yields among treatments, yields were converted to energy (kilocalories) and protein (kg) equivalents. In the first year, ‘Manure-start’, a cattle manure-based sequence, yielded 3.4 t ha−1of maize grain compared with 2.5 and 0.4 t ha−1under a woodland litter-based sequence (‘Litter-start’) and continuous unfertilized maize control, respectively. The ‘Manure-start’ produced 12 × 106kilocalories (kcal); significantly (p< 0.05) out-yielding ‘Litter start’ and a fertilizer-based sequence (‘Fertilizer-start’) by 50%. A soyabean-based sequence, ‘Soya-start’, gave the highest protein production of 720 kg against <450 kg for the other sequencing treatments. In the second year, the sequences yielded an average of 5.7 t ha−1of maize grain, producing over 19 × 106kcal and 400 kg of protein. Consequently, the sequences significantly out-performed farmers’ designated poor fields by ~ fivefold. In the third year, ‘Soya-start’ gave the highest maize grain yield of 3.7 t ha−1; translating to 1.5 and 3 times more calories than under farmers’ designated rich and poor fields, respectively. In the fourth year, ‘Fertilizer-start’ produced the highest calories and protein of 14 × 106kcal and 340 kg, respectively. Cumulatively over 4 years, ‘Manure-start’ and ‘Soya-start’ gave the highest calories and protein, out-performing farmers’ designated rich and poor fields. Sunnhemp (Crotalaria junceaL.)-based sequences, ‘Green-start’ and ‘Fertilizer-start’, recorded the highest gains in plant available soil P of ~ 4 mg kg−1over the 4-year period. Assessment of P agronomic efficiencies showed significantly more benefits under the ISFM-based sequences than under farmers’ designated rich and poor fields. Based on costs of seed, nutrients and labour, ‘Soya-start’ gave the best net present value over the 4 years, while ‘Fertilizer-start’ was financially the least attractive. Overall, the ISFM-based sequences were more profitable than fields designated as rich and poor by farmers. We concluded that ISFM-based sequences can provide options for farm-level intensification by different categories of smallholder farmers in Southern Africa.

ADOPTION DYNAMICS OF TITHONIA DIVERSIFOLIA FOR SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT IN PILOT VILLAGES OF WESTERN KENYA

2008 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
EVELYNE KIPTOT
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Regression Model ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Tithonia Diversifolia ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Fertility Management ◽  
Logit Regression ◽  
Logit Regression Model ◽  
Adoption Dynamics

SUMMARYThis paper presents the results of a study that was undertaken to assess adoption dynamics of Tithonia diversifolia in Siaya and Vihiga districts of western Kenya from 1997 to 2004. The study was undertaken among a random sample of 120 farmers from eight pilot villages exposed to the technology. Descriptive statistics and a logit regression model were used to analyse data. The findings show that more farmers in pilot villages of Siaya are taking up the use of Tithonia than in Vihiga. As of 2004, 52% of farmers in Siaya were adopters compared to only 8% in Vihiga. Results of the logit regression model show that the use of Tithonia biomass for soil fertility management (SFM) is more likely to be adopted in a context where there is a scarcity of animal manure, farmers are willing to plant it on farms and hire casual labour. The use of Tithonia by smallholder farmers for SFM is therefore a promising low-cost option that can be scaled up to areas where farmers face similar constraints.

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