Smallholder Management of Diverse Soil Nutrient Resources in West Africa: Economics and Policy Implications

Ecological sanitation (EcoSan) systems capture and sanitize human excreta and generate organic nutrient resources that can support more sustainable nutrient management in agricultural ecosystems. An emerging EcoSan system that is implemented in Haiti and several other contexts globally couples container-based household toilets with aerobic, thermophilic composting. This closed loop sanitation system generates organic nutrient resources that can be used as part of an ecological approach to soil nutrient management and thus has the potential to contribute to Sustainable Development Goals 2 (zero hunger), 6 (clean water and sanitation for all), and 13 (climate change solutions). However, the role of organic nutrient resources derived from human excreta in food production is poorly studied. We conducted a greenhouse experiment comparing the impact of feces-derived compost on crop production, soil nutrient cycling, and nutrient losses with two amendments produced from wastewater treatment (pelletized biosolids and biofertilizer), urea, and an unfertilized control. Excreta-derived amendments increased crop yields 2.5 times more than urea, but had differing carry-over effects. After a one-time application of compost, crop production remained elevated throughout all six crop cycles. In contrast, the carry-over of crop response lasted two and four crop cycles for biosolids and biofertilizer, respectively, and was absent for urea. Soil carbon concentration in the compost amended soils increased linearly through time from 2.0 to 2.5%, an effect not seen with other treatments. Soil nitrous oxide emissions factors ranged from 0.3% (compost) to 4.6% (biosolids), while nitrogen leaching losses were lowest for biosolids and highest for urea. These results indicate that excreta-derived compost provides plant available nutrients, while improving soil health through the addition of soil organic carbon. It also improved biogeochemical functions, indicating the potential of excreta-derived compost to close nutrient loops if implemented at larger scales. If captured and safely treated through EcoSan, human feces produced in Haiti can meet up to 13, 22, and 11% of major crop needs of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, respectively.

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Mode of Production and Population Patterns: Policy Implications for West African Development

International Journal of Health Services ◽

10.2190/deml-u6kd-mtyr-1myc ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 361-387 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Richard W. Franke

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Population Growth ◽

Production Systems ◽

West African ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Population Policies ◽

New Synthesis ◽

Recent Developments ◽

And Migration ◽

Sahel Region

Recent developments in population theory have made possible a re-examination of demographic evidence from West Africa which suggests that population growth and migration are primarily responses to changes in the nature of the production system. Precolonial, colonial, and independence period data provide a series of correlations consistent with the approach and suggest a possible new synthesis of the West African data. The poorest countries of West Africa are those bordering on the Sahara Desert, known as the “Sahel” region. In response to the drought and famine in that region from 1968–1974, numerous proposals have been made for increased attention to reducing population growth. The analysis presented in this paper leads to the conclusion that population policies other than those attempting to lower the birth rate are called for. These would include relocation of populations previously displaced by colonial labor migrations and the re-integration of herding and farming production systems, both of which policies should be considered as population policies. Data are presented from specific projects underway in Senegal, Mauritania, and Mali, to illustrate the argument.

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Policy implications of population ageing in West Africa

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy ◽

10.1108/01443331311308230 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 33 (3/4) ◽

pp. 186-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Paul Alhassan Issahaku ◽

Sheila Neysmith

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Population Ageing ◽

Policy Implications

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Low Soil Nutrient Tolerance and Mineral Fertilizer Response in White Guinea Yam (Dioscorea rotundata) Genotypes

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.629762 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Ryo Matsumoto ◽

Haruki Ishikawa ◽

Asrat Asfaw ◽

Robert Asiedu

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Soil Fertility ◽

Soil Nutrients ◽

Tuber Yield ◽

Soil Nutrient ◽

Mineral Fertilizer ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Nutrient Supply ◽

Fertilizer Response ◽

Guinea Yam

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a major food security crop for millions of resource-poor farmers, particularly in West Africa. Soil mineral deficiency is the main challenge in yam production, especially with the dwindling of fallow lands for the indigenous nutrient supply. Cultivars tolerant to available low soil nutrients and responsive to added nutrient supply are viable components of an integrated soil fertility management strategy for sustainable and productive yam farming systems in West Africa. This study’s objective was to identify white Guinea yam (D. rotundata) genotypes adapted to available low soil nutrients and responsive to externally added nutrient supply. Twenty advanced breeding lines and a local variety (Amula) were evaluated under contrasting soil fertility, low to expose the crop to available low soil nutrient supply and high to assess the crop response to added mineral fertilizer (NPK) input at Ibadan, Nigeria. The genotypes expressed differential yield response to low soil fertility (LF) stress and added fertilizer input. Soil fertility susceptibility index (SFSI) ranged from 0.64 to 1.34 for tuber yield and 0.60 to 1.30 for shoot dry weight. The genotypes R034, R041, R050, R052, R060, R100, and R125 combined lower SFSI with a low rate of reduction in tuber yield were identified as tolerant to LF stress related to the soil mineral deficiency. Likewise, the genotypes R109, R119, and R131 showed high susceptibility to soil fertility level and/or fertilizer response. Genotypes R025 and R034 had the tuber yielding potential twice of that the local variety under low soil nutrient conditions. Shoot dry weight and tuber yield showed a positive correlation both under low and high soil fertility conditions (r = 0.69 and 0.75, respectively), indicating the vigor biomass may be a morphological marker for selecting genotypes of white Guinea yam for higher tuber yield. Our results highlight genotypic variation in the tolerance to low soil nutrients and mineral fertilizer response in white Guinea yam to exploit through breeding and genetic studies to develop improved genotypes for low and high input production systems in West Africa.

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Wheat cover crop promoted cucumber seedling growth through regulating soil nutrient resources or soil microbial communities?

Plant and Soil ◽

10.1007/s11104-017-3307-9 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 418 (1-2) ◽

pp. 459-475 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Danmei Gao ◽

Xingang Zhou ◽

Yadong Duan ◽

Xuepeng Fu ◽

Fengzhi Wu

Keyword(s):

Microbial Communities ◽

Seedling Growth ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Soil Microbial Communities ◽

Soil Nutrient ◽

Cucumber Seedling ◽

Soil Microbial ◽

Nutrient Resources

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POTENTIAL PASTURE PRODUCTION IN THE UPLANDS OF WALES. 3. Soil nutrient resources and limitations

Grass and Forage Science ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2494.1973.tb00753.x ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 247-256 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

J. M. M. Munro ◽

D. A. Davies ◽

T. A. Thomas

Keyword(s):

Soil Nutrient ◽

Pasture Production ◽

Nutrient Resources

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Organized crime, corruption and the challenges of economic growth in the economic community of West African states

Journal of Financial Crime ◽

10.1108/jfc-05-2021-0115 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Mallam Isgogo Mohammed ◽

Abbsinejad Hossein ◽

Chukwudi C. Nwokolo

Keyword(s):

Economic Growth ◽

West Africa ◽

Organized Crime ◽

West African ◽

Least Square ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Series Data ◽

Economic Community ◽

Data Set ◽

Content Type

Purpose This study aims to examine organized crime, corruption and their challenges to the economic growth of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Organized crime and corruption can have a grossly negative impact on the economic growth process of every system, but the extent of damage they have needs to be measured to determine the policy implications to the region. Design/methodology/approach The study uses the fixed effects model and the feasible generalized least square known also as the random-effects model with the pooled ordinary least square as a control on the defined objectives using secondary time series data that covers the period 2000 to 2019 for 11 countries in the ECOWAS region. The panel nature of the data set provides a rich degree of freedom with 220 (20 years for 11 countries – 20*11 = 220) observations. Findings Results show among others that organized crime does not have a significant impact on economic growth, whereas corruption significantly reduces economic growth. Research limitations/implications Unavailability of data affected the scope of the study in the areas of a number of countries selected and years chosen for the study. The implication is that it would have given the study better degrees of freedom. Practical implications The practical implication of this study has exposed corruption hinders economic growth in West Africa. Social implications The social implication of the study is that it has exposed that though the organized crime was a bad phenomenon it does not retard economic growth significantly in West Africa. Originality/value This study is original and of immense importance as its the first study to focus on organized crime and corruption’s influence on economic growth among West African states.

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