Combined effect of trees and soil fertility management practices on millet yields in the Sahel

Advancing the science and practice of ecological nutrient management for smallholder farmers

“…Integration of F i with organic nutrient sources and the effect of trees on nutrient acquisition and nutrient use efficiency have been the subject of recent research in parkland agroforestry (Diallo et al, 2021). Judicious doses of external nutrients integrated with agroforestry balances nutrient supply and demand resulting in improved nutrient efficiency, as shown in millet (above) and maize fields.…”

Nano-satellites uphold Boserup’s theory of smallholder agricultural intensification

“…The ability of trees to enhance soil fertility does not necessarily translate to immediate gains in crop yield because it depends on where the trees are planted relative to the crops -although trees do stabilize soil health in the long-term by improving the nitrogen budget in agricultural elds 36 . However, the yields of certain crops such as millet can be increased by two-to four-folds if they are planted directly under tree crowns 37 . Such a large increase in crop yield should be captured in the crop growth rate, but it is plausible that this signal is either obscured or diluted when using remote sensing techniques because of the tree crowns.…”