Getting Down to Earth (and Business): Focus on African Smallholders' Incentives for Improved Soil Management

Klauser, Dominik; Negra, Christine

doi:10.3389/fsufs.2020.576606

Cited by 11 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…While the increase in maize and cowpea yields in on-farm plots in this study was significant (>50%), the interviewed farmers viewed the high costs of purchasing SWRT membrane and hiring labor for membrane installation as prohibitive. Necessary preconditions for improving adoption of soil-enhancing practices must thus be created beyond the farm level, including FVC development, policy, and finance (Klauser and Negra, 2020), with social and institutional interventions needed to support structural/physical interventions (Havemann, 2016). In addition, it is essential to remember that SWRT only retains existing water and nutrients and, in the absence of rain or irrigation water, this technology may not produce the desired results.…”

Section: Role Of Food Value Chain Actors In Climate Risk Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reducing Climate Risks by Improving Food Production and Value Chains: A Case of Sandy Soils in Semi-arid Kenya

Nkurunziza¹,

Kuyah²,

Nyawira³

et al. 2022

Front. Clim.

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Due to climate change and variability, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent worldwide, causing significant reductions in agricultural production and food security. The livelihoods of smallholder farmers, especially those eking out a living by farming on sandy soils, are particularly affected. We examined this issue using the case of Makueni County, a semi-arid area with sandy soils in south-eastern Kenya. Using survey data from 202 households, we examined extreme weather events affecting smallholder farmers and current management strategies used to mitigate the consequences. We then performed field experiments to assess potential gains of implementing sub-surface water retention technology (SWRT) in the region. Finally, we held group discussions with stakeholders in food value chains (FVC) to identify ways of managing climate risks to smallholder farmers. Analysis of the survey data showed that 199 of 202 farmers surveyed had experienced an extreme event associated with climate change and variability during the previous five years. Of these 199 farmers, 161 reported having changed their farming practices to adapt, especially to drought (70%) and increased temperature (22%). Common adaptation practices included early planting, reducing the area under cultivation, and water harvesting. In the field experiments, using SWRT resulted in a 50, 100, 150, and 170% increase in maize grain yield, cob numbers, cob weight, and maize stover biomass, respectively, compared with the control (without SWRT). Stakeholder group discussions along the FVC demonstrated a need for synergy among actors to mitigate climate risks caused by extreme weather events. These findings suggest that diversification of management strategies at farm level, combined with external inputs (new technologies, improved seeds, etc.) and services (credit access, learning from peers and professionals), will be instrumental in reducing future climate risks to smallholder farmers. Improving access to viable markets and fostering mutually beneficial linkages with post-harvest processors would add value to farm produce, thus further increasing income and the capacity of smallholder farmers to manage climate risks.

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Section: Role Of Food Value Chain Actors In Climate Risk Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reducing Climate Risks by Improving Food Production and Value Chains: A Case of Sandy Soils in Semi-arid Kenya

Nkurunziza¹,

Kuyah²,

Nyawira³

et al. 2022

Front. Clim.

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“…However, farmers in different regions face various challenges when it comes to the acquisition of agricultural information. These include limited access to sources of information, low awareness of relevant sources, language barriers, limited technical knowledge of sources, uncoordinated delivery of information, illiteracy, and financial constraints, among others [8,[24][25][26][27]. Farmers' capacity to access the required agricultural information is further undermined by a lack of skills to utilise available sources of information effectively, especially under the pluralistic and demand-led extension frameworks promoted by countries in SSA [28][29][30][31].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of Simultaneous Use of Soil Fertility Information Sources among Smallholder Farmers in the Central Highlands of Kenya

Asule,

Musafiri,

Nyabuga

et al. 2023

Agriculture

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Soil fertility decline is a significant drawback to food and nutritional security in sub-Saharan Africa. However, information and knowledge barriers seriously impede the adoption, effective use, and scaling up of soil fertility management innovations, especially by smallholder farmers who produce the bulk of the region’s food needs. Apart from the knowledge that smallholder farmers seek soil fertility information from diverse sources, which they apply simultaneously, there is limited knowledge of farmers’ information-seeking behaviour regarding which sources are used simultaneously and the factors influencing these choices. We employed a cross-sectional survey study design to determine the simultaneous use of soil fertility information sources of 400 smallholder farming households in the Central Highlands of Kenya. We analysed the data using descriptive statistics, principal component analysis (PCA), and a multivariate probit model. The PCA distinguished seven categories of information sources farmers use: local interpersonal, cosmopolite interpersonal, aggregative, print/demonstration, broadcast media, community-based, and progressive learning sources. The intensity of use revealed that most of the smallholders used soil fertility information sources simultaneously and primarily as complements. The determinants of simultaneous use of soil fertility information sources were farmer location, marital status, main occupation, age, farming experience, exposure to agricultural training, group membership, arable land and livestock units owned, soil fertility status, soil fertility change, and soil testing. This study’s findings have implications for information dissemination strategies involving using multiple complementary sources of knowledge for improved soil health and productivity.

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Irrigation management and biochar × mineral fertilization for improving rice yield and profitability

Muhindo,

Lelei,

Munyahali

et al. 2024

Agronomy Journal

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Inefficient fertilizer management and increasing water scarcity are affecting rice yields and thus food security in Central African lowlands. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of biochar and mineral fertilizer application and irrigation regime on paddy rice growth, yield and profitability. A randomized complete block design with a split‐split plot arrangement and three replications was used at three field sites and for two consecutive seasons. The main plots consisted of two irrigation regimes, permanent flooding and alternate wetting and drying. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars TAI and AR2017105 were assigned to subplots. Six fertilization treatments were applied in sub‐subplots: control, rice husk biochar or manure‐charged biochar, each with and without mineral fertilizer. Alternate wetting and drying did not penalize yield. The combined use of biochar and mineral fertilizer increased paddy rice yield compared to fertilizer alone (+16%) and the control (+85%). The sole application of biochar, with or without manure, did increase yield in the first (+14%) but not in the second season compared to the unfertilized control. In both cropping seasons, the combined use of biochar and mineral fertilizer significantly increased the gross margin of paddy rice farming compared to the sole application of fertilizer. The combined application of biochar and mineral fertilizer under alternate wetting and drying can thus be recommended as a key climate‐smart agricultural practice to increase food security and the agronomic profitability of rice cropping in Central African lowlands and comparable rice growing areas worldwide.

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Getting Down to Earth (and Business): Focus on African Smallholders' Incentives for Improved Soil Management

Cited by 11 publications

References 61 publications

Reducing Climate Risks by Improving Food Production and Value Chains: A Case of Sandy Soils in Semi-arid Kenya

Reducing Climate Risks by Improving Food Production and Value Chains: A Case of Sandy Soils in Semi-arid Kenya

Determinants of Simultaneous Use of Soil Fertility Information Sources among Smallholder Farmers in the Central Highlands of Kenya

Irrigation management and biochar × mineral fertilization for improving rice yield and profitability

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