Point of no return? Rehabilitating degraded soils for increased crop productivity on smallholder farms in eastern Zimbabwe

Nezomba, Hatirarami; Mtambanengwe, Florence; Tittonell, Pablo; Mapfumo, Paul

doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2014.10.006

Cited by 47 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Proof of concept of such management strategies to restore degraded soils and reduce soil threats have been reported in literature (e.g. Araya et al, 2012;Corral-Nunez et al, 2014;Nezomba et al, 2015).…”

Section: The Six Main Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Keesstra

Bouma

Wallinga

et al. 2016

SOIL

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667

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Abstract. In this forum paper we discuss how soil scientists can help to reach the recently adopted UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the most effective manner. Soil science, as a land-related discipline, has important links to several of the SDGs, which are demonstrated through the functions of soils and the ecosystem services that are linked to those functions (see graphical abstract in the Supplement). We explore and discuss how soil scientists can rise to the challenge both internally, in terms of our procedures and practices, and externally, in terms of our relations with colleague scientists in other disciplines, diverse groups of stakeholders and the policy arena. To meet these goals we recommend the following steps to be taken by the soil science community as a whole: (i) embrace the UN SDGs, as they provide a platform that allows soil science to demonstrate its relevance for realizing a sustainable society by 2030; (ii) show the specific value of soil science: research should explicitly show how using modern soil information can improve the results of inter-and transdisciplinary studies on SDGs related to food security, water scarcity, climate change, biodiversity loss and health threats; (iii) take leadership in overarching system analysis of ecosystems, as soils and soil scientists have an integrated nature and this placesPublished by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 112 S. D. Keesstra et al.: The significance of soils and soil science soil scientists in a unique position; (iii) raise awareness of soil organic matter as a key attribute of soils to illustrate its importance for soil functions and ecosystem services; (iv) improve the transfer of knowledge through knowledge brokers with a soil background; (v) start at the basis: educational programmes are needed at all levels, starting in primary schools, and emphasizing practical, down-to-earth examples; (vi) facilitate communication with the policy arena by framing research in terms that resonate with politicians in terms of the policy cycle or by considering drivers, pressures and responses affecting impacts of land use change; and finally (vii) all this is only possible if researchers, with soil scientists in the front lines, look over the hedge towards other disciplines, to the world at large and to the policy arena, reaching over to listen first, as a basis for genuine collaboration.

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Section: The Six Main Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Keesstra

Bouma

Wallinga

et al. 2016

SOIL

Self Cite

1,247

667

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“…The respondents credit CA for restoration of degraded lands. Crop rotations and maintenance of permanent soil cover by crop residues may improve soil organic matter content (Lal, 2015), reduce soil erosion, stimulate biological activity (Nezomba, Mtambanengwe, Tittonell, & Mapfumo, 2015), nutrient cycling and diversity of soil organisms thereby enhancing soil fertility. On the other hand, minimum soil tillage reduces loss of soil organic matter (de Freitas & Landers, 2014), improves soil structural stability and porosity.…”

Section: Ca Can Restore Degraded Landsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behaviour of smallholder farmers towards adoption of conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe

Mugandani

Mafongoya

2019

Soil Use and Management

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Conservation agriculture is critical to sustainably increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing climate resilience and food security. Much research on adoption of conservation agriculture has focused on its agronomic benefits, but little attention has been paid to the contribution of the behaviour of farmers over its adoption. To close this gap, a study was carried out to investigate the behaviour of smallholder farmers towards the adoption of conservation agriculture in Chivi, Murehwa and Mutoko districts, Zimbabwe. Data were collected through a pre‐tested questionnaire administered to 360 farmers, selected through a multi‐stage sampling process. This method was triangulated through focus group discussions, key informant interviews and personal observations. Data were analysed using percentages, means and inferential statistics. The results show that, although fewer than 10% of the respondents had received any formal training in agriculture, more than 80% of them relied on it for their major source of income. The respondents had high levels of knowledge on the social, environmental and economic benefits of conservation agriculture. However, the majority of the non‐adopters had an indifferent perception towards conservation agriculture. The knowledge and perception of the farmers was explained by age, gender, education and experience with conservation agriculture. Results also show a weak but significant correlation between knowledge and perception (Rs = 0.306, p < 0.05), knowledge and adoption (Rs = 0.484, p < 0.05) but a strong and significant correlation between perception and adoption (Rs = 0.808, p < 0.05). Addressing perception gaps is key to enhance adoption of conservation agriculture.

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“…In this study, a mulch cover of 30% with maize stover was enough to impact marginally on weed performance, but the results indicated that some weeding was still necessary. Generating the required biomass for mulching purposes has often remained a challenge on inherently poor soils [31,32], to the extent that farmers fail to generate the required mulching materials. The potential savings in terms of costs of herbicides or labor required for weeding, as well as time spent on weeding, cannot be underestimated.…”

Section: Implications Of Mulching For Smallholder Farmersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mulching and Fertilization Effects on Weed Dynamics under Conservation Agriculture-Based Maize Cropping in Zimbabwe

et al. 2015

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A two-year study was conducted to assess how mulch influences weed dynamics following imposition of different fertilization treatments under three crop establishment options: (i) conventional; (ii) ripping; and (iii) basin, in a two-year maize-legume rotation. Eight treatments were imposed within each crop establishment option and received maize stover mulch applied at 0% or 30% cover before planting maize (Zea mays) or cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) as test crops. Maize received nitrogen (N) at 35, 90, or 120 kg• ha −1 and phosphorus (P) at 14 or 26 kg• ha −1 applied alone or in combination with 4 or 7 t cattle manure• ha −1 , while cowpea received 8 or 17 N• kg• ha −1 and similar P rates to maize. Results indicated that both weed biomass and diversity were influenced more by fertilization than method of crop establishment. On treatments under high fertilizer application rates, or previously planted to cowpea weed biomass ranged between 220 and 400 g• m −2 under mulch and 370-510 g• m −2 (no mulch). Here species richness ranged OPEN ACCESS Environments 2015, 2 400 between 7-16 and was dominated by dicotyledons. This was in contrast to biomass ranges of 75-200 g• m −2 in the low fertilized and control plots, where only one or two grass types dominated. Overall, weed densities were 6% to 51% higher under conventional tillage compared to the two conservation agriculture (CA) options, although the data indicated that mulch significantly (p < 0.05) depressed weed density by up to 70%. We concluded that mulching could be a potential mechanism for reducing weeding labor costs for smallholders and the general environmental and health concerns associated with the use of herbicides in CA systems.

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Point of no return? Rehabilitating degraded soils for increased crop productivity on smallholder farms in eastern Zimbabwe

Cited by 47 publications

References 64 publications

The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Behaviour of smallholder farmers towards adoption of conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe

Mulching and Fertilization Effects on Weed Dynamics under Conservation Agriculture-Based Maize Cropping in Zimbabwe

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