About the RUFORUM 2010 Biennal Conference
"The 2010 RUFORUM Biennial Conference was the second in the series. The main objective of the Biennial conferences is to provide a platform for agricultural research for development stakeholders in Africa and beyond to actively exchange findings and experiences, while at the same time learning lessons towards improving performance of the agricultural sector and ultimately people’s livelihoods. The biennial conference is RUFORUM’s most comprehensive meeting for the diversity of stakeholders in agriculture. It is especially dedicated to graduate students and their supervisors, grantees in RUFORUM member universities and alumni. It is a platform for peer review, quality control, mentorship, networking and shared learning. This record contains an extended abstract accepted under the theme of Natural Resource Management"
Strengthening researcher-extension-farmer participation in soil fertility restoration for sustainable crop production in western Kenya
Abstract:
Food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) results mainly
from common and prolonged droughts, fertility depleted soils,
poor economies and insignificant researcher-extension-farmer
contacts to demonstrate technologies. The soils are
predominantly deficient in N and P nutrients, soil organic matter
and are generally acidic. In these soils nutrient additions have
raised maize (staple) yields in western Kenya from 0.5 to 3-5 t/
ha/season, when 75 kg N, 26 kg P and 2 t/ha agricultural lime
are applied. Farmers always indicate the unaffordable costs of
these materials. To mitigate these problems, cooperation among
international institutions has been launched in the region to
diversify fertilizer and lime applications, to reach 50,000 farmers
by 2012. Use of low cost materials such as phosphate rocks,
lime and manures is emphasized. This paper highlights some of
these efforts.
L’insécurité alimentaire en Afrique sub-saharienne (ASS)
résulte principalement des sécheresses prolongées et
fréquentes, des sols dépourvus de fertilité, des économies
pauvres et du contact chercheur-developpement-fermier
insignifiant pour démontrer des technologies. Les sols sont
principalement pauvres en nutriments N et P, en matière
organique et sont généralement acides. La supplémentation de
ces sols en nutriments a relevé les rendements de maïs (qui est
un aliment de base) de 0.5 à 3-5 t/ha/saison au Kenya occidental quand 75 kg N, 26 kgP et 2 t/ha d’engrais calcique sont utilisés.
Les fermiers affirment d’habitude que ces matériaux ont des
coûts exorbitants. Pour atténuer ces problèmes, la coopération
entre les institutions internationales a été lancée dans la région
pour diversifier les usages d’engrais et de chaux, pour atteindre
50.000 fermiers d’ici 2012. L’utilisation des produits à prix réduit
tels que les phosphates naturels, la chaux et les engrais est
soulignée. Cet article met en évidence certains de ces efforts.
Language:
English
Date of publication:
2010
Country:
Region Focus:
East Africa
University/affiliation:
Collection:
RUFORUM Conferences and Workshops
Agris Subject Categories:
Agrovoc terms:
Additional keywords:
Licence conditions:
Open Access
Access restriction:
Form:
Printed resource
Publisher:
ISSN:
E_ISSN:
Edition:
Extent:
671-677
Notes:
