Low Cost Soil Fertility Management Strategies for Improving Maize Production in the Central Highlands of Kenya
Loading...
Date
2003
Authors
Micheni, A.
Mugendi, D.N.
Mucheru, M.
Mugwe, J.
Kung'u, J.B.
Otor, S.C.J.
Murithi, F.
Gitari, J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Soil Science Society of East Africa
Abstract
Continuous decline in soil productivity is a major constraint to the improvement of livelihoods of
Smallholder farmers of Kenya. In highlands, levels of soil nitrogen, phosphorus and sometimes
Potassium are low and the situation is worsened by the methods of cultivation that results in
nutrient mining rather than nutrient build up. Low soil fertility contributes to one of the greatest
challenges currently facing Kenya; inadequate food production for the rapidly growing
population. There is a need to seek for environmentally friendly and economically viable
technologies to assist in soil fertility improvement and hence high and sustainable crop yields. To this end, a multidisciplinary research team of scientist and farmers implemented a participatory trial in Meru South district, one of the main maize growing areas of central Kenya. The trial was farmer-researcher managed with a general objective of offering small scale resource poor farmers with feasible soil nutrient management techniques for combating soil nutrient depletion caused by continuous cropping without adequate additions of external soil fertility inputs. Preliminary results indicate that maize performance may be improved by combining fast decomposing plant biomass(e.g. Tithonia diversifolia) with half the recommended rate of nitrogen fertilizer.
Description
This paper was presented at the 18th conference and end of millennium celebration of the Soil Science of East Africa (SSSEA) on 'Sustainable use of land resources to alleviate poverty in the new millennium' 4th – 8th December, 2000 held at Mombasa, Kenya
Keywords
Low cost soil fertility management strategies
Citation
18th conference and end of millennium celebration of the Soil Science of East Africa (SSSEA) 4th – 8th December, 2000