Integrated Soil Fertility Management Prospects for Soil Productivity and Food Security in Machakos County
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Date
2022
Authors
Wamalwa, S. W.
Danga, B.
Kwena, K.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
EAAFJ
Abstract
Integrated soil fertility management is the most costeffective and time-efficient method of restoring soil
fertility and increasing per capita yields on Sub-Saharan
African smallholder farms. However, low acceptance has
resulted from a lack of knowledge about the prospects
of these strategies prior to promoting them. In 2016, the
Mwania watershed in Machakos, eastern Kenya, was
surveyed to fill this void. About 174 household heads
were chosen using the “farmer-led adoption approach
and a pretested structured questionnaire to obtain primary
data on their household gender, education level, food
security, cultivated land size, soil fertility practices, and
constraints to determine the potential use of integrated
soil fertility management practises at the watershed
level. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package
for Social Sciences Version 22 computer program for
descriptive attributes. Relationships between dependent
and independent variables were determined using the
tobit regression model. According to the findings, 85% of
households are headed by men, with over 82% being postprimary graduates, who are the main decision makers. The
majority (83%) cultivate 2 ha and 57% acknowledged
food insecurity, with 89.1%, 73.1%, and 45.1% blaming
it on climate variability, limited soil moisture, and a
lack of input access, respectively. Low fertility scored
40% at medium level with labour at 40% in low cluster
constraints, could be because of high unemployment
rates. Animal manure and chemical fertiliser use were
reported at 95.5% and 76.6%, respectively, although
they were using them separately, probably due to high
cost, increased labour requirements, and accessibility
problems resulting in continuous low yields. Therefore,
huge prospects of integrated soil fertility management
practices’ use exist in the Kenyan semi-arid, especially when promoted at community level.
Description
Article
Keywords
Adoption, potential, integrated soil fertility management requirements, tobit model, community level
Citation
Wamalwa, S. W., Danga, B., & Kwena, K. (2023). Integrated Soil Fertility Management Prospects for Soil Productivity and Food Security in Machakos County. East African Agricultural and Forestry Journal, 87(1 & 2), 8-8.