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- ItemAssessment of Soil Fertility Status and Integrated Soil Fertility Management in Ghana(2018-04-04) Andre Bationo; A. Kwaw; Joseph Opoku FeningThe total land area of Ghana is 23,853,900 ha of which 57.1% (13,628,179 ha) is suitable for agriculture but most of the soils are of low inherent fertility. The coarse nature of the soils has an impact on their physical properties and water stress is common during the growing season. Extensive areas of country’s land area particularly the Interior savannah zone have suffered from severe soil erosion and land degradation in various forms. The soil nutrient depletion rates in Ghana is projected as 35 kg N, 4 kg P and 20 kg K ha−1. The extent of nutrient depletion is widespread in all the agro-ecological zones with nitrogen and phosphorus being the most deficient nutrients. Nutrients removed from the soils by crop harvest have not been replaced through the use of corresponding amounts of plant nutrients in the form of organic and inorganic fertilizers. There is therefore a steady decline in crop yield levels and increased food production is presently due mostly to extension in the area under cultivation. Overall percentage increase in cultivated area between 2000 and 2008 is about 17.3% (SRID 2008). The average yields of most of the crops are 20–60% below their achievable yields, indicating that there is significant potential for improvement While Ghana has one of the highest soil nutrient depletion rates in SSA, it has one of the lowest rates of annual inorganic fertilizer application – only 8 kg per hectare. An increase in food security requires increased productivity strategies that will raise yields for most crops toward their achievable levels, mostly by the adoption of intensive and improved technologies, including the use of fertilizers, improved seeds and best management practices. While African policy makers and International donors recognize the urgency of raising fertilizer use by small holder farmers, for achieving both agricultural growth and poverty alleviation objectives, there is little consensus on the most appropriate policy and programmatic course of action. Most efforts to raise fertilizer use in SSA over the past decade have focused on fertilizer subsidies and targeted credit programmes with hopes that these programmes could later be withdrawn once the profitability of fertilizer use has been made clear to newly adopted farmers and once they have become sufficiently capitalized to be able to afford fertilizer with their own working capital. Relatively little emphasis has been given to improving the profitability of fertilizer use through understanding the most productive levels and combinations of nutrient input for various agro ecological areas, management practices and market options. Inorganic fertilizer does not improve agricultural productivity in isolation. Information on the fertility status and agricultural potential of the soils are also required. Complementary inputs such investment in soil and water conservation for efficient end optimal nutrient uptake is also important. Improved soil fertility management through increased levels of fertilizer use, increased use of available organic soil amendments, and improved farm management practices, together with the use of improved seed, can result in positive gains in farm productivity. This increase in productivity is demonstrated by the SAWA technology in rice production where yield on farmers’ fields increased from 1 ton/ha to 5 tons/ha (Buri et al. 2007). There is lack of information on the profitability of the different soil-crop-fertilizer combinations that could be employed in the different parts of the country. The lack of such information on crop-fertilizer profitability across the country means that farmers cannot tell how much they stand to gain or lose by applying a particular type of fertilizer on a particular crop. This increases their risk and creates a disincentive for use of fertilizer. Information about profitability levels can serve as an incentive for inorganic fertilizer use. Most simply, expected Value Cost Ratios (VCR) from fertilizer use can guide farmers’ decisions. Knowledge of soil characteristics and processes regulating nutrient availability and supply to crops is essential to raise productivity per unit of fertilizer nutrient applied. The recommendation of the African Fertilizer Summit (2006) to increase fertilizer use from 8 to 50 Kg/ha nutrients by 2015 reinforces the importance of fertilizer for increasing crop productivity and attaining food security and rural wellbeing in Ghana. The impact of this target will however vary depending upon the agronomic efficiency of applied fertilizer. This efficiency varies across ecological zones, farms and fields within farms and greatly affects the returns to the recommended 50 Kg/ha. The application of insufficient fertilizers and inappropriate nutrient conservation practices by farmers contribute to accelerating the rapid decline in soil fertility. The efficient uses of both inorganic and organic fertilizers, through Integrated Nutrient Management approach, will form an important element of a holistic approach for sustainably increasing crop production in Ghana
- ItemEconomic Efficiency of Sorghum Microfertilizing in Smallholder Farms in the North-Sudanian Zone of Burkina Faso(2018-04-04) Arahama Traoré; Badiori Ouattara; H. Sigué; François Lompo; Andre BationoThe mineral fertilizer microdosing (MD) technique was disseminated in the North-Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso for 3 years, using various extension tools. This study aimed to analyze the economic efficiency as well as farmers’ perception of the use of MD technique. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 60 demonstration plots conducted by innovative farmers and from 300 households, using an interview guide during the focus groups. The results of the demonstration trials showed that this innovation significantly increased (P˂0.05) sorghum productivity compared to farmer’s practice. It even tripled sorghum yields when combined with soil and water conservation (SWC) techniques, and the use of improved seed varieties. It also led to the efficient use of production capital with cost-benefit ratios ranging from 1.3 to 6.9 depending on the sorghum germplasm and its combined use with SWC techniques. Farmers acknowledged the positive effects of MD technique on their socio-economic well-being through higher incomes from sorghum production and improved food availability. These results challenged policy makers to trigger actions aiming at promoting large-scale adoption of MD technique for sustainable local development.
- ItemEffect of Hill Placement of Nutrients on Millet Productivity and Characteristics of Sahelian Soils of Niger: Analysis of Yield Trend After Three Years of Cropping(2018-04-04) Dougbedji Fatondji; Ramadjita Tabo; Tom C. Hash; Andre BationoReports from implementation of the low-input mineral fertilizer microdosing technology have shown up to 120% yield increase. However on the acidic Sahelian soils (pH 4–5 (H2O)) with low carbon content (0.2%), the question is whether applying such small dose would not lead to nutrient mining over years, which ICRISAT set three studies of 3 years each to address. Experiments 1 (2003) and 2 (2008) involved three planting densities, two pearl millet varieties and four fertility management options with removal of crop residue in experiment 1. Experiment 3 (2010) involved the combinations of 4 rates of organic and mineral fertilizers and 10 millet varieties. Both organic and mineral inputs were hill-applied. In all experiments nutrient hill placement resulted in total biomass increase in the second and third years compared to the control. After 3 years of cropping, yield decrease of −2307 kg.ha−1 was observed with the control in experiment 1 between years 1 and 3, while −1238 kg.ha−1 was observed with 6 g NPK per hill which was statistically significant. In experiment 3 yield decrease was −1516 kg.ha−1 with the control and −648 kg.ha−1 with 300 g per hill of organic manure. Soil pH decreased by 0.17 in NPK amended plots whereas it decreased by 0.29 in the others as observed in experiment 1. In all case, biomass decreased but in lower amplitude with organic manure addition.
- ItemImproving Agronomic Efficiency of Mineral Fertilizers through Microdose on Sorghum in the Sub-arid Zone of Burkina Faso(2018-04-04) Badiori Ouattara; B. B. Somda; Idriss Sermé; Arahama Traoré; Derek Peak; François Lompo; Sibiri Jean Baptiste Taonda; Michel P. Sedogo; Andre BationoMaintaining and/or improving soil fertility under conditions of climatic deterioration remains one of the major challenges facing small-scale farmers of the sub-Saharan regions in ensuring their food production. To address this issue, trials combining mineral fertilizer microdosing, MD (2g NPK/seed hole), soil and water conservation (SWC) techniques (zaï associated or not with stone lines or grass strips) were conducted for three years with sorghum (local and improved varieties) on two sites in the north Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso. The main objective of the study was to analyze the effects of the different technology packages tested on sorghum yields and soil chemical characteristics. The results showed that the use of MD technique enabled to double sorghum grain yields. This effect was further enhanced when combined with SWC techniques (45%). The use of the improved sorghum variety increased grain yields by approximately 11%, 70% and 85% when combined with SWC, MD and SWC + MD techniques respectively. Regarding the impact of these technologies on soil fertility, plots developed with SWC techniques showed increases in total organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents as well as in available phosphorus between 30% and 80%.
- ItemIntegrated Management of Soil Fertility and Land Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa: Involving Local Communities(2018) Vincent B. Bado; Andre BationoThe soils of sub-Saharan Africa are characterized by their poverty in nutrients along with low clay and organic carbon content and low exchange capacity. There is high pressure on land resources with the quick growth of population and demand for food. Maintaining the fertility of cultivated soils and land resources is a challenge. Since the paradigm of “external input” in the 1960s and 1970s, to the latest concept of integrated soil fertility management, most of the approaches remain crop oriented or livestock oriented with less attention to local communities (LC), which are at the heart of land resource management. This chapter suggests a new integrated and holistic approach involving LC for land resources management, including cultivated soils and rangelands. A global framework is proposed for development of management options of land resources with LC. It is a dynamic process of participative management of lands as providers of services for the entire community.
- ItemIntensity Cultivation Induced Effects on Soil Organic Carbon Dynamic in the Western Cotton Area of Burkina Faso(2006-10-13) Badiori Ouattara; Korodjouma Ouattara; Georges Serpantie; Abdoulaye Mando ; Michel P. Sedogo; Andre BationoThe soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamic is a key element of soil fertility in savannah ecosystems that form the key agricultural lands in sub-Saharan Africa. In the western part of Burkina Faso, the land use is mostly linked to cotton-based cropping systems. Use of mechanization, pesticides, and herbicides has induced modifications of the traditional shifting cultivation and increased the need for sustainable soil fertility management. The SOC dynamic was assessed based on a large typology of land cultivation intensity at Bondoukui. Thus, 102 farm plots were sampled at a soil depth of 0–15 cm, considering field–fallow successions, the cultivation phase duration, tillage intensity, and soil texture. Physical fractionation of SOC was carried out by separating the following particle size classes: 2,000–200, 200–50, 50–20, and 0–20 lm. The results exhibited an increase in SOC stock, and a lower depletion rate with increase in clay content. After a long-term fallow period, the land cultivation led to an annual loss of 31.5 g m–2 (2%) of its organic carbon during the first 20 years. The different fractions of SOC content were affected by this depletion depending on cultivation intensity. The coarse SOC fraction (2,000–200 lm) was the most depleted. The ploughing-in of organic matter (manure, crop residues) and the low frequency of the tillage system produced low soil carbon loss compared with annual ploughing. Human-induced disturbances (wildfire, overgrazing, fuel wood collection, decreasing fallow duration, increasing crop duration) in savannah land did not permit the SOC levels to reach those of the shifting cultivation system.
- ItemRole of Local Agro-minerals in Mineral Fertilizer Recommandations for Crops: Examples of Some West Africa Phosphate Rocks(2018-04-04) François Lompo; Andre Bationo; Michel P. Sedogo; Vincent B. Bado; Victor Hien; Badiori OuattaraOne of the major constraints to enhanced crop productivity in West Africa is low soil fertility and particularly soil deficiency in available phosphorus (P). When P is limiting, crop production is greatly compromised even though the other nutrients are available in large amounts. The use of soluble P fertilizers is hampered by the cost of the P fertilizers commercially available, too high for resource-poor farmers. Therefore, exploitation of the locally available phosphate rock (PR) deposits represents an alternative for soil P supply to ensure mineral plant nutrition. The effectiveness of a particular PR depends mainly on its chemical and mineralogical composition, and to some extent on environmental conditions, crop type and management practices. This communication highlights some results of the research works that have been carried out in the region to enhance the direct use of PR in agriculture and how theses PR can be integrated in fertilizer recommendations for crops. Direct application of phosphate rocks may be an economical alternative to the use of the more expensive imported water-soluble P fertilizers for certain crops and soils.
- ItemSocio-economic Determinants and Trends on Fertilizer Use in West Africa(2018-04-04) Amatevi Raoul Klutse; Andre Bationo; Abdoulaye MandoA large number of people in Africa continue to grapple with food and nutrition insecurity largely due to insufficient food availability, inadequate incomes coupled with high rates of unemployment, risk and vulnerability as well as inadequate access to basic services. The situation has been exacerbated by emerging global socio-economic trends, population increase, land degradation, climate change and an undeveloped agricultural sector among many other causes (Bationo and Egulu, Status of implementation of Abuja declaration, 2013). It is estimated that Africa’s 226.4 million people are chronically hungry (FAO 2012). Food security has been threatened in African countries since the past decades due to the decrease in soil fertility, poor use of improved technology and low investment in agriculture. These had impacted negatively on crop yields, overall agricultural production and development of African countries. The situation has been a concern to African leaders who converged to the Africa Fertilizer Summit of Abuja in 2006 to discuss and prescribe some solutions to remedy the issues. At this meeting, it was noted that Africa has the lowest rate of fertilizer application. The continent has a fertilizer application rate of about 8 kilograms per hectare, which is far below the global average of 50 kilograms per hectare. A 12-point resolution was therefore developed at the end of the summit that was aimed at achieving the global average of fertilizer use by 2015. The resolution, which was known as the Abuja Declaration on Fertilizer for an African Green Revolution spells out measures and actions that must be taken to accelerate the accessibility, availability and affordability of fertilizers in the region. On the production side, the average annual increase of cereal yield in Africa is about 10 kg ha−1, corresponding to extensive agriculture neglecting external inputs like improved seeds and plant nutrients (Bationo et al. 2004). Due to a high population growth rate (3%) compared to cereal grain yield (<1%) (Gruhn et al. 2000), cereal production per capita has decreased from 150 kg/person to 130 kg/person over the last 35 years, whereas Asia and Latin America realized per capita food increase from 200 kg/person to 250 kg/ person during the same period. Although some effort are underway to improve agricultural productivity in West Africa through the increased use of improved inputs including fertilizers, it is important to notice that food insecurity is still threatening many African countries. Some scientists support that the increase in yields of the food crops has been largely due to land expansion rather than crop productivity improvement potential. There is ample evidence that increased use of inorganic fertilizers has been responsible for an important share of world-wide agricultural productivity growth. Efficient fertilizer use can stimulate production growth, improve food and nutrition security and reduce poverty through income growth for farmers and lower food costs for consumers. Nevertheless production increase in Africa is mainly attributed to area increase than productivity increase (Table 14.1). Fertilizer was as important as seed in the Green Revolution contributing as much as 50% of the yield growth in Asia (Wigg and Hopper 1993). Several studies have found that one third of the cereal production worldwide is due to the use of fertilizer and related factors of production (Bumb 1995, citing FAO and Van Keulen and Breman 1990). A diagnosis analysis of fertilizer demand in West Africa showed some level of improvement since the Abuja Summit and more specifically after the food crisis of 2008. For instance, fertilizer consumption in the 15 ECOWAS countries was 1,020,000 tons with an average rate of 9 kg/ha in 2006, while it was estimated in the 8 WAEMU countries plus Chad at 1,025,000 tons with an average rate of 15 kg/ha in 2012 (Mando 2013). On 30 June–1 July 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization in collaboration with the African Union Commission, and the Institute Lula convened a high level meeting in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. The meeting put together African and International Leaders to deliberate and endorse a radical approach to end hunger in Africa by 2025 building on renewed partnerships within the CAADP Framework. The present paper is an attempt to analyze the socio economic determinants of fertilizer use in West Africa since the declaration of Abuja. It will also point out progress made and their impact on agricultural outputs and people livelihood in West Africa. It will be based on recent studies conducted on fertilizer and agricultural outputs in Africa. Some indicators like fertilizer use rate and consumption, economic return of fertilizer use, effect of fertilizer use on natural resources and livelihood, and new trends in fertilizer use will be developed to show progress achieved since the Abuja Summit.
- ItemSoil and Fertilizers: Improving Soil Fertility through Fertilizer Management in Sub Saharan Africa(2020) Andre Bationo; Upendra Singh; Ekwe L. Dossa ; Wendt John; Sampson Agyin-Birikorang ; François Lompo; Bindraban, Prem S.Attainment of food security remains one of the biggest challenges facing sub Saharan Africa. The continent continues to experience low production as a result of the low and declining soil fertility and land degradation, which have been compounded by unfavorable climatic conditions. Since the 1960s, there have been effort to transform the agricultural sector through promotion of diverse approaches of soil nutrient management. Research has demonstrated the potential and importance of fertilizers to boost food production. Unfortunately, fertilizer use in sub-Saharan Africa is only about one tenth of the world average. There is significant scope for improving productivity through judicious use of fertilizers. The objective of this chapter is to contribute to the debate on the role of fertilizer in improving food production in sub Saharan Africa. The chapter discusses the changes in paradigm in soil fertility management in Africa, the productivity of soils in the continent and the key soil fertility management technologies susceptible of reversing the low food productivity that characterizes smallholder farming systems in Africa. The chapter concludes by presenting new research opportunities for improving soil fertility and boosting food production through sound fertilizer management, and by calling for the need for transformation of the fertilizer sector.
- ItemSoil Organic Carbon and Proper Fertilizer Recommendation(2018-04-04) Andre Bationo; Joseph Opoku FeningSoil carbon in the form of organic matter is a key component of the soil ecosystem structure. In most parts of West Africa agro-ecosystems (except the forest zone), the soils are inherently low in SOC content due to low organic matter additions, and accelerated degradation. The rapid turnover rates of organic material is as a result of high soil temperatures and fauna activity particularly termites. The SOC levels rapidly decline with continuous cultivation. For the sandy soils, average annual losses may be as high as 4.7% whereas with sandy loam soils, losses are lower, with an average of 2.0%. To maintain food production for a rapidly growing population, application of mineral fertilizers and the effective recycling of organic amendments such as crop residues and manures are essential especially in the smallholder farming systems that rely predominantly on organic residues to maintain soil fertility. The efficiency of fertilizer use is likely to be high where the organic matter content of the soil is also high. In unhealthy or depleted soils, crops use fertilizer supplied nutrients inefficiently. Where soils are highly degraded, crops hardly respond to fertilizer applications. When SOM levels are restored, fertilizer can help maintain the revolving fund of nutrients in the soil by increasing crop yields and, consequently, the amount of residues returned to the soil. Crop yields can be increased by 20–70 kg ha−1 for wheat, 10–50 kg ha−1 for rice, and 30–300 kg ha−1 for maize with every 1 Mg ha−1 increase in soil organic carbon pool in the root zone. There is need to increase crop biomass at farm level and future research should therefore focus on improvement of nutrient use efficiency in order to increase crop biomass.