Enhancing sustainable agri-food systems using multi-nutrient fertilizers in Kenyan smallholder farming systems
Persistent food insecurity in the global south has triggered calls for sustainable development worldwide. Moreover, more than a quarter of the world's population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies or hidden hunger. The population bulge, declining soil fertility and inadequate/inappropriate use...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Elsevier
2023
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| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/130790 |
| _version_ | 1855528665503236096 |
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| author | Adolwa, Ivan S. Mutegi, James Muthamia, Joses Gitonga, Angela Njoroge, Samuel M. Kiwia, Abednego Manoti, Dismas Mairura, Franklin S. Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh |
| author_browse | Adolwa, Ivan S. Gitonga, Angela Kiwia, Abednego Mairura, Franklin S. Manoti, Dismas Mutegi, James Muthamia, Joses Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh Njoroge, Samuel M. |
| author_facet | Adolwa, Ivan S. Mutegi, James Muthamia, Joses Gitonga, Angela Njoroge, Samuel M. Kiwia, Abednego Manoti, Dismas Mairura, Franklin S. Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh |
| author_sort | Adolwa, Ivan S. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Persistent food insecurity in the global south has triggered calls for sustainable development worldwide. Moreover, more than a quarter of the world's population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies or hidden hunger. The population bulge, declining soil fertility and inadequate/inappropriate use of farm inputs in Sub-Saharan Africa place it in a precarious position. Multi-nutrient fertilizer blends have been mooted as a key innovation in closing yield gaps and boosting food and nutrition security. This study assessed the extent of multi-nutrient fertilizer blends utilization and yield response across agroecological zones and their on-farm profitability under Kenyan smallholder farmer conditions. We collected data through a detailed household survey conducted in eight counties in Kenya representative of high, medium, and low productivity zones using a sample of 1094 smallholder farmers. Multi-nutrient fertilizers increased maize yields significantly (P < 0.05), eliciting a 400% yield increase compared to the control and 108% greater maize yield than conventional fertilizers in the high potential zone. Conversely, at 3.7 t/ha conventional fertilizers elicited a significant (P < 0.05) yield response in Irish potatoes in the high potential areas. Multi-nutrient fertilizers increased on-farm profitability of crops, specifically for potato production systems where a benefit: cost ratio (BCR) of more than 2 was observed. Farmers may break even when they use multi-nutrient fertilizers on maize particularly in the low potential areas. Therefore, there is considerable potential for multi-nutrient fertilizers to increase crop productivity while being economically viable across agroecological zones and cropping systems. However, the uptake of multi-nutrient fertilizers among farmers is quite low across the country, except for small pockets where limited interventions have been carried out. This calls for sustained efforts to scale multi-nutrient fertilizers with a focus on clear messaging that stresses the need to apply appropriate rates of various nutrients including the secondary nutrients and micro-nutrients. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace130790 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| publisherStr | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1307902025-11-11T18:52:25Z Enhancing sustainable agri-food systems using multi-nutrient fertilizers in Kenyan smallholder farming systems Adolwa, Ivan S. Mutegi, James Muthamia, Joses Gitonga, Angela Njoroge, Samuel M. Kiwia, Abednego Manoti, Dismas Mairura, Franklin S. Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh fertilizer combinations yield factors sustainability trace elements crop production food security yield response factor Persistent food insecurity in the global south has triggered calls for sustainable development worldwide. Moreover, more than a quarter of the world's population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies or hidden hunger. The population bulge, declining soil fertility and inadequate/inappropriate use of farm inputs in Sub-Saharan Africa place it in a precarious position. Multi-nutrient fertilizer blends have been mooted as a key innovation in closing yield gaps and boosting food and nutrition security. This study assessed the extent of multi-nutrient fertilizer blends utilization and yield response across agroecological zones and their on-farm profitability under Kenyan smallholder farmer conditions. We collected data through a detailed household survey conducted in eight counties in Kenya representative of high, medium, and low productivity zones using a sample of 1094 smallholder farmers. Multi-nutrient fertilizers increased maize yields significantly (P < 0.05), eliciting a 400% yield increase compared to the control and 108% greater maize yield than conventional fertilizers in the high potential zone. Conversely, at 3.7 t/ha conventional fertilizers elicited a significant (P < 0.05) yield response in Irish potatoes in the high potential areas. Multi-nutrient fertilizers increased on-farm profitability of crops, specifically for potato production systems where a benefit: cost ratio (BCR) of more than 2 was observed. Farmers may break even when they use multi-nutrient fertilizers on maize particularly in the low potential areas. Therefore, there is considerable potential for multi-nutrient fertilizers to increase crop productivity while being economically viable across agroecological zones and cropping systems. However, the uptake of multi-nutrient fertilizers among farmers is quite low across the country, except for small pockets where limited interventions have been carried out. This calls for sustained efforts to scale multi-nutrient fertilizers with a focus on clear messaging that stresses the need to apply appropriate rates of various nutrients including the secondary nutrients and micro-nutrients. 2023-04 2023-06-21T10:30:27Z 2023-06-21T10:30:27Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/130790 en Open Access application/pdf Elsevier Adolwa, I.S.; Mutegi, J.; Muthamia, J.; Gitonga, A.; Njoroge, S.; Kiwia, A.; Manoti, D.; Mairura, F.S.; Nchanji, E.B. (2023) Enhancing sustainable agri-food systems using multi-nutrient fertilizers in Kenyan smallholder farming systems. Heliyon 9(4): e15320. ISSN: 2405-8440 |
| spellingShingle | fertilizer combinations yield factors sustainability trace elements crop production food security yield response factor Adolwa, Ivan S. Mutegi, James Muthamia, Joses Gitonga, Angela Njoroge, Samuel M. Kiwia, Abednego Manoti, Dismas Mairura, Franklin S. Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh Enhancing sustainable agri-food systems using multi-nutrient fertilizers in Kenyan smallholder farming systems |
| title | Enhancing sustainable agri-food systems using multi-nutrient fertilizers in Kenyan smallholder farming systems |
| title_full | Enhancing sustainable agri-food systems using multi-nutrient fertilizers in Kenyan smallholder farming systems |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing sustainable agri-food systems using multi-nutrient fertilizers in Kenyan smallholder farming systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing sustainable agri-food systems using multi-nutrient fertilizers in Kenyan smallholder farming systems |
| title_short | Enhancing sustainable agri-food systems using multi-nutrient fertilizers in Kenyan smallholder farming systems |
| title_sort | enhancing sustainable agri food systems using multi nutrient fertilizers in kenyan smallholder farming systems |
| topic | fertilizer combinations yield factors sustainability trace elements crop production food security yield response factor |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/130790 |
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