The challenge of Africa’s nitrogen drought: Some indicators from the Malawian experience

Years of continuous cultivation with little or no use of external inputs to restore soil nutrients has resulted in a situation in which crop production in a number of African countries is now limited by nutrient deficiencies – nitrogen, in particular, which is crucial to healthy plant growth. This w...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Carr, Stephen
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/150302
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author Carr, Stephen
author_browse Carr, Stephen
author_facet Carr, Stephen
author_sort Carr, Stephen
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Years of continuous cultivation with little or no use of external inputs to restore soil nutrients has resulted in a situation in which crop production in a number of African countries is now limited by nutrient deficiencies – nitrogen, in particular, which is crucial to healthy plant growth. This widespread problem has been described as a “nitrogen drought”. Attempts to remedy this situation using only organic inputs have largely failed to keep up with the rate of nutrient loss. This policy note uses Malawi as an example of a country facing these conditions and in which the level of household food production is largely determined by the availability of nitrogen in the soil.
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spelling CGSpace1503022025-11-06T06:12:13Z The challenge of Africa’s nitrogen drought: Some indicators from the Malawian experience Carr, Stephen fertilizers nitrogen soil fertility farm inputs subsidies land degradation Years of continuous cultivation with little or no use of external inputs to restore soil nutrients has resulted in a situation in which crop production in a number of African countries is now limited by nutrient deficiencies – nitrogen, in particular, which is crucial to healthy plant growth. This widespread problem has been described as a “nitrogen drought”. Attempts to remedy this situation using only organic inputs have largely failed to keep up with the rate of nutrient loss. This policy note uses Malawi as an example of a country facing these conditions and in which the level of household food production is largely determined by the availability of nitrogen in the soil. 2014 2024-08-01T02:51:21Z 2024-08-01T02:51:21Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/150302 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Carr, Stephen. 2014. The challenge of Africa’s nitrogen drought: Some indicators from the Malawian experience. MaSSP Policy Note 19. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/150302
spellingShingle fertilizers
nitrogen
soil fertility
farm inputs
subsidies
land degradation
Carr, Stephen
The challenge of Africa’s nitrogen drought: Some indicators from the Malawian experience
title The challenge of Africa’s nitrogen drought: Some indicators from the Malawian experience
title_full The challenge of Africa’s nitrogen drought: Some indicators from the Malawian experience
title_fullStr The challenge of Africa’s nitrogen drought: Some indicators from the Malawian experience
title_full_unstemmed The challenge of Africa’s nitrogen drought: Some indicators from the Malawian experience
title_short The challenge of Africa’s nitrogen drought: Some indicators from the Malawian experience
title_sort challenge of africa s nitrogen drought some indicators from the malawian experience
topic fertilizers
nitrogen
soil fertility
farm inputs
subsidies
land degradation
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/150302
work_keys_str_mv AT carrstephen thechallengeofafricasnitrogendroughtsomeindicatorsfromthemalawianexperience
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