On-farm evaluation and scaling-up of soil fertility management technologies in Western Kenya

Low soil fertility is a fundamental constraint to crop production in western Kenya. Although researchers have developed many soil fertility-improving technologies, the adoption of these technologies is low due to inadequate awareness of the technologies, poor access to requisite resources and unsuit...

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Main Authors: Odendo, M, Ojiem, J, Bationo, B. André, Mudeheri, MA
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer 2007
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/43910
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author Odendo, M
Ojiem, J
Bationo, B. André
Mudeheri, MA
author_browse Bationo, B. André
Mudeheri, MA
Odendo, M
Ojiem, J
author_facet Odendo, M
Ojiem, J
Bationo, B. André
Mudeheri, MA
author_sort Odendo, M
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Low soil fertility is a fundamental constraint to crop production in western Kenya. Although researchers have developed many soil fertility-improving technologies, the adoption of these technologies is low due to inadequate awareness of the technologies, poor access to requisite resources and unsuitability of the technologies to the farmers conditions. On-farm experiments were conducted during the 2002/2003 long rain cropping seasons in two village clusters in Vihiga and Kakamega Districts in order to: (1) introduce farmers to selected soil fertility-improving options and elicit farmers evaluation of the options; (2) assess the economics of the selected soil fertility management options under standard farming conditions; (3) compare the farmers evaluations with the results of an economic assessment. Five treatments were suggested to the farmers and through consensus, they ultimately chose to test three: (1) 5 tons ha?1 FYM (Farm Yard Manure); (2) 60 kg P ha?1 plus 60 kg N ha?1 (chemical fertilizers); (3) 2.5 tons ha?1 FYM plus 30 kg P ha?1 (chemical fertilizers). These were assessed concurrently with farmers accepted practice, using maize as a test crop. Farmers were involved in the routine management, monitoring and evaluation of the experiments, and field days were held to introduce more farmers to the technologies. The results of this investigation show that the application of 30 kg P plus 2.5 tons FYM ha?1 gave economically viable returns that remained viable even under a projected decline in maize yield and an increase in the price of fertilizers. This treatment was also the most preferred option of the farmers. The results of this study should be used for validation of the promising options and planning of future experiments.
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spelling CGSpace439102024-08-27T10:34:39Z On-farm evaluation and scaling-up of soil fertility management technologies in Western Kenya Odendo, M Ojiem, J Bationo, B. André Mudeheri, MA maize soil fertility farmers participaton evaluation economic analysis maíz fertilidad del suelo participación de agricultores evaluación análisis económico Low soil fertility is a fundamental constraint to crop production in western Kenya. Although researchers have developed many soil fertility-improving technologies, the adoption of these technologies is low due to inadequate awareness of the technologies, poor access to requisite resources and unsuitability of the technologies to the farmers conditions. On-farm experiments were conducted during the 2002/2003 long rain cropping seasons in two village clusters in Vihiga and Kakamega Districts in order to: (1) introduce farmers to selected soil fertility-improving options and elicit farmers evaluation of the options; (2) assess the economics of the selected soil fertility management options under standard farming conditions; (3) compare the farmers evaluations with the results of an economic assessment. Five treatments were suggested to the farmers and through consensus, they ultimately chose to test three: (1) 5 tons ha?1 FYM (Farm Yard Manure); (2) 60 kg P ha?1 plus 60 kg N ha?1 (chemical fertilizers); (3) 2.5 tons ha?1 FYM plus 30 kg P ha?1 (chemical fertilizers). These were assessed concurrently with farmers accepted practice, using maize as a test crop. Farmers were involved in the routine management, monitoring and evaluation of the experiments, and field days were held to introduce more farmers to the technologies. The results of this investigation show that the application of 30 kg P plus 2.5 tons FYM ha?1 gave economically viable returns that remained viable even under a projected decline in maize yield and an increase in the price of fertilizers. This treatment was also the most preferred option of the farmers. The results of this study should be used for validation of the promising options and planning of future experiments. 2007-02-20 2014-10-02T08:32:56Z 2014-10-02T08:32:56Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/43910 en Limited Access Springer
spellingShingle maize
soil fertility
farmers participaton
evaluation
economic analysis
maíz
fertilidad del suelo
participación de agricultores
evaluación
análisis económico
Odendo, M
Ojiem, J
Bationo, B. André
Mudeheri, MA
On-farm evaluation and scaling-up of soil fertility management technologies in Western Kenya
title On-farm evaluation and scaling-up of soil fertility management technologies in Western Kenya
title_full On-farm evaluation and scaling-up of soil fertility management technologies in Western Kenya
title_fullStr On-farm evaluation and scaling-up of soil fertility management technologies in Western Kenya
title_full_unstemmed On-farm evaluation and scaling-up of soil fertility management technologies in Western Kenya
title_short On-farm evaluation and scaling-up of soil fertility management technologies in Western Kenya
title_sort on farm evaluation and scaling up of soil fertility management technologies in western kenya
topic maize
soil fertility
farmers participaton
evaluation
economic analysis
maíz
fertilidad del suelo
participación de agricultores
evaluación
análisis económico
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/43910
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