Spatial analysis of soil fertility management using integrated household and GIS data from smallholder Kenyan farms

Although soil fertility is recognized as a primary constraint to agricultural production in developing countries, use of fertilizer in Sub-Saharan Africa is declining. Smallholder farmers still rely heavily on livestock manure for soil fertility management. To explore the determinants of soil fertil...

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Main Authors: Staal, Steven J., Romney, Dannie L., Baltenweck, Isabelle, Waithaka, M.M., Muriuki, H., Njoroge, L.
Format: Conference Paper
Language:Inglés
Published: International Livestock Research Institute 2003
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/989
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author Staal, Steven J.
Romney, Dannie L.
Baltenweck, Isabelle
Waithaka, M.M.
Muriuki, H.
Njoroge, L.
author_browse Baltenweck, Isabelle
Muriuki, H.
Njoroge, L.
Romney, Dannie L.
Staal, Steven J.
Waithaka, M.M.
author_facet Staal, Steven J.
Romney, Dannie L.
Baltenweck, Isabelle
Waithaka, M.M.
Muriuki, H.
Njoroge, L.
author_sort Staal, Steven J.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Although soil fertility is recognized as a primary constraint to agricultural production in developing countries, use of fertilizer in Sub-Saharan Africa is declining. Smallholder farmers still rely heavily on livestock manure for soil fertility management. To explore the determinants of soil fertility management practices, including both the use of cattle manure and inorganic fertilizer, data are used from a sample of 3,330 geo-referenced farm households across Central and Western Kenya. A bivariate probit model is applied to jointly examine the use of the two technologies. Particular attention is given to measures of location related to market access and agroclimate, which in the adoption literature have typically been addressed using crude proxies. To avoid such proxies, GIS-derived variables are integrated into the household decision model. Their use also allows the spatial prediction of uptake based on parameter estimates. The results show clearly the derived-demand nature of soil fertility services, based on markets for farm outputs. They also illustrate that supply of manure for soil fertility amendments is conditioned by demand for livestock products, especially milk. The integration of GIS-derived variables is shown to better estimate the effects of location than the usual measures employed, and offers scope to wider use in technology adoption research.
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spelling CGSpace9892023-02-15T10:21:14Z Spatial analysis of soil fertility management using integrated household and GIS data from smallholder Kenyan farms Staal, Steven J. Romney, Dannie L. Baltenweck, Isabelle Waithaka, M.M. Muriuki, H. Njoroge, L. soil management small farms geographical information systems Although soil fertility is recognized as a primary constraint to agricultural production in developing countries, use of fertilizer in Sub-Saharan Africa is declining. Smallholder farmers still rely heavily on livestock manure for soil fertility management. To explore the determinants of soil fertility management practices, including both the use of cattle manure and inorganic fertilizer, data are used from a sample of 3,330 geo-referenced farm households across Central and Western Kenya. A bivariate probit model is applied to jointly examine the use of the two technologies. Particular attention is given to measures of location related to market access and agroclimate, which in the adoption literature have typically been addressed using crude proxies. To avoid such proxies, GIS-derived variables are integrated into the household decision model. Their use also allows the spatial prediction of uptake based on parameter estimates. The results show clearly the derived-demand nature of soil fertility services, based on markets for farm outputs. They also illustrate that supply of manure for soil fertility amendments is conditioned by demand for livestock products, especially milk. The integration of GIS-derived variables is shown to better estimate the effects of location than the usual measures employed, and offers scope to wider use in technology adoption research. 2003-08-16 2010-03-30T17:08:12Z 2010-03-30T17:08:12Z Conference Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/989 en Open Access International Livestock Research Institute Staal, S.J.; Romney, D.; Baltenweck, I.; Waithaka, M.M.; Muriuki, H.; Njoroge, L. 2003. Spatial analysis of soil fertility management using integrated household and GIS data from smallholder Kenyan farms. Paper presented at the 25th conference of the International Association of Agricultural Economists, Durban, South Africa, 16-22 August 2003. Durban (South Africa): International Association of Agricultural Economists.
spellingShingle soil management
small farms
geographical information systems
Staal, Steven J.
Romney, Dannie L.
Baltenweck, Isabelle
Waithaka, M.M.
Muriuki, H.
Njoroge, L.
Spatial analysis of soil fertility management using integrated household and GIS data from smallholder Kenyan farms
title Spatial analysis of soil fertility management using integrated household and GIS data from smallholder Kenyan farms
title_full Spatial analysis of soil fertility management using integrated household and GIS data from smallholder Kenyan farms
title_fullStr Spatial analysis of soil fertility management using integrated household and GIS data from smallholder Kenyan farms
title_full_unstemmed Spatial analysis of soil fertility management using integrated household and GIS data from smallholder Kenyan farms
title_short Spatial analysis of soil fertility management using integrated household and GIS data from smallholder Kenyan farms
title_sort spatial analysis of soil fertility management using integrated household and gis data from smallholder kenyan farms
topic soil management
small farms
geographical information systems
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/989
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