A fourth principle is required to define conservation agriculture in subSaharan Africa: the appropriate use of fertilizer to enhance crop productivity

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cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and advanced research instituteen
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Institute of Tropical Agricultureen
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Fertilizer Development Centeren
cg.contributor.affiliationWageningen University & Researchen
cg.contributor.affiliationCentre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique Pour le Développementen
cg.contributor.affiliationEmpresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuáriaen
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Maize and Wheat Improvement Centeren
cg.contributor.affiliationFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nationsen
cg.coverage.countryKenyaen
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2KEen
cg.coverage.regionSub-Saharan Africaen
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africaen
cg.creator.identifierKen E Giller: 0000-0002-5998-4652en
cg.howPublishedFormally Publisheden
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2013.10.002en
cg.isijournalISI Journalen
cg.issn0378-4290en
cg.journalField Crops Researchen
cg.reviewStatusPeer Reviewen
cg.subject.iitaSOIL FERTILITYen
cg.volume155en
dc.contributor.authorVanlauwe, Bernarden
dc.contributor.authorWendt, J.en
dc.contributor.authorGiller, Kenneth E.en
dc.contributor.authorCorbeels, Marcen
dc.contributor.authorGerard, Bruno G.en
dc.contributor.authorNolte, C.en
dc.date.accessioned2016-07-11T08:41:39Zen
dc.date.available2016-07-11T08:41:39Zen
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/76063
dc.titleA fourth principle is required to define conservation agriculture in subSaharan Africa: the appropriate use of fertilizer to enhance crop productivityen
dcterms.abstractIntensification of agricultural systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is considered a pre-condition for alleviation of rural poverty. Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been promoted to achieve this goal, based on three principles: minimum tillage, soil surface cover, and diversified crop rotations. CA originated in regions where fertilizer is commonly used and crop productivity is high, ensuring an abundance of crop residues. By contrast, crop yields are generally low in SSA and organic residues in short supply and farmers face competing demands for their use. Since minimal tillage without mulch commonly results in depressed yields, the use of fertilizer to enhance crop productivity and organic residue availability is essential for smallholder farmers to engage in CA. This is especially true since alternative ways to increase organic matter availability have largely failed. A case study from Kenya clearly demonstrates how fertilizer increases maize stover productivity above thresholds for minimal initial soil cover required for initiating CA (about 3 tonne ha?1). We conclude that strategies for using CA in SSA must integrate a fourth principle – the appropriate use of fertilizer – to increase the likelihood of benefits for smallholder farmers.en
dcterms.accessRightsLimited Accessen
dcterms.bibliographicCitationVanlauwe, B., Wendt, J., Giller, K., Corbeels, M., Gerard, B. & Nolte, C. (2014). A fourth principle is required to define conservation agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa: the appropriate use of fertilizer to enhance crop productivity. Field Crops Research, 155, 10-13.en
dcterms.extentp. 10-13en
dcterms.issued2014-01en
dcterms.languageenen
dcterms.licenseCopyrighted; all rights reserveden
dcterms.publisherElsevieren
dcterms.subjectmulchen
dcterms.subjectsoil fertilityen
dcterms.subjectsmallholdersen
dcterms.subjectfarmersen
dcterms.typeJournal Articleen

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