Ojuu, David ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9460-9910, Mkindi, Angela G., Meya, Akida I., Giliba, Richard A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1886-1311, Vanek, Steven ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0735-0623 and Belmain, Steven R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5590-7545 (2025) Farmers’ insights and practices on sustainable soil nutrient and pest management in semi-arid Eastern Africa. Sustainability, 17 (6):2478. ISSN 2071-1050 (doi:10.3390/su17062478)

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Abstract

The need to increase agricultural production for food, fiber, and feed for a growing population is a global call. Sub-Saharan Africa currently experiences declining soil fertility and increasing pest pressures affecting agricultural production. Soil fertility and pest management practices tend to vary greatly among smallholder farmers due to farm-based limitations, attitudes, and perceptions. Using focus group discussions and individual farmer interviews, we evaluated the socio-economic factors influencing the production and utilization of nutrient resources by smallholder farmers. We also assessed factors for pest prevalence and management by smallholder farmers. We observed that the major organic nutrient fertilizer resources used by farmers are farmyard manure and crop residue recycling. The production and utilization of organic nutrient fertilizer resources vary according to agroecological zone, influenced by livestock ownership, grazing management, and farmer organization; Farmer Research Network farmers show optimal use of nutrient resources compared to non-Farmer Research Network farmers. Pest problems varied across agroecologies and were influenced by field management gradients. We noted that FRN farmers used ecologically relevant pest management approaches more frequently than non-FRN farmers. Our findings on nutrient resources and pest management highlight context-specific issues to leverage to promote agroecological approaches for agricultural productivity and resilient semi-arid landscapes.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Agriculture.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	farmer research network, organic fertilizer resources, bioinoculant, pest management, agroecological transformation
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography Q Science > Q Science (General) S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Centre for Sustainable Agriculture 4 One Health Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Centre for Sustainable Agriculture 4 One Health > Behavioural Ecology
Last Modified:	17 Mar 2025 12:34
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/50055

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