Soil fertility management in communal areas of Zimbabwe: current practices, constraints, and opportunities for change
1997
Ahmed, M.M. | Rohrbach, D.D. (ICRISAT, Matopos Research Statiton, P.O. Box 776, Bulawayo (Zimbabwe)) | Gon, L.T. (Department of Research and Specialist Services, P.O. Box CY 550 Causeway, Harare (Zimbabwe))
A diagnostic survey was conducted in July 1995 to asses the fertility management strategies used by small-scale farmers in three communal farming areas in Zimbabwe - Lupane, Tsholotsho, and Kezi. Results from this preliminary assessment indicate that fertility management practices are inadequate for sustainable food production in these areas. Few farmers use fertilizer even when it is provided free under drought relief programs. They depend mainly on manure to maintain fertility. However manure application appear limited in terms of both quantity and quality and manure availability is declining. Chemical fertilizer will almost assuredly have to be part of the solution to the continuing food insecurity and poverty problems of semi-arid agriculture in Zimbabwe. However both economic and knowledge constraints limit fertilizer use; the latter is probably more important. Farmers perceive fertilizers to be risky in an environment of low and uncertain rainfall, and lack sufficient experience to judge the costs and benefits from various alternative fertility management strategies. Farmers commonly cite financial constraints to fertilizer purchases. High cost and nonavailability of chemical fertilizer at village retail stores further constraints fertilizer use. Research on the development of new fertility management technologies for semi-subsistence production environments must take explicit account of key constraints - low and variable rainfall, extreme poverty, and risk aversion. Use of a systems analysis approach would help researchers simulate farmers' field situations, test a variety of technology options, and identify technologies for further on-farm testing.
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