Extension and transfer of vetiver technology to small scale farmers in Zambia
1996
Mulenga, N.C. | Shula, R.K.(Department of Agriculture Soil conservation section (Zambia))
Southern Africa is degrading and human poverty is the order of the day, desertification is advancing. Human population is increasing at an increasing rate while the productivity of the land is declining at an equally alarming rate. Climatic variations and human activities are the primary causes of desertification. Desertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas. This description encompasses the three agro-ecological regions of Zambia. The need to practice conservation farming is felt more than ever before. In the quest for sustainable farming practices Zambia introduced vetiver grass, a miracle grass. In Zambia the small scale farmers constitute 90 percent of all the farmers and cultivate 80 percent of all land under cultivation. They produce more than 60 percent of the national staple food, Maize. Soil and water conservation in Zambia started in the 1930 and identified with physical soil conservation structures, vetiver grass at this time was being used in the production of cosmetic oils. The country wide popularisation campaign for the use of vetiver for improved land management started in 1993. Planting material was acquired by the department of agriculture for multiplication and later distribution to the small farmers.
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