Abstract In Kenya, there are more than 200,000 farmers who have been trained on organic farming technologies and systems. Currently certified land under organic management in Kenya stands at 104,211 ha while the organic sub sector employs 12,647 farmers who are directly involved in production of different organic products. Although there are many documented reasons that make farmers to adopt organic farming system, economic benefits present one of the major motivations. These benefits howeve...
ABSTRACT Plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) are biotic constraints to crop production worldwide resulting in significant yield losses. Management of these nematodes has primarily depended on chemical nematicides; but due to the increased pressure for more economic and environmentally friendly strategies, alternative methods like organic and conventional amendments, have been considered. To test the efficacy of conventional and farmer practice systems against organic farming in the suppression of...
Abstract In Kenya, there are more than 200,000 farmers who have been trained on organic farming technologies and systems. Currently certified land under organic management in Kenya stands at 104,211 ha while the organic sub sector employs 12,647 farmers who are directly involved in production of different organic products. Although there are many documented reasons that make farmers to adopt organic farming system, economic benefits present one of the major motivations. These benefits however...
ABSTRACT In recent years, organic agriculture has been gaining considerable importance. Many farmers today show interest all over the world in organic farming. Several of them have begun switching to this traditional method of cultivation as a means to produce safe foodstuffs and preserve the environment. The concept of organic farming is not new, but it has been scantly studied. An organic spice farming is a part of the organic farming which requires to be studied widely. Spice production i...
ABSTRACT Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is among the most important export crops in Tanzania, contributing directly to peoples‘ livelihood and economic development. Cotton is grown under both conventional and organic farming systems and both farming systems are characterised by low cotton yield. Low fertilizer input use and low fertility contributes to such low yields. A quick solution to address the low cotton yield seems to be enhanced use of fertilizer and pesticide, which is also challe...
ABSTRACT Microbial diversity and function in agro-ecosystems is influenced by various aspects linked to soil and agronomic practices for example, tillage, irrigation, crop rotation and application of organic and inorganic inputs. Farming systems practices may affect the dynamic interactions existing between soil, plant and microorganisms in different agricultural biomes. Due to limitations associated with conventional microbial cultivation strategies, only a fractional number of cultivable sp...
ABSTRACT Agriculture forms the backbone of most African economies and as such it is subject to experimentation in a bid to improve it and gain more from it. The agricultural trajectory has an element of universalism despite its settings and this normally proves consequential to the developing countries as some of the elements that make up its trajectory are not supported by other underlying reasons. It is the element of agricultural universalism that had most African countries adopt the Green...
ABSTRACT This work was designed to determine the ways of enhancing food production through organic agriculture among farmers. Five research questions and five null hypotheses guided the study. A survey research design was adopted for the study.The study was carried out in northern zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. The population for the study was 230 comprising 205 registered crop farmers and 25 Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) extension agents from Ogoja Agricultural Zone respecti...
ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to determine the difference in flora diversity in two farming systems and how the diversity contributes to sustainable livelihoods of cocoa farmers in an era of changing climate in Atwima Mponua District of Ghana. Sixteen organic and sixteen conventional cocoa farms were selected in Gyereso and Pasoro in the district. In each farm, flora were sampled to include three life forms viz., trees, shrubs and herbs. Households were also interviewed with a structured ...
Abstract Agricultural mechanization embraces the use of tools, implements, and machines for a wide range of farm operations from land preparation to planting, harvesting, omfarm processing, storage, and marketing of products while soil degradation is defined as the process which lowersthe current and/or the potential capability of soil. This study was therefore to assess the degree of mechanized agriculture and its role in soil degradation in Moiben division in Uasin Gishu district, Rift Va...
ABSTRACT The research on “The Forms and Effects of Soil Degradation on Agricultural Land” was calTied out in Bor town Jonglei State, south Sudan. The major areas of the investigation were discussed to known the causes of soil degradation and adverse impacts on farming land and what solutions to be put in place to minimize the occurrence of soil degradation. Methods like photography, interviews, questionnaires, and observation were used for effective and efficient data collection. At the p...
ABSTRACT The broad objective of this study was to analyse sustainable agricultural resource use in Nigeria using the Ecological Footprint Approach. The specific objectives included to; estimate the global emergy and emergy density, determine the ecological footprint per capita, analyse the per capita bio-capacity, and ascertain the level of agricultural resource use, sustainability status and resource substitution in Nigeria. The total land area, population and thematic data of the country w...
ABSTRACT The environmental degradation of areas surrounding Lake Elementaita arise from the livelihood activities of the residents. Uncontrolled extraction of resources such as trees, grass and soda/salt contrasts with conservation. This is further compounded by the free access to the resources as a result of absentee landlords. This situation leads to lack of control and management of resources thus exacerbating degradation activities around the Lake and its riparian ecosystem. This study fo...
ABSTRACT Climate change has negative implications on small scale farmers in Zhombe Communal area as evidenced by the failure of agricultural production and poor rural living standards. The farmers within the area have adopted different improvisation strategies as a way of adapting to the climatic changes. The strategies include plant staggering, stream bank cultivation, irrigation farming, organic farming, conservation farming, harnessing IKS, and growing of small grain drought resistant crop...
Abstract This study assesses the sustainability of locally initiated community gardens as an adaptation strategy against climate change-induced food insecurity in Chikato ward 7 of Shurugwi district. Triangulation approach was employed in this study in which both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data. Qualitative techniques included open-ended questionnaires, interviews, observations, focus group discussions and secondary data. Quantitative techniques comprised of clo...