Abstract Global trends nowadays towards long term sustainable crop production is hinged on either supplementing the use of chemical fertilizers with organic materials or a complete use of organic materials. This is more so since substituting chemical fertilizers with organic materials reduces the risks of exposure to ailments that arise on account of synthetic compounds and increases farmers’ gains via reduced soil erosion and carbon emissions and increased bio-diversity. The current study ...
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 Organic manure supply to soil with inorganic or on its own is good soil management practice improving crop quality and overall soil fertility. Increasing water demand on many sectors and evident reduction of water allocated to agriculture is of importance prompting exploration of the more efficient water use techniques to maximise production. Local small holder communal farmers are faced by challenges of lack of access to inorganic fertilizers due to economic constrain and lack of ca...
A BST RA CT Green house experiment was conducted to study the effects of organic manure, lime and inorganic fertilizer on the nodulation and growth of Soybean (Glycine max(L) merrill) on an acid ultisol in southeastern Nigeria. The organic manure was poultry manure, the lime was commercial lime and the inorganic fertilizer was NPK(15 : 15: 15). There were 7 treatments and a control. The treatments were 100kg/ha inorganic fertilizer (NPK 15: 15: 15)(F1 );200kglhainorganicfertilizcr(NPK 1...
ABSTRACT An experiment was carried out for two seasons in Kiambu County to investigate the influence of organic and inorganic fertilizer on growth, anti-nutrients characteristics in amaranth species and the changes in the soil rhizosphere. This is because continuous usage of inorganic fertilizer affects soil structure. Hence, organic manures can serve as alternative to mineral fertilizers. Application of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers had adverse effects on nutrient leaching, pesticide...
Increasing inorganic fertilizer costs for food production and energy requirement for inorganic fertilizer production suggests the need to supplement the nutrient requirement of crops through organic amendments such as crop residues, manures and composts. Combined use of organic and inorganic fertilizers can improve rice productivity and sustain soil health and fertility. A pot experiment was conducted to compare the effects of N source as compost (organic), inorganic fertilizer (inorganic) or...
Abstract Phosphorus does occur both in organic and inorganic forms, and a*, relatively large amount is present in organic foraf* Relatively little work has been done on organic phosphorus in Ghanaian soils. Some research workers notably Schollemberger (1920), Dean (1938) and a number of others have found that soils high in organic matte* are also high: in organic phosphorus. Bye and Bertheux (1957) working on Ghanaian soils observed considerably more organic phosphorus in forest soils than in...
ABSTRACT Human activities (including agriculture) contribute to enhance release of primary greenhouse gases (GHGs) (CH4, CO2, N2O) into the atmosphere leading to global warming. Sugarcane is an important economic crop in Kenya being third highest contributor to gross domestic product (GDP) after tea and coffee. About 90% of Kenya‘s production is contributed by smallholders. To improve/maximize sugarcane yields, farmers convert natural vegetation to sugarcane farms; apply nitrogen fertilizer...
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 Crop production has continued to decline in sub-Saharan Africa due to soil infertility and increased cost of farm inputs. To enhance food security, farmers have adopted the use of both inorganic and organic fertilizers on their farms. The production and use of inorganic chemical fertilizers are not only expensive for family farming systems but also contribute significantly to environmental pollution. Biological nitrogen fixation using rhizobia has proven to be a cost-effective and en...
ABSTRACT The study was designed to compare productivity and efficiency of Low External Input Technology and High External Input Technology Farms in Imo State. Specifically, it aimed at comparing the socio- economic characteristics of the two groups of farmers as well as their productivities, ascertain the factors influencing aggregate and individual resource productivities, determine production efficiency and returns to scale in the two farm types. The study was conducted in Imo State, Nige...
ABSTRACT Traditional farming embraces the use of local tools like hoes, jembes, sticks and indigenous farming technology for a wide range of farm operations from land preparation to planting, harvesting, storage and selling the surplus harvests while the impacts of traditional farming include soil degradation, soil erosion and others. This study was therefore to assess the degree of traditional farming and its impacts on soil degradation in Kasemeni division in Kwale County, Kenya. The study ...
ABSTRACT Sugarcane farming systems can adversely affect soil properties especially total soil organic carbon stocks (TSOCst) and fractions. This study was carried out in Western Kenya sugar zones to assess impacts of tillage systems (Tractor and Oxen ploughing), and plantation ages (continuous mono-cropping system, more than 20 years, 11 ̶ 20 years, 0 ̶ 10 years) on TSOCst and fractions (particulate soil organic carbon, POC, and the mineral associated soil organic carbon, MOC) in three diff...
Wastewater is made up largely of organic carbon, either in solution or as particulate matter. About 60% is in particulate form, consisting of proteins, amino acids, peptides, carbohydrate, fats and fatty acids. Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) prevent potential waterborne disease outbreak. This is achieved by the active use of mechanical process and biological process of the treatment plant to treat and convert wastewater into clear effluent that meets specific standard. The effluent water...
EXTENDED ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to (i) determine the social networks of the main actors in the organic food value chain in the tourism sector (ii) determine governance in the value chain of organic tomatoes and sweet peppers for the tourism sector in Arusha and Unguja and (iii) to evaluate production and transaction costs of actors in the organic tomatoes and sweet peppers value chain in Arusha and Unguja. The study was conducted in Arusha and Unguja. A preliminary survey...