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Integrated nutrient management for resource-poor farming systems: A case study of adaptive research and technology dissemination in Uganda

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

Charles S. Wortmann  and
Henry Ssali
Charles S. Wortmann*
Affiliation:
Soil Fertility Specialist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583;
Henry Ssali
Affiliation:
Senior Researcher, Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 7065, Kampala, Uganda.
*
Corresponding author is C.S. Wortmann (cwortmann2@unl.edu).
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Abstract

Resource-poor farmers often have diverse but small quantities of materials available that might be used to manage soil fertility. Opportunity costs of money are very high and farmers often opt to invest their scarce financial resources elsewhere rather than in fertilizer. This paper presents an approach to adaptive research and technology dissemination that was applied in Uganda and is applicable for improvement of integrated nutrient management (INM) in resource-poor farming systems. While little information may be available from research conducted in a particular agroecological zone (AEZ), information on INM components from diverse sources may be applicable for major crops in that AEZ. This information must be compiled and subjected to agronomic and economic analysis. A conceptual framework, e.g., in the form of a tentative decision guide, is then constructed, with consideration of interactions among nutrient sources, given the farmers' situations. Researchers estimate the most likely rates of application and substitution ratios, and then judge their confidence in the estimates. Priority actions are then identified for research and extension. When confident of their estimates, researchers formulate recommendations for promotion through extension means. If confidence is lacking, on-farm verification trials or other research may be needed. The approach is illustrated by work done for one AEZ in Uganda for maize and dry bean production, but is intended for application to other resource-poor farming systems in eastern Africa.

Keywords

agroecological zonesdry beansgreen manuresLantana camaramaizeopportunity costssoil fertility
Type
Articles
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 16 , Issue 4 , December 2001 , pp. 161 - 167
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

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