Bautze, David and Dietemann, Lauren (2022) Ecological approach to soil fertility and health in the Tropics. FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland.
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PDF
- Published Version
- English
(Factsheet)
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. 2MB |
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PDF
- Published Version
- English
(Poster)
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. 1MB |
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Microsoft PowerPoint
- Published Version
- English
(PowerPoint)
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. 114MB |
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Video (MPEG)
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- English
140B |
Summary in the original language of the document
This factsheet introduces soil fertility and health, explains how the holistic organic farming approach improves soil fertility, provides some practices which contribute to improving soil health and help meet the nutrient requirement of crops, animals and humans. The information is based on long-term experiments and on-farm research conducted in the scope of three projects across different countries in Africa, as well as Bolivia and India. Further products in the series, e.g., posters, videos and more, are linked in the ‘Further information’ section on the last page of this factsheet.
| EPrint Type: | Teaching resource |
|---|---|
| What problem does the tool address?: | Under current prevalent agricultural management, soil is being rapidly degraded due to erosion, fertility depletion and climate variability - posing serious threats to sustainable crop production and hence food security and livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Soil health is essential for the productivity of diverse crops and nutritious diets to improve the health of animals and humans. In ecological organic farming, improving the soil is the central focus, and this is achieved through a holistic approach. |
| What solution does the tool offer?: | In the SysCom Kenya trials, after six years of active ecological organic management, soil fertility was significantly higher compared to the conventional system. Soils under organic management in annual crops demonstrated higher nutrient stores (e.g., nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium), higher biological activity, and improved chemical properties. In comparison, conventional fields lost more nutrients through crop residue removal and soil depletion via erosion compared to organic. |
| Country: | Switzerland |
| Type of Practice Tool: | Leaflets & guidelines, Video, Other type of tool |
| Other Type: | PowerPoint |
| Keywords: | Abacus, FiBL6518802 |
| Subjects: | Soil "Organics" in general > Countries and regions > Africa |
| Research affiliation: | Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > International > Regions > Africa |
| Deposited By: | Dietemann, Lauren |
| ID Code: | 44395 |
| Deposited On: | 15 Sep 2022 10:12 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Jan 2023 08:28 |
| Document Language: | English |
| Status: | Published |
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