Abstract
Smallholder farms in sub-Saharan African exhibit substantial heterogeneity in soil fertility, and nutrient resource allocation strategies that address this variability are required to increase nutrient use efficiencies. We applied the Field-scale resource Interactions, use Efficiencies and Long-term soil fertility Development (FIELD) model to explore consequences of various manure and fertilizer application strategies on crop productivity and soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics on farms varying in resource endowment in a case study village in Murewa District, Zimbabwe. FIELD simulated a rapid decline in SOC and maize yields when native woodlands were cleared for maize cultivation without fertilizer inputs coupled with removal of crop residues. Applications of 10 t manure ha−1 year−1 for 10 years were required to restore maize productivity to the yields attainable under native woodland. Long-term application of manure at 5 and 3 t ha−1 resulted in SOC contents comparable to zones of high and medium soil fertility observed on farms of wealthy cattle owners. Targeting manure application to restore SOC to 50–60% of contents under native woodlands was sufficient to increase productivity to 90% of attainable yields. Short-term increases in crop productivity achieved by reallocating manure to less fertile fields were short-lived on sandy soils. Preventing degradation of the soils under intensive cultivation is difficult, particularly in low input farming systems, and attention should be paid to judicious use of the limited nutrient resources to maintain a degree of soil fertility that supports good crop response to fertilizer application.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bayu W, Rethman NFG, Hammes PS (2005) The role of manure in sustainable soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa. J Sust Agric 25:113–136
Carter SE, Murwira HK (1995) Spatial variability in soil fertility management and crop response in Mutoko communal area, Zimbabwe. Ambio 24:77–84
Chikowo R, Corbeels M, Tittonell P, Vanlauwe B, Whitbread A, Giller KE (2008) Aggregating field-scale knowledge into farm-scale models of African smallholder systems: summary functions to simulate crop production using APSIM. Agric Syst 97:151–166
Chikowo R, Corbeels M, Mapfumo P, Tittonell P, Vanlauwe B, Giller KE (2010) Nutrient capture efficiencies and crop responses to soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa. Nut Cycl Agroecosyst 88:59–77
Chuma E, Mombeshora BG, Murwira HK, Chikuvire J (2000) The dynamics of soil fertility management in communal areas of Zimbabwe. In: Hilhorst T, Muchena F (eds) Nutrients on the move—soil fertility dynamics in African farming systems. International Institute for Environment and Development, London, pp 45–64
FAO (2006) World reference base for soil resources: a framework for international classification, correlation and communication. World Soil Resources Rep. 103. p. 128. FAO, Rome
Grant PM (1981) The fertilization of sandy soils in peasant agriculture. Zimbabwean Agric J 78:169–175
Haileslassie A, Preiss JA, Veldkamp E, Lesschen JP (2007) Nutrient flows and balances at the field and farm scale: exploring effects of land-use strategies and access to resources. Agric Syst 94:459–470
Janssen BH, Guiking FCT, van der Eijk D, Smaling EMA, Wolf J, Reuler H (1990) A system for quantitative evaluation of the fertility of tropical soils. Geoderma 46:299–318
Mapfumo P, Mtambanengwe F, Giller KE, Mpepereki S (2005) Tapping indigenous herbaceous legumes for soil fertility management by resource-poor farmers in Zimbabwe. Agric Ecosyst Environ 109:221–233
Misiko M (2007) Fertile ground? Soil fertility management and the African smallholder. PhD thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen, p 145
Mtambanengwe F, Mapfumo P (2005) Organic matter management as an underlying cause for soil fertility gradients on smallholder farms in Zimbabwe. Nut Cyc Agroecosys 73:227–243
Murwira HK, Swift MJ, Frost PGH (1995) Manure as a key resource in sustainable agriculture: a case study of communal area farming systems in Zimbabwe. A keynote address. In: Powell JM, Fernandez-Rivera S, Williams TO, Renard C (eds) Livestock and sustainable nutrient cycling in farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa, Volume II. ILCA proceedings. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp 131–148
Nandwa SM, Bekunda MA (1998) Research on nutrient flows and balances in East and Southern Africa: state-of-the-art. Agric Ecosyst Environ 71:5–18
Nyamapfene KW (1991) Soils of Zimbabwe. Nehanda Publishers (Pvt) Ltd, Zimbabwe
Prudencio CF (1993) Ring management of soils and crops in the West African semi-arid tropics: the case of the Mossi farming system in Burkina Faso. Agric Ecosyst Environ 47:237–264
Rodel MGW, Hopley JDH (1973) Investigations into systems of farming suitable for tribal trust land. Rhodesia Agric J 70:1–18
Rufino MC, Tittonell P, van Wijk MT, Castellanos-Navarrete A, Delve RJ, de Ridder N, Giller KE (2007) Manure as a key resource within smallholder farming systems: analysing farm-scale nutrient cycling efficiencies with the NUANCES framework. Livest Sci 112:273–287
Rufino MC, Dury J, Tittonell P, van Wijk MT, Herrero M, Zingore S, Mapfumo P, Giller KE (2010) Collective management of feed resources at village scale and the productivity of different farm types in a smallholder community of north east Zimbabwe. Agri Syst. doi: 10.1016/j.agsy.2010.06.001
Stoorvogel JJ, Smaling EMA, Janssen BH (1993) Calculating soil nutrient balances in Africa at different scales. 1. Supra-national scale. Fert Res 35:227–235
Tittonell P, Zingore S, van Wijk MT, Corbeels M, Giller KE (2007) Nutrient use efficiencies and crop responses to N, P and manure applications in Zimbabwean soils: exploring management strategies across soil fertility gradients. Field Crop Res 100:348–368
Tittonell P, Corbeels M, van Wijk MT, Vanlauwe B, Giller KE (2008a) Targeting nutrient resources for integrated soil fertility management in smallholder farming systems of Kenya. Agron J 100:1511–1526
Tittonell P, Vanlauwe B, Corbeels M, Giller KE (2008b) Yield gaps, nutrient use efficiencies and response to fertilizers by maize across heterogeneous smallholder farms of western Kenya. Plant Soil 313:19–37
Tittonell P, Corbeels M, van Wijk MT, Giller KE (2009) FIELD–A summary simulation model of the soil-crop system to analyse long-term resource interactions and use efficiencies at farm scale. Eur J Agron 32:10–21
van Wijk MT, Tittonell P, Rufino MC, Herrero M, Pacini C, de Ridder N, Giller KE (2009) Identifying key entry-points for strategic management of smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa using the dynamic farm-scale simulation model NUANCES-FARMSIM. Agric Syst 102:89–101
Waithaka MM, Thornton PK, Herrero M, Shepherd K (2006) Bio-economic evaluation of farmers’ perceptions of viable farms in western Kenya. Agric Syst 90:243–271
Wopereis MCS, Tamélokpo A, Ezui K, Gnakpénou D, Fofana B, Breman H (2006) Mineral fertilizer management of maize on farmer fields differing in organic inputs in the West African savanna. Field Crop Res 96:355–362
Zingore S, Manyame C, Nyamugafata P, Giller KE (2005) Long-term changes in organic matter of woodland soils cleared for arable cropping in Zimbabwe. Eur J Soil Sci 57:727–736
Zingore S, Murwira HK, Delve RJ, Giller KE (2007a) Influence of nutrient management strategies on variability of soil fertility, crop yields and nutrient balances on smallholder farms in Zimbabwe. Agric Ecosyst Environ 119:112–126
Zingore S, Murwira HK, Delve RJ, Giller KE (2007b) Soil type, historical management and current resource allocation: three dimensions regulating variability of maize yields and nutrient use efficiencies on African smallholder farms. Field Crop Res 101:296–305
Zingore S, Gonzalez-Estrada E, Delve RJ, Herrero M, Dimes JP, Giller KE (2009) An integrated evaluation of strategies for enhancing productivity and profitability of resource-constrained smallholder farms. Agric Syst 101:57–68
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zingore, S., Tittonell, P., Corbeels, M. et al. Managing soil fertility diversity to enhance resource use efficiencies in smallholder farming systems: a case from Murewa District, Zimbabwe. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 90, 87–103 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-010-9414-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-010-9414-0