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New Challenges and Opportunities for Integrated Soil Fertility Management in Africa

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Innovations as Key to the Green Revolution in Africa

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) can increase food production at household level through wide-scale adoption of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM). Past and ongoing agricultural research shows that it is possible to double or even triple yields by improving soil, nutrient and water management at farm level. However, adoption of ISFM technologies in Africa remains low due to various biophysical and socioeconomic challenges. Supporting the ISFM with sound policy, financial and institutional support can stimulate the much needed increase in food production. This chapter explores some of the opportunities for increasing agricultural production in SSA. These opportunities include the innovative application of science and technology to arrest challenge of soil degradation and ensure improved soil fertility, promoting use of new and improved crop varieties through plant breeding and biotechnology, adoption of the value chain to ensure that investments in agriculture are profitable and facilitating farmers’ access to credit and financing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Accra, Ghana

    A. Bationo

  2. Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute of the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (TSBF-CIAT), Nairobi, Kenya

    B.S. Waswa

Authors
  1. A. Bationo
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  2. B.S. Waswa
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Correspondence to A. Bationo .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Soil Health Program, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Afric, Agostino Neto Road, Airport Res. Area 6, Accra, Ghana

    Andre Bationo

  2. , African Network for Soil Biology and Fer, Tropical Soil Biology & Fertility Inst., c/o ICRAF, Off UN Avenue, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya

    Boaz Waswa

  3. , African network for Soil Biology and Fer, Tropical Soil Biology & Fertility Inst., c/o ICRAF, Off UN Avenue, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya

    Jeremiah M. Okeyo

  4. , Socio-economics and Biometrics, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Nairobi, 00800, Kenya

    Fredah Maina

  5. , African Network for Soil Biology and Fer, Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Inst, c/o ICRAF, Off UN Avenue, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya

    Job Maguta Kihara

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Bationo, A., Waswa, B. (2011). New Challenges and Opportunities for Integrated Soil Fertility Management in Africa. In: Bationo, A., Waswa, B., Okeyo, J., Maina, F., Kihara, J. (eds) Innovations as Key to the Green Revolution in Africa. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2543-2_1

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