Abstract
Soil fertility degradation remains the major biophysical cause of declining per capita crop production on smallholder farms in Central Kenya highlands. A study was conducted to compare farmers’ perception and biophysical data on selected water harvesting and integrated soil fertility management technologies on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) production in Kirinyaga County of Kenya. Three hundred and seventy-one smallholder farmers were invited to evaluate 36 plots laid out in partially balanced incomplete block design (PBIBD) replicated three times. The treatment which was ranked best overall rated as “good” by the farmers was farmers’ practice with a mean score of 2.78 and yielding 3.5 t/ha under sorghum alone plus external soil amendment of 40 Kg P/ha + 20 Kg N/ha. This treatment was closely followed by water harvesting technologies tied ridges and contour furrows overall rated as “good” by the farmers. These being under cultivation of sorghum alone plus external soil amendment of 40 Kg P/ha + 20 Kg N/ha + manure 2.5 t/ha and 40 Kg P/ha + 40 Kg N/ha + manure 5 t/ha both with a mean score of (2.7) and yielding (3.0 t/ha) and (2.9 t/ha), respectively. Generally, all experiment controls were overall scored as “poor” yielding as low as 0.3 t/ha to 0.6 t/ha. Therefore, integrating organic and inorganic inputs on sorghum production under farmers’ practice could be an alternative option contributing to food security in central highland of Kenya.
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Njeru, P.N.M., Mugwe, J., Mucheru-Muna, M., Maina, I., Kimani, S.K., Lelgut, D.K. (2018). Drought-Tolerant Crops in Kirinyaga County, Kenya: Climate-Smart Agriculture Adaptation Strategies. In: Leal Filho, W. (eds) Handbook of Climate Change Resilience. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71025-9_80-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71025-9_80-1
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