|
|
|
Projects
|
Integrated nutrient management to attain sustainable productivity increases in east African farming systems
Objectives
To make a measurable contribution to sustainable improvements in the livelihoods of small holder farm families in three representative intensive farming systems facing serious decline in soil fertility and crop productivity in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.
Specific objectives
Develop an institutionally sustainable approach to identifying, testing and evaluating of farm- or catchment-level technologies addressing soil nutrient management constraints
Develop and test a quick and efficient tool to diagnose productivity and sustainability of farming systems focussing on soil nutrients
Generate appropriate and effective technologies to address soil nutrient depletion
Develop a participative policy formulation process at district level to address nutrient depletion.
Project website
Check the INMASP site.
Methodology
The Farmers Field School (FFS) concept is the institutional framework in which the project activities will be implemented. A structure and curriculum of activities will be developed with the most relevant stakeholders in the three participating countries. After site selection of representative areas the FFS’s will be established. The participants in the FFS’s will start with a systematic appraisal of the current constraints and opportunities in farmers’ soil fertility management, in which the NUTMON Toolbox will play an important role. A set of key indicators will be developed within the FFS’s, describing the complex and multidisciplinary issue of soil fertility management.
These indicators will be used to assess the sustainability of the current management practices, as well as evaluating the alternative INM technology options. Thereafter the results of the systems analysis at FFS level will be up-scaled to a district level system analysis of agricultural production and sustainability constraints. Based upon the systems assessment, the FFS’s in close collaboration with the research and NGO-staff, will identify INM technology options addressing the major constraints observed. The farm households participating in the FFS’s will then plan experimentation activities in line with the developed INM approach. In this project it is envisaged that relevant and interested district policy makers will participate in all critical project activities. After identification of the most relevant offices and policy makers, regular workshops will be organised to plan and evaluate project activities. Specific and targeted policies will be developed to facilitate implementation of INM techniques with proven high potential for addressing soil fertility constraints in the district. A start at wider implementation will be made through training of local trainers in FFS methodology to facilitate the establishment of more FFS’s in and outside the research sites.
Duration
November 2001 - Oktober 2005
Research areas
Kenya
Uganda
Ethiopia
Donors
This project is funded by the European Union under the INCO-DEV program and co-sponored by the DLO Research Programme 'International Cooperation' (DLO-IC) of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries.
|
|
Copyright © 2002- 2003 NUTMON
All rights reserved. Contact |
|
|
 |
|
