Appraisal of Soil Fertility Management Practices and Affecting Factors in Shabeley District of Fafan Zone, Somali, Ethiopia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20372/afnr.v2i1.924Keywords:
Soil fertility, Practices, Constraints, Fertilizer, ShebeleyAbstract
Low soil fertility and poor soil fertility management practices are the main constraints on crop production in Shabelle District. This study evaluated the district's soil fertility management practices and their limitations. The district was purposively selected, whereas Kebeles were selected randomly. Data came from a semi-structured questionnaire administered to 97 households across all kebeles, along with key informant interviews and field observations. Thirty composite soil samples (0-30 cm depth) were also collected from cultivated lands to compare farmers' perceptions with actual soil nutrient status. The study revealed that topsoil removal by water erosion, and insufficient fertilizer supply are the main causes of soil fertility loss. Farmers have noticed a decline in their soil fertility over time. To overcome the nutrient depletion problem and to maintain the fertility status of their fields, farmers have traditionally used different fertility management options. Crop residue, manure application, crop rotation, and fallow were the main soil fertility management practices commonly used in Shabeley by varying degrees. Only 26.8% of the respondents use chemical fertilizers, mainly because the fertilizer is physically unavailable. The household survey and the laboratory results were consistent regarding the soil nutrient status and its decline. These finding suggest that an integrated soil fertility management approach, combining external nutrient sources with organic matter, is needed to restore and maintain soil fertility in the area.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Journal of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
Wallaga University,
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Accepted 2024-04-30
Published 2024-04-30
