Farmers’ perceptions and attitudes towards introduced soil-fertility enhancing technologies in western Africa

Enyong, L A and Debrah, S K and Bationo, A (1999) Farmers’ perceptions and attitudes towards introduced soil-fertility enhancing technologies in western Africa. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 53 (2). pp. 177-187. ISSN 1385-1314

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Abstract

Soil fertility enhancing technologies (SFETs) have been promoted in the West African Semi-Arid Tropics (WASAT) for many years with limited success. Using a qualitative approach of focus group discussions, long, openended interviews and observations from field visits, this paper explores with farmers their beliefs and rationales behind the adoption or non-adoption of SFETs. Farmers are knowledgeable about, and practise SFETs of rock phosphate application, crop residue and farm yard manure, chemical fertilizer and crop rotation to combat soil fertility decline. Their attitudes to and rationales behind adoption decisions are influenced by the availability and use policies of land and labour resources, food security concerns, perceived profitability, contribution to sustainability and access to information. Some of the factors are beyond farmers’ control and require a broad and integrated effort from research, extension and government to promote the use of the SFETs in the region.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	UNSPECIFIED
CRP:	UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	Others > Soil Science Others > Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics Others > Fertilizer Applications
Depositing User:	Library ICRISAT
Date Deposited:	28 Dec 2011 08:19
Last Modified:	14 Sep 2013 11:59
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/5111
Official URL:	Http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1009745225465
Projects:	Integrated Systems Project 3
Funders:	International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
Acknowledgement:	The research was undertaken under the ICRISAT Visiting Scientist scheme through funding from research project ‘Integrated Systems Project 3’. The authors would like to thank Drs. Mamadou Doumbia, Mama Kone,Meme Togola, Demba Kebe, Amadou Gakou of IER, Mali, Drs. Souleymane Ouedraogo and Francois Lompo of INERA, Burkina Faso and Mr. Souleymane Diop of IFDC for their assistance in providing data and sample selection. They are also grateful for the helpful comments on earlier drafts by Drs. Elias Ayuk, Ramajita Tabo and Akin Adesina.
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