admin | September 26, 2024
Soil fertility is strongly related to the organic matter content of the soil. The higher the organic matter content of a soil, the more potentially fertile it is.
It should be noted that there is a difference between what is referred to as a fertilizer* and an amendment. * A fertilizer, whether organic or a synthetic chemical, is made up of soluble * elements that can be used directly, and generally includes N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus) and K (potassium). Many fertilizers also contain an enormous amount of soil organic matter and, therefore, can also be referred to as soil amendments. These amendments are animal or plant sources of organic matter that restore or condition the soil through their effects on soil structure, porosity, and the formation of aggregates. *
In sub-Saharan Africa, many farmers turn first to amendments such as manure and compost. Chemical fertilizers are expensive, can pollute soils, make them more acidic, and threaten soil productivity and sustainability.
Learn more in our backgrounder on organic fertilizers: https://scripts.farmradio.fm/radio-script/backgrounder-organic-fertilizers/
Different crops and tree leaves provide different levels of micro and macro-nutrients when incorporated into the soil. This adds organic matter, boosts beneficial soil micro-organisms and enhances soil fertility.
Watch this video from Access Agriculture, available in English and French. https://www.accessagriculture.org/enriching-soils-mixed-green-manure
When many living things are found in the soil, it means that the soil has life, because these little creatures help to decompose organic matter, make nutrients available to plants, and make the soil spongier.
Learn more in this video from Access Agriculture, available in English and French: https://www.accessagriculture.org/seeing-life-soil
It takes a few steps to make enriched fertilizer. You need to ferment the mixture to convert the ingredients into nutrients and hormones that can be readily absorbed by plants. The biofertilizer will be ready in 2 to 3 months, depending on the weather and the ingredients you use.
Learn more in this video from Access Agriculture, available in English, French, and Bambara: https://www.accessagriculture.org/making-enriched-biofertilizer
Poultry waste is rich in nitrogen and other nutrients, and is good food for beneficial microbes in the soil. Mix it with decomposed cow dung and carbon-rich materials. To speed up decomposition, sprinkle organic decomposer or Trichoderma on the waste. From rotten eggs you can make a growth promoter, by placing them in a jar with jaggery and lemon juice.
Learn more in this video from Access Agriculture, available in English, French, Bambara, Baoulé, Chitonga, and Swahili. https://www.accessagriculture.org/converting-chicken-waste-fertilizer?cat_id=144