SOIL HEALTH STATUS AND CHALLENGES FOR IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN KENYA Anthony O. Esilaba 1

SOIL HEALTH STATUS AND CHALLENGES FOR IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY

IN KENYA

Anthony O. Esilaba

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE AGRICULTURE IN KENYA AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES IN KENYA MAJOR SOILS IN KENYA LAND DEGRADATION FACTORS CAUSING LOW AGRICULTURAL

PRODUCTIVITY PAST RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FERTILIZER TRIALS IN KENYA ROLE OF AGRO-DEALERS/PRIVATE SECTOR POTENTIAL FOR LOCAL/REGIONAL

MANUFACTURING AND BULK BLENDING

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

STATUS OF FERTILIZER INFORMATION HUMAN CAPACITY AVAILABLE AND NEEDS

FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT GOVERNMENT POLICY ON SOIL FERTILITY

MANAGEMENT MAJOR CHALLENGES OPPORTUNITIES PROPOSED SOILS STRATEGIC

INTERVENTIONS CONCLUSIONS

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AGRICULTURE IN KENYA

Kenya depends largely on agriculture and the new “Vision for African Agricultural Research” developed by FARA and its member organizations calls for an annual growth rate of 6% in agricultural productivity by 2020 in order to achieve sustainable development in general (FARA, 2003).


Agriculture contributes directly to 26 % of the (GDP) and indirectly 60 % of the export earnings.

Agricultural growth and development is crucial to overall economic and social development

persistent decline in agricultural growth since the 1980s leading to low crop productivity, chronic

food shortages and rising poverty levels Main cause is the low inherent soil fertility

combined with inappropriate soil management practices (tenure, sub-division)

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To feed Kenya’s growing population (4 0 million) will require:

intensification of agricultural production in the medium and high rainfall areas (25%) under rain fed conditions

expansion of irrigation in the lower rainfall areas (75%) (fragile ecosystems, resource use conflicts, inappropriate technologies)

Soil specific technologies for agricultural intensification have to be developed/fine tuned and adopted

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AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES IN KENYA

A large proportion of Kenya receives less than 500 mm of rainfall per year while some high and medium potential areas receive over 1,000 mm of rain per year.

There are four major agro-ecological zones on the basis of the length of growing period (LGP).

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ZONE RAINFALL (mm)

TEMPERATURE

LGP REMARKS

HUMID 1500 24-28 270

SUB-HUMID

2 seasons 180-269

SEMI-ARID 200-800 75-179

ARID 200 90

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MAJOR SOILS IN KENYA

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MAJOR SOIL TYPES IN KENYA

SOIL TYPE TOTAL LAND (%)

CHEMICAL CONSTRAINTS

PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS

LAND PRODUCTIVITY

REGOSOL 15.04 Low Low WHC Low

CAMBISOL 11.02 None

FERRALSOL

6.05 Low CEC&BS, P fixation

Limited

FLUVISOL 6.02 None None Medium to high

LUVISOL 8.13 None to moderate

Restricted rootability, Low WHC

Medium

SOLONETZ

6.36 High ESP Low WHC Low to medium

VERTISOLS

4.60 None to high CEC

Workability and poor permeability

Medium to high

PLANOSOLS

6.33 Deficiency of micronutrients

Imperfectly drained

NITISOLS 3.17 None to high CECN&P deficiency

Workability and poor permeability

Medium to high

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LAND DEGRADATION

Land degradation is a severe problem in the Kenya

Soil fertility degradation has been identified as the single most important constraint to food security in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

Restoration of soil productivity is a major challenge to national governments, regional bodies, research, development and donor communities (Sanchez, 2002).

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AREAS OF MAJOR CONCERN FOR SOIL DEGRADATION.

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LAND AND BIODIVERSITY DEGRADATION

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DEGRADED RANGELANDS IN KENYA

FACTORS CAUSING LOW AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITYKey factors causing low agricultural

productivity, widespread poverty and food insecurity in Kenya include

soil erosion caused by cultivation on steeply sloping terrain

mining of soil fertility through continuous cultivation with limited application of inorganic or organic sources of soil nutrients

deforestation and overgrazing of rangelands insufficient nutrient replacement

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FACTORS CAUSING LOW AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY Assessments of nutrient stocks and nutrient

flow studies in the region have shown large negative balances for major nutrients in many locations and farming systems

N, P, and K balances for 13 countries in SSA had negative trend with about 200 million ha of cropland having lost 660 kg N ha-1, 75 kg P ha-1 and 450 kg K ha-1 in the last 30 years with high to very high depletion rates in ECA

Use of fertilizer in the region is among the lowest in the world, with average applications of only 9 kg per ha

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FERTILIZER USE IN SELECTED COUNTRIES (KG/HA)

COUNTRY

2000 2006 2008

Netherlands 578 323 269

USA 105 119 103

South Africa 51 54 50

Kenya 32 33 33

Malawi 16 41 -

Tanzania 6 7 6

Mozambique 4 5 0

Uganda 0.4 1.4 3.4

FACTORS CAUSING LOW AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY Extensive areas of salt-affected soils exist in

Kenya, especially in irrigation projects. These soils require reclamation to enhance

productivity. Large areas of Kenya in the region also have

Vertisols. These soils are inherently fertile but have poor drainage and workability problems.

Minimizing these constraints would enhance soil productivity.

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PAST RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Past research has generated soil fertility technologies with potential for increasing rural incomes and food production.

However, uptake and utilization of these technologies has been low

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SOIL TECHNOLOGIES FOR AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION

These technologies address the issues of: (i) enhancing soil structure (ii) increasing NUE efficiency thro’ INM and

strengthening nutrient cycling mechanisms (iii) conserving soil and water through residue

management and adoption of conservation agriculture

(iv) improving WUE thro’ development and adoption of efficient methods of water harvesting, recycling and irrigation and

(v) increasing cropping intensity.

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AVAILABLE SOIL FERTILITY RESTORATION TECHNOLOGIES READY FOR SCALING-UP

Various technologies/strategies have been developed from various national and regional studies:

Liming: results from the long-term trial conclusively demonstrated the need for the soil liming in the high and medium rainfall areas

INM options / strategies: -different trts tested in the long-term trial all

significantly increased average maize yields compared to the control- fortified compost (with Rock phosphates)- half rates of chemical ferts. + manures

AVAILABLE SOIL FERTILITY RESTORATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR SCALING-UP

Green manure: Legume Research project – evaluated green manure covers crops for areas from the coast to highlands

The on-going SLM project coordinated by the MoA has chosen one strategy from the long-term trial, i.e. the integrated chemical fertilizers 60 N + 23 P kg ha-1 + 5 t manure ha-1 + crop residues, for validation and upscaling in medium/high rainfall areas

FERTILIZER TRIALS IN KENYA

Results of fertilizer trials conducted in Kenya show that:

N and P were deficient in 57% and 26% of the sites, respectively

Many farmers are aware of declining productivity & soil nutrient depletion & need to improve the situation (use of fertilizers, manures, composts, fallows ..)

Most of the farmers do not utilize inorganic fertilizers to replenish soil fertility due to socio-economic constraints

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FERTILIZER TRIALS IN KENYA Fertilizer Use Research Project (FURP) (early

90s) exhibited profitability of N, P, K and manure use in various sites Maize responded positively to manure

application in 14 out of 35 sites and to inorganic K application in 8 out of 35 sites.

Results from the 32 year old long term trial (LTT) at KARI-Kabete has demonstrated yield responses to inorganic and organic fertilizers Continuous application of nitrogen (120 kg

ha-1) and phosphorus (52 kg ha-1) increased maize yields by up to 2 times over a 32-year period.

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FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS AND USE IN KENYACROPCROP TYPE OF TYPE OF

FERTILIZFERTILIZERER

COST PER COST PER KG KG

FERTILIZER FERTILIZER (USD)(USD)

RECOMMENRECOMMENDED RATE DED RATE (KG N AND (KG N AND PP22OO55))

ACTUAL ACTUAL RATES RATES USED BY USED BY FARMERSFARMERS

MaizeMaize DAP / DAP / CANCAN

0.36-0.470.36-0.47 20-40 N; 20-40 N;

40-60 P40-60 P0-20 N; 0-20 N;

0-20 P0-20 P

BeansBeans DAP / DAP / CANCAN

0.36-0.470.36-0.47 0-20 N; 0-40 0-20 N; 0-40 PP

< 20 or < 20 or NoneNone

WheaWheatt

DAP / DAP / CANCAN

0.36-0.470.36-0.47 0-20 N; 0-40 0-20 N; 0-40 PP


RiceRice DAP / DAP / CANCAN

0.36-0.470.36-0.47 0-20 N; 0-40 0-20 N; 0-40 PP


MilletMillet DAP / DAP / CANCAN

0.36-0.470.36-0.47 0-20 N; 0-40 0-20 N; 0-40 PP


SUMMARY OF FOOD CROPS RESPONSES TO P APPLICATION IN VARIOUS FURP TRIAL SITES IN KENYA, 1985 TO 1994

CROPCROP NUMBER NUMBER OF SITESOF SITES

P P RESPONSESRESPONSES

(% OF THE (% OF THE SITES)SITES)

YIELD (T/HA) YIELD (T/HA) INCREMENT INCREMENT (MIN-MAX.)(MIN-MAX.)

MaizeMaize 6161 8383 0.49-5.360.49-5.36

BeansBeans 4343 2323 0.06-0.370.06-0.37

PotatoesPotatoes 2626 4646 1.69-19.41.69-19.4

CabbagesCabbages 2323 7878 5.4-36.25.4-36.2

SorghumSorghum 1717 2424 0.57-1.680.57-1.68

MAIZE YIELDS IN THE KABETE LONG-TERM TRIAL AFTER CONTINUOUS CROPPING FOR 32 YEARS

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

Treatments

Maiz

e g

rai

yie

lds(k

g h

a-1

)

ROLE OF AGRO-DEALERS/PRIVATE SECTOR

To improve food security and achieve desired growth there is need to put in a public-private partnership framework that will

raise awareness of technologies and inputs; improve their use efficiency; lower transactions of supplying inputs; improve linkages between importers,

wholesalers and retailers and improve economies of scale in marketing of

inputs at wholesale and retail levels.


Fertilizer use increased dramatically following the liberalization of fertilizer marketing in the 1990s (Tegemeo Institute, 2006)

Fertilizer use rose by 35% over a 10-year period from 1995 to 2004 (results of survey> 1,000 smallholder farmers)

Total consumption mean/yr 180,000 t/yr in the 1980s to 250,000 t/yr in the 1990s

and to over 350,000 t/yr in the 2004/5 period.


This expanded fertilizer growth is mainly attributed to several factors including:

A relatively stable fertilizer policy (elimination of retail price controls, import licensing quotas, foreign exchange controls and phase-out of external fertilizer donation programs since 1990) which has attracted over 10 importers, 500 wholesalers and 7,000 retailers

Increased network of fertilizer retailers in rural areas (expanding small farmers’ access to fertilizer, reduced transaction costs, - and increased the profitability of using fertilizer)

Intense competition in importing and wholesaling Relative profitability of the hort. market (96% of

hort. sales is for the domestic market) thereby raising farmers’ incentives to fertilize maize intercropped with horticultural crops.

POTENTIAL FOR LOCAL/REGIONAL MANUFACTURING AND BULK BLENDING

Most fertilizers used in the country are imported with the exception of single super phosphate (SSP) which is manufactured in the country by KEL Chemicals in Thika.

Results from an economic survey showed a 3-fold increase over the period 1995 to 2005

The greatest increase was in non-nitrogenous and non-phosphatic fertilizers (containing micronutrients which are especially important for the flower, tea, coffee and horticulture sector)

TYPES AND QUANTITIES OF FERTILIZER USED IN KENYA (MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, 2006)

TYPE TYPE LOCALLY LOCALLY PRODUCED PRODUCED (TONS)(TONS)

IMPORTED IMPORTED (TONS)(TONS)

TOTAL TOTAL (TONS)(TONS)

DAPDAP 00 136,254136,254 136,254136,254

MAPMAP 00 2,1572,157 2,1572,157

TSPTSP 00 599599 599599

SSPSSP 6,0006,000 00 6,0006,000

NPKNPK 00 9,0369,036 9,0369,036

NPKNPK 00 18,71318,713 18,71318,713

NPKNPK 00 59,73959,739 59,73959,739

NPKNPK 00 16,71716,717 16,71716,717

CANCAN 00 59,73959,739 59,73959,739

UREAUREA 00 41,07141,071 41,07141,071

POTENTIAL FOR LOCAL/REGIONAL MANUFACTURING AND BULK BLENDING

Lately, noted interest in the marketing of raw Minjingu phosphate rock (MPR) from Tanzania but without adequate research support.

Potassium has also been noted as an emerging limiting nutrient under continuous cropping due to nutrient mining as a result of continuous cultivation with no fallow period or balanced fertilization.

Potassium studies in western Kenya created a need for NPK fertilizers leading one company to produce a NPK blended fertilizer for sale specifically in Kenya.

STATUS OF FERTILIZER INFORMATION

Scarcity of data on the fertilizer use and demand by smallholders (therefore difficult to assess how much fertilizer is used by small scale farmers compared to commercial farmers)

Kenya is currently using an average of 31 kg of fertilizer (better than most of the other SSA countries?) not clear how it is partitioned between smallholders and commercial farmers

e.g. there is little information to show how much of the fertilizer is used in crop production systems compared to what is used in the cut flower production, which is mainly for export

HUMAN CAPACITY AVAILABLE AND NEEDS FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

The national human capacity involved in soil health is who are at different levels of education (diploma to postgraduate level) in agriculture are limited to KARI & Universities with few NGOs focusing on soil health

Others: development sectors (Ministries of Agriculture and Environment) as well as locally based international Centres

need to raise the capacity of local scientists to cope with rising food insecurity and environmental issues and also sensitize farmers on available technologies.

The capacity for research facilities (soil labs, equipments) should be enhanced to offer timely and cheap services to the farming community

GOVERNMENT POLICY ON SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT

Kenya has developed a policy document that was presented to the Government in 2006.

The document identifies causes of soil fertility decline and emerging challenges

provides guidelines on the way forward for the restoration and maintenance of soil fertility for sustained agricultural production

It is also designed to encourage stakeholders to collaborate, access factors of production and apply best management practices

But the document has not yet been debated and passed by Parliament

MAJOR CHALLENGES

How to reverse degradation of soil through the development of integrated and sustainable practices for managing soil, soil water and nutrients

How to enhance adoption of best-bet integrated soil fertility management technologies

How to build the capacities of researchers, extension officers, farmers and other stakeholders to package and disseminate ISFM knowledge, information and technologies

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OPPORTUNITIES

Update soil resource data bases to facilitate specific management decisions at farm, national and sub-regional levels

Develop, validate and disseminate improved ISFM packages

Enhance decision-support systems based on improved knowledge and information management practices for different soil types with focus on problematic soils such as acid soils, salt affected soils and Vertisols.

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PROPOSED SOILS STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS

Promoting utilization of integrated soil fertility management technologies for major food and high value crops

Management of problematic soils for improving agricultural productivity

Management of cropping and conservation tillage systems

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IMPROVED LAND, NUTRIENT AND WATER MANAGEMENT

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UP-SCALING WATER HARVESTING AND INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES

CONCLUSIONS

Agriculture the backbone of economy but lacks political good will (funding, policies (land, fertilizer )

Institutions to undertake research adequate but require enhancement of capacity (human and infrastructure)

A number of proven technologies available – but need to develop others geared to agricultural intensification

Information on soil health scattered in the various institutions

Poor uptake of technologies/recommendations by farmers? - innovativeness

Farmers generally aware of need to replenish the soils but are hampered by socioeconomic constraints

Role of private sector critical in delivery of inputs

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THANK YOU

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SOIL HEALTH STATUS AND CHALLENGES FOR IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN KENYA Anthony O. Esilaba 1