Building sustainable agroecosystems in western Kenya

When I arrived in Kenya and mostly in Sidada, the region where I was about to start the field work, one of the things that aroused my curiosity was the omnipresence of micro agricultural fields. While spending more time in the region, exchanging, and connecting with its community, I learned that it was common for each family to own a field and produce most of its daily food. While I shared with them the approach of Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) to mitigate climate change, I also learned a lot about the challenges they were facing.

Challenges of the farmer community

While discovering that I was part of the well-known International Institute of tropical agriculture (IITA) long-term experiment dedicated to studying the impacts of Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) on maize cropping systems, farmers easily shared with me the raising constraints that they were facing. How their production decreased over the seasons and how they were constantly threatened by soil degradation, their limited access to inorganic fertilizers, the effects of climatic change with the associated climatic variabilities, and an increase in biotic (i.e., attack by pathogenic organisms like viruses, insects, bacteria) and abiotic (i.e., salinity, extremes in temperature, drought) stresses associated with the previously listed processes. Indeed, yield levels were lower than what could be expected given the ecological potential of the production areas.

ISFM in Maize production

Maize plants at the end of the season, Sidada, June 2021 (picture: Maryam Cisse)

By representing 13% of the region's cropland, maize is one of the most important food crops in sub-Saharan Africa and a staple food for a major part of the population. Its consumption is estimated at 25kg per capita per year in west and central Africa and its demand worldwide is expected to double in the developing countries by 2050. Maize is therefore the most common crop cultivated by local farmers in Sidada and failure to respond to this raising demand could lead to a hunger mainly for the poorest part of society.

ISFM has the potential to support increasing food security in Sub Saharan Africa. Defined as a set of practices to enhance input use efficiency by combining inorganic fertilizers, with organic resources, one of the issues targeted by ISFM practices is the reduction of soil fertility, particularly the nitrate (N) and phosphorus (P) content. Without these nutrients, the plant growth and thus crop yields are limited. With the adapted rates of both inorganic fertilizers and organic resources (e.g., crop residues), it is demonstrated that ISFM can revitalize soil functions, by providing key nutrients needed by the soil and by limiting their losses.

Sharing potential of ISFM

My favorite type of art is discussion, sharing stories, and learning from other people's experiences. By talking about how ISFM was increasing the sustainability of the agroecosystems with farmers, I could learn how common it was to use crop residues and organic waste for agricultural purposes in the region, and how these practices were tested and then established between farmers thanks to the strength of local transmissions. However, I realized in the discussions that the major aspect of my master thesis, which was to mitigate climate change by demonstrating ISFM potential to reduce soil greenhouse emissions from agriculture, was unknown by the farmers. Agricultural activity is the first emitter of one of the most detrimental greenhouse gases, nitrous oxide, and also generates carbon and methane emissions. Therefore, alternative soil managements such as ISFM have been promoted to address this challenge. Providing additional insights into ISFM effects on greenhouse gases emissions can promote ISFM as a holistic agricultural management, which is effective, accessible, sustainable, and applicable in the context of climatic emergency.

 Gas sampling, using the pooling method, Sidada, March 2021 I (picture: Maryam Cisse).

Gas sampling, using the pooling method, Sidada, March 2021 II (picture: Maryam Cisse).

Gas static chambers, Sidada, March 2021 (picture: Maryam Cisse)

As I have seen how sharing stories could help me grow, I was particularly moved to see how in conducting this specific study in Sidada, I could raise awareness and wonders on the importance of nutrient management in building sustainable agroecosystems, even though it was at a very small scale. After my Master thesis, I want to continue to explore the potential of ISFM and other sustainable farming practices and support implementation to a larger scale. Today, producing food at all costs, maximizing quantity over quality, and not having a long-term perspective in agricultural production is not an option, giving the environmental crisis we are facing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maryam Cisse just graduated from a master’s degree in environmental sciences in the university of Geneva. While pursuing this degree, she had the opportunity of doing a master thesis in the agroecosystem department of ETHZ with the following subject: “Effect of integrated soil fertility management on soil N2O emissions from maize-based cropping systems in Kenya”.

Aware that the geological era in which we live is threatened by the anthropogenic matrix on nature, it seems wise to Maryam to conceive our ways of life under a new approach. She aspires to be an agent in this revolution.