TY  - PRO
AU  - Omiti,J.M.
AU  - CIMMYT
AU  - Freeman,H.A.
ED  - Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo (CIMMYT), Mexico DF (Mexico)
TI  - Micro-level estrategies to improve soil fertility in maize based semi-arid farming systems
SN  - 92-9146-065-6
U1  - 633.15 
PY  - 1999///
CY  - Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
PB  - CIMMYT|EARO
KW  - Cropping systems
KW  - AGROVOC
KW  - Kenya
KW  - Maize
KW  - Semiarid climate
KW  - Semiarid zones
KW  - Soil deficiencies
KW  - Soil management
KW  - Zea mays
KW  - Soil fertility
KW  - Farming systems
KW  - CIMMYT
N2  - In semi-arid areas of Kenya, depletion of soil nutrients is threatening even the low levels of crop productivity that farmers currently achieve. Improved soil fertility management has been identified as essential for increasing and sustaining food production. However, there is little information on soil fertility management practices in semi-arid farming systems. A baseline survey was carried out to understand farmer's soil fertility management practices and identify constraints to and opportunities for improving soil fertility management. Data were obtained from a random sample of 400 households in Machakos District in eastern Kenya in 1997. This paper reports on soil fertility management practices employed by the farmers and constraints to wider adoption. It also offers suggestions for improving soil fertility maintenance that would further advance the research and extension policy agenda in maize-based farming systems in semi-arid areas
ER  -