Soil fertility

Table of contents:

• Soil Fertility: Possibilities for maintenance in low external input farming
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  written by Meine van Noordwijk
  Integration of farming systems in the world economy puts a stress on possibilities for maintenance of soil fertility under 'low external input' circumstances, as increased losses by export of farm products have to be compensated. Some alternatives to fertiliser use may, however, be present, depending on the local situation. Several non-agricultural "developments" interfere with traditional techniques for maintaining soil fertility. If sufficient labour is available, losses from the system can be reduced and recirculation increased. Contrary to the high-input fertiliser option, no general "green-revolution" recipes are possible. A solution for each situation will have to start with an analysis of strong and weak points of the present situation.
• Agriculture in the humid tropics
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  written by ILEIA editorial team
  An interview with Ir. J. van der Heide.
• How to reform shifting cultivation into sustainable agriculture: Experiences in Ghana
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  written by Erik van der Werf
  In the West African country Ghana, the ecosystem and hence the food production are standing under severe pressure. Population growth and decreasing rainfall are main causes for this. To feed more mouths means that more food has to be produced. For this reason more land has to be put into production. But in an agricultural system of shifting cultivation the consequence is that there is less possibility for fallow.