Recognising the Constraints of Soil Fertility Depletion and Technologies to Reverse it in Kenyan Agriculture

Abstract

Agricultural Sector is important to many national economies and it is key for the daily survival of human populations . In Kenya , the sector contributes up to 25% of total Gross Domestic (GDP) and about 60% of the Export earnings, mainly in form of cash crops (tea, coffee, pyrethrum, horticultural products) .It also accounts for 80% of the income and employment opportunities for many livelihood s, especially in rural areas. However, this sector is undergoing stress caused by multiple constraints , such as climate variability or climate change which results into frequent and prolonged droughts that contribute to widespread crop failures.Soil degradation on the other hand, through erosion, has resulted in huge losses of fragile unprotected surface soil which carry the nutrients needed to produce healthy and high yielding crops.consequently low and declining crop yields are evident on small holder farms for the example the common maize yields below 0.5t/ha/season(less than 6 bags/ha) frequently obtained from low input agriculture in western Kenya. To reverse this situation there are proven and effective technologies which can solve soil fertility and hence improve maize yields up to 3to 5 t/ha /season (33to 55bags/ha) on average . Adoption ot these technolgies will enhance food security