Integrated soil fertility management and poverty traps in Western Kenya.
Abstract
This paper reports the experience of a DFID-funded action research project that explored the potential for coordinated development interventions to enhance livelihoods through the promotion of integrated soil fertility management in collaboration with national and international institutes and extension services. Experiences with the provision of technical advice, the development of a community based credit scheme for agricultural inputs, initial steps towards linking farmers to new markets and making new seeds available to producers are reviewed and constraints identified, along with initial indications of the impact that coordinated service provision could have on agricultural production and livelihoods. Finally, the over-arching challenge of how to coordinate the provision of these services on a sustainable basis is considered.
Citation
Ndufa, J., Cadisch, G., Poulton, C., Noordin, Q. and Vanlauwe, B. 2004. Integrated soil fertility management and poverty traps in Western Kenya. Paper presented at the international symposium on ‘Improving human welfare and environmental conservation by empowering farmers to combat soil fertility degradation’. Yaounde, Cameroon, May 10-12 2004. Annex F of the Final Technical Report of project R7962. London: Imperial Colege London and Kisumu, Kenya: KEFRI. 25pp.
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