rather than only in the testing of technologies
CASE 8: Participatory Learning and Action Research Approach (PLAR) for Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM)
Introduction:
Soil fertility in dry areas is inherently low and constrained by environmental extremes of temperatures, low water holding capacity, high pH, low soil organic matter, shallowness, stoniness, etc. Natural resources, e.g. soils and nutrients, are not renewable. Therefore, in order to maintain sustainability and improve soil fertility of any agricultural system, it is vital to ensure efficient resource cycling, which besides the physical and chemical factors is also directly influenced by soil fertility management strategies, and socioeconomic, political, and environmental issues. Accordingly, it is imperative to understand nutrient dynamics as related to the productivity, nutrient availability and nutrient use within the system. Thus, it is vital to analyze prevailing land-use systems, their history and impact on soil fertility, and to understand relations between plants, animals, soils, farmers' understanding of soil fertility and management strategies.
Soil fertility management technologies developed jointly in participation with farmers stand a better chance of adoption through a farmer-led adaptive process to given agro-ecologies and their specific conditions, especially since experience shows that most capital-based technologies developed in isolation from resource-poor farmers have low rates of adoption. Participatory research can also be of value to researchers who need to incorporate farmers' indigenous knowledge to cope with the adverse conditions.
Objectives:
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To study dynamics of soil fertility and underlying
processes and improve our understanding of soil fertility management
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Identify nutrient gaps in the system, which can
indicate the presence of nutrient leaks, where future research is
to be directed
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Help farmers to effectively manage their organic resources such as manure, crop residue, household organic waste, etc. for improving soil fertility |
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Investigate use of soil micro-organisms, for example, mycorrhiza for improving nutrient availability |
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Encourage active participation of women farmers in soil fertility management |
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Identify researchable areas and basic strategies for pilot projects that can lead to efficient nutrient cycling and adoption of integrated soil fertility management practices |
Methodology:
The study is being conducted using a Participatory Action & Learning Research Approach (PLAR). Main features of PLAR are:
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Close collaboration between farmers, scientists
and extension workers to improve farmers' soil fertility
management
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Farmers' experimentation forms the basis
of achieving better use and higher returns of the resources available
to the farmers and provides suitable management to the diverse agro-ecosystems
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Depends on visualizing tools to improve farmers' understanding, stimulate the learning process and increase farmers' ability for observing the dynamics of soil fertility on their farms |
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Applies solutions for soil fertility management that are adapted and applicable to farmer's specific conditions |
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Participatory Action
& Learning Research Approach
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Figure 1: Methodology for
the Participatory Action & Learning Research Approach for ISFM
(A resource guide for participatory learning and action research
in Managing Soil Fertility in the Tropics. T. Defoer & A. Budelman
(eds.)
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Study area:
Hwer Al-Hass village lies at the eastern side of Jabal al Hoss at 450- 500 m above sea level in the plateau area of Jabal al Hoss. Classified as semi-arid, it is located at the fringe of the Syrian Steppe, in Stabilization Zone 4 (200-250 mm per annum), with high seasonal and inter-seasonal rainfall variability. The main types of agricultural production systems in the village are rain-fed crop production and livestock rearing. Most households practice a combination of both. The main crops, occupying the major part of the arable land, are wheat and barley grown in 2-course crop rotation of food legume (lentil) and cumin sequences. The foot slopes of the village and the eastern hill plateau are intensively grazed.
Inefficient resource management, increased intensity of crop cultivation on areas marginal to agricultural production, nutrient mining and uncontrolled grazing, led to significant land degradation and depletion in soil fertility in the village, as well as in the whole Jabal al Hoss plateau.
Outputs:
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Considerable indigenous knowledge about the village,
farmers' understanding and management of soil fertility was obtained.
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The study yielded comprehensive data on the diversity
in landscape, soils, land use systems, main constraints to appropriate
soil fertility management and potential improvements.
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The study resulted in a clear picture of what the
farmers think of as practical and adoptable fertility management
strategies applicable to their soils. This is expected to increase
the rate of adoption because the management technologies chosen
by the farmers are suited to their specific conditions and lie within
their social and economical capabilities.
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Further detailed mapping and computing of nutrient
flows at the household level to qualify and quantify the nutrients
flowing into and out of the fields will be conducted with selected
test farmers.
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The resource flow map, drawn by the selected test
farmers, visualized the soil fertility management practices and
land use systems of the individual farmers. This exercise made it
possible to analyze the soil fertility as affected by the farmers'
management practices and explain the gains and losses to soil fertility,
natural resource base and crop productivity in relation to efficient
or inefficient soil fertility management to the farmers.
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The planning map gave a clear picture about the
ideas, changes in land-use and soil fertility management as well
as inputs each farmer is planning to implement in the new planting
season (2004-2005). This enabled the analysis of farmers' ideas
and resulted in mutual improvements and adjustments to the planting
plans to achieve the best benefits and reduce costs.
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A complete set of analytical data with regard to
nutrient content in crops and soils prevailing in the area and soil
physical characteristics is now available. This can be used for
further research of the PLAR team as well as other colleagues at
the center.
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