Farm typologies, soil fertility variability and nutrient management in smallholder farming in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Published in: Nutrient cycling in agroecosystems Vol. 100; no. 1; pp. 1 - 18
• Main Authors: Chikowo, Regis, Zingore, Shamie, Snapp, Sieglinde, Johnston, Adrian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01.09.2014; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Agriculture; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Crop production; Crops; farm size; Farmers; Farms; Fertilizer application; Fertilizers; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; Generalities. Analysis and diagnosis methods; Households; income; Kenya; labor; Land management; Life Sciences; Livestock; Malawi; Manures; Mineral fertilizers; nutrient management; Nutrients; Organic carbon; ownership; prediction; Productivity; Resource management; Review Article; Small farms; small-scale farming; Socioeconomics; soil; Soil degradation; Soil fertility; Soil management; soil organic carbon; Soil science; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Soils; sustainable agricultural intensification; Sustainable agriculture; Sustainable production; Zimbabwe; Sub-Saharan Africa; Africa; Kenya; Malawi; Zimbabwe; Farm types; Maize; Soil fertility variability; Nutrient management; Monocotyledones; Zea mays; Soil fertility; Cultivated soil; Biogeochemical cycle; Balanced fertilization; Cereal crop; Agroecosystem; Gramineae; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Small farms; Typology; Farming

Farm typologies are a useful tool to assist in unpacking and understanding the wide diversity among smallholder farms to improve targeting of crop production intensification strategies. Sustainable crop production intensification will require the development of an array of nutrient management strate...