This document draws upon the material prepared for fertiliser strategy as-sessment, summarises the information on the approaches to enhancing fertiliser supply and use in Africa, and identifies some future steps.
AGWE, J. MORRIS, M. FERNANDES, E. (2007): Africa’s Growing Soil Fertility Crisis: What Role For Fertilizer? . Washington, D.C.: The World Bank URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
The objectives of the study are to provide on-farm demonstrations of controlled drainage and sub-irrigation systems, and to determine their effect on crop yields and environmental benefits. It compares the nitrate concentration, water loss and crop yields of controlled drainage with free outlet tile drainage.
TAN, C.S. ; DRURY, C.F. ; NG, H.Y.F. ; GAYNOR, J.D. (1999): Effect of Controlled Drainage and Subirrigation on Subsurface Tile Drainage Nitrate Loss and Crop Yield at the Farm Scale. In: Canadian Water Resources Journal : Volume 24 , 177. URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
This paper describes how check dams help to control sedimentation.
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL (n.y): Sediment Control. Check Dams. St. Paul: Metropolitan Council URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
These practices involve the application of organic materials to form a temporary, protective soil cover. They can be implemented as a pre-made blanket or applied loose as a mulch. Organic mulches, hydraulically applied mulches, erosion control blankets and turf-reinforcement mats (TRMs) are discussed in this paper. When selected and applied correctly, they are the most effective, practical means of controlling runoff and erosion on disturbed land prior to vegetation establishment.
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL (n.y): Soil Erosion Control - Mulches, Blankets and Mats. St. Paul: Metropolitan Council URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
What is drainage water management? Where is it most suitable? How do I manage it and what is the outcome? This short publication addresses those questions important for practitioners.
FRANKENBERGER, J. KLADIVKO, E. SANDS, G. JAYNES, D. FAUSEY, N. HELMERS, M. COOKE, R. STROCK, J. NELSON, K. BROWN, L. (2006): Drainage Water Management for the Midwest. Questions and Answers About Drainage Water Management for the Midwest. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue Agriculture URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
A short article about soil amendments and some tips how some different amendments can be used and its benefits.
WEST COAST SEEDS (2011): Soil Amendments and How to Use Them. Ladner: West Coast Seeds URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
This document presents the technical aspects of a fog harvesting project, which started in 1990 in El Tofo, Chile.
UNEP (1997): Chapter 5.2 Fog harvesting in Chile. In: UNEP (1998): Source Book of Alternative Technologies for Freshwater Augmentation in Latin America and the Caribbean. Nairobi: . URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
This paper analyses why a certain reforestation project was successful in some villages in Malawi, while not in others.
BRATEN, R.H. (n.y): Collective Action Reforestation. A Case Study from Malawi. Oslo: University of Oslo URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
Fertilisers and soil amendments are a wide array of materials added to soils to improve plant growth. They can be organic, such as bone meal, or inorganic, such as 10-10-10 fertiliser. Some must be purchased, while others are free for the taking from your landscape. Many are dual purpose—they serve as both fertilisers and soil amendments.
TRAUNFELD, J. NIBALI, E. (2009): Soil Amendments and Fertilizers. Fertilizing Guidelines Included by Plant Group. ELLICOT CITY: Home and Garden Information Center URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
This guide on integrated plant nutrient management, dealing with various aspects of plant nutrition, is an attempt to provide support to the ongoing efforts directed at enhanced and sustainable agricultural production. It seeks to bridge the scientific knowledge gap, and it presents updated information on plant nutrition with emphasis on INM. In helping stakeholders to improve their ability to identify and resolve constraints relating to plant nutrition – be they of a technical, economic, social or policy nature – and to demonstrate on the field practical ways of increasing production through efficient plant nutrition, the guide should assist in achieving the goal of food security.
ROY, R.N. FINCK, A. BLAIR, G.J. TANDON, H.L.S. (2006): Plant Nutrition for Food Security: A Guide for Integrated Nutrient Management. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
A well-illustrated paper about cover crops which answers all important questions.
MUTCH, D.R. MARTIN, T.E. (n.y): Cover Crops. Washington, D.C.: Sustainable Agriculture Publications – USDA URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
Targeted reforestation is likely to be a more cost-effective strategy to manage salinity rather than broad scale land use change.
HEANEY, A. ; BEARE, S. ; BELL, R. (2000): Targeting Reforestation for Salinity Management. In: Australian Commodities: Volume 7 , 511-518. URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
The irrigated area of Pakistan mostly falls in the arid to semi-arid climatic region. Potential evapotranspiration is considerably higher, compared to rainfall received and hence, there is need to conserve soil moisture for better crop production/tree plantation. The broad objective of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of different mulching materials on moisture conservation, soil properties and plant growth. The tested options were: no mulching; placement of rice straw; placement of polythene sheet; mechanical loosening of soil.
CHAUDHRY, M.R. ; MALIK, A.A. ; SIDHU, M. (2004): Mulching Impact on Moisture Conservation - Soil Properties and Plant Growth. In: Pakistan Journal of Water Resources: Volume 8 URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
Conservation agriculture is presented in this handbook of the World Food and Agriculture Organisation FAO and aims to produce high crop yields while reducing production costs, maintaining the soil fertility and conserving water. It is a way to achieve sustainable agriculture and improve livelihoods. Chapter 5 concentrates on soil cover.
FAO (2005): Conservation Agriculture - Chapter 5: Soil Cover. Rome: Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
Communities can protect water resources by instituting minimum requirements for organic matter in soil. Compost, much of which is generated locally, when incorporated into soil improves water holding capacity and soil quality. By incorporating compost into soil for establishment of lawns and landscape plantings, water used for irrigation is conserved and the potential for groundwater contamination is reduced. Read more about it in this paper.
AGRESOURCE (2012): Protecting Local Water Resources by Amending Soil with Compost. Amesbury: Agresource Inc URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
This technical document describes the formation and control of gullies. The severity of gully development depends on a number of factors including soil type, vegetation, rainfall, concentrated flow, and human disturbances. Gullies can erode hillslopes and fill stream channels with sediment. Unchecked, they erode and deliver sediment through a variety of processes that cause loss in soil productivity, channel entrenchment, and headward expansion into the landscape. To best select a design alternative, the desired results of the landowner must be understood along with the character of the gully and its potential impacts.
USACE (2007): Gullies and their Control. New Concord: US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
Small-scale water providers continue to supply water to many parts of Metro Manila, the Philippines. The study found that a high proportion of the poor rely on water services supplied by small-scale water providers, but that these households pay a higher unit rate for the water than their more affluent neighbours. The study yields a number of recommendations, including rationalizing the price of water for poor customers, improving service efficiencies to reduce the costs of supplying water, and developing collaborative relationships among the government regulator, utility, and small-scale water providers.
WSP (2004): The Experience of Small-Scale Water Providers in Serving the Poor in Metro Manila. Washington, D.C.: The Water and Sanitation Programme of the World Bank Group URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
This is a short manual about mulch. It explains the benefits of proper mulching, types of mulch and the problems if they are used improperly.
ISA (2005): Proper Mulching Techniques. Champaign: International Society of Arboriculture URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]
This report is the concluding document of the study, Agricultural Drainage: Toward an Interdisciplinary and Integrated Approach, under the Bank-Netherlands Partnership Program-Environment/Water Resources Management Window. The study spanned more than two years of literature reviews, field investigations, and analysis. Work included case studies in six countries representing a cross-section of drainage situations in different climatic zones.
SAFWAT, A.D. HOEVENAARS, J. MOLLINGA, P.P. SCHEUMANN, W. SLOOTWEG, R. STEENBERGEN, F. van (2004): Reclaiming Drainage. Toward an Integrated Approach. Washington D.C.: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development URL [Accessed: 09.07.2019]