A comparative analysis of NRM practices among smallholder farmers from five sub-Saharan African countries

Abstract

In sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, population and high rate of population growth have led to decreased fallow periods, steadily leading to decline in per capita food production, low farm income, and widespread poverty. Sustainable rates of economic growth, in which agriculture plays a key role, are critical for the reduction of poverty in SSA. A project funded by the International Development Research Council (IDRC) was launched by the African Network for Soil Biology and Fertility (AfNet) and the Enabling Rural Innovation (ERI) institute, both of Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropica (CIAT) to address agricultural development-related natural resource management challenges in selected countries (Burkina Faso, Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Uganda, and Zimbabwe) in SSA. Baseline surveys were part of this project. This manuscript presents an aspect of the outcome from the baseline survey of 484 farmers randomly selected from five of the project countries (Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Uganda).