Soil fertility management in semi-arid India: It's role in agricultural systems and the livelihoods of poor people. A review of literature and field experience.
Abstract
This review is focused on soil fertility management in semi-arid India. It aims to span issues relating to the role of soil fertility management in agricultural production (part 1) with an emphasis on rainfed cropping, and in the livelihoods of rural families (part 2) who may not have access to land, but are nevertheless involved in aspects of soil fertility management as producers, processors or traders of inputs. Although part 1 is focused on rainfed agriculture, it is recognised that in many areas there is a complex mosaic of irrigated and dryland land which are part of the same system and with important impacts on flows of nutrients. The second part of the review focuses on organic inputs, the use of which is less well understood and documented than inorganic fertilisers. Consequently this part of the review also relies more heavily upon field experiences and the views of field workers, rather than published sources.
Citation
Butterworth, J.A. and Satheesh, P.V. 2001. Soil fertility management in semi-arid India: It’s role in agricultural systems and the livelihoods of poor people. A review of literature and field experience. Annex A of the Final Technical Report of project R7974. Chatham, UK: Natural Resources Institute. 30 pp.
Links