Study now warns over declining soil fertility

Eroded soil in Kenya; Declining soil fertility is threatening efforts to increase food production in Kenya, agriculture authorities and institutes have said. Courtesy/ Ciat mapped.

What you need to know:

  • Farmers in the country can test the acidity of their soils at Kari, the Kenya Plant and Health Inspectorate, and other farming organisations recognised by agriculture authorities.

Declining soil fertility is threatening efforts to increase food production in Kenya, agriculture authorities and institutes have said.

Most of Kenya’s soil is affected by continuous use of acidified fertilisers, according to a joint report by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari). Overuse of certain types of fertiliser will take most crucial nutrients from the land, such as potassium, calcium, nitrogen, and phosphorous, said the report. “Before planting farmers are highly advised to test their soils so that they are advised on what fertiliser to use,” said Leonard Ochieng, the director of agriculture in Nakuru County.

Farmers in the country can test the acidity of their soils at Kari, the Kenya Plant and Health Inspectorate, and other farming organisations recognised by agriculture authorities.
“As we are moving towards ensuring that Kenya is food secure, it is very important that farmers use the recommended fertiliser to avoid investing too much and harvesting too little,” said Lusike Wasilwa, the assistant director for horticulture and industrial crops at Kari. Samuel Gitonga, the Nakuru County chairman for the Kenya National Federation of the Agricultural Producers, said farmers should be educated on the need to test their soils.