The role of indigenous knowledge in the Management of soil fertility among smallholder farmers of Emuhaya division, Vihiga district

Abstract

This study was undertaken to understand the role of indigenous knowledge in soil fertility management among smallholder farmers of Emuhaya division of Vihiga District, western Kenya. In effect, the study sought to demonstrate that being traditionally an agricultural community, the subjects of this study have gained and/or acquired an elaborate knowledge and skills that relate to farming in general and soil fertility in particular. The focus of this study, therefore, was on the indigenous knowledge perspective of soil fertility management. The assumption being that if smallholder farmers are to attain sustainable agriculture, future agricultural development programmes should not only incorporate indigenous agricultural knowledge, but should also see to it that both genders are included in the design and implementation of the soil fertility initiatives. The inability of smallholder farmers to cope with the requirements of the modern soil amendment strategies was one of the reasons behind this study. The overriding factor here was that smallholders with limited landholdings and limited or no disposable cash income to purchase soil amendment inputs should be given the chance to explore the use of available local resources to support their farming. This research was carried out in Emuhaya division of Vihiga District Western Kenya. A reconnaissance and the pre-testing of the research instrument preceded the data collection and also included the participation in wealth ranking exercise facilitated by the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility. Programme (TSBF). The actual fieldwork took two months and included the administration of a questionnaire to 100 farmers, conducting in-depth and key informant interviews with 30 farmers and 25 key informants, facilitating a total of 10 focus group discussions as well as direct observation in selected farmers' fields. The findings of the study have also been complemented by literature review on earlier studies but with similar focus. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences(SPSS) computer package whilst qualitative data were subjected to systematic content analysis before being analyzed further using the ATLASti computer package. VII The findings of the study, suggest that farmers have detailed knowledge about their local soils. This knowledge is gathered from many sources, mainly experience, and is responsible for the naming and classification of local soils. Farmers also use their local knowledge to diagnose soil nutrient status. Smallholder farmers are also increasingly becoming worried about the fertility status of their farms. Consequently, they continuously employ a number of strategies to manage the fertility of their croplands. While some of these strategies are derived from modern scientific thinking, others can be characterized as indigenous practices which have persisted with time. This study also found that smallholders continue to face constraints in their effort to manage the soil nutrient status. These include limited sizes of landholdings, none or a limited number of livestock, and lack of disposable cash income because of poverty. The study recommends that indigenous knowledge and practices be mainstreamed in policies that touch on land and soil management. Indeed, it is time to start initiating processes and activities for the formulation of soil policy in Kenya. There is also need to institute studies focusing specifically on local crops and their nutrient requirements. At the same time, future studies should help us focus on specific inputs and how their efficiency can be enhanced. Integration of knowledge systems and practices will surely enhance soil fertility management among srnallholders of Emuhaya