Farmers’ Perceptions as a Driver of Agricultural Practices: Understanding Soil Fertility Management Practices in Cocoa Agroforestry Systems in Cameroon
In Africa, cocoa yields are low, partly due to soil fertility constraints and poor management. While peoples’knowledge, aspirations,and abilities are key factors explaining their behaviour, little is known about the rationales that underpin soil fertility managementpractices (SFMPs) of cocoa farmers. To address this gap, we conducted an exploratory survey in two contrasting regions in Cameroonwhere cocoa is an important crop: the humid forest and the forest-savannah transition zone. Some 30% of farmers in the transition zoneas opposed to 13% in the humid forest expressed concerns about soil fertility. The most relevant soil fertility indicators for farmerswere high cocoa yield, dark soil colour, ease of tillage, and floral composition. To enhance and maintain soil fertility, farmers usedresidues from weeding (100%), planting of trees (42%), mineral fertilisers (33%), compost (16%), and manure (13%). More farmers inthe transition zone than the humid forest implemented SFMPs. Our findings suggest that soil fertility perceptions, access to inputs,local practices, and experience influence farmers’use of SFMPs. The limited use of mineral fertilisers was explained by poor accesswhereas the use of organic fertilisers and tree planting were mostlyconstrained by lack of labour and knowledge. Farmers prioritisedpractices to increase yield and viewed SFMPs to be the least important management practices, although they believe high cocoa yieldis an important indicator of soil fertility. To foster sustainable cocoa intensification, it is necessary to enhance farmers’knowledge onSFMPs, increase access to inputs, and ensure returns on investment while considering farmers’priorities and practices
Farmers’ Perceptions as a Driver of Agricultural Practices: Understanding Soil Fertility Management Practices in Cocoa Agroforestry Systems in Cameroon
Résumé
en
In Africa, cocoa yields are low, partly due to soil fertility constraints and poor management. While peoples’knowledge, aspirations,and abilities are key factors explaining their behaviour, little is known about the rationales that underpin soil fertility managementpractices (SFMPs) of cocoa farmers. To address this gap, we conducted an exploratory survey in two contrasting regions in Cameroonwhere cocoa is an important crop: the humid forest and the forest-savannah transition zone. Some 30% of farmers in the transition zoneas opposed to 13% in the humid forest expressed concerns about soil fertility. The most relevant soil fertility indicators for farmerswere high cocoa yield, dark soil colour, ease of tillage, and floral composition. To enhance and maintain soil fertility, farmers usedresidues from weeding (100%), planting of trees (42%), mineral fertilisers (33%), compost (16%), and manure (13%). More farmers inthe transition zone than the humid forest implemented SFMPs. Our findings suggest that soil fertility perceptions, access to inputs,local practices, and experience influence farmers’use of SFMPs. The limited use of mineral fertilisers was explained by poor accesswhereas the use of organic fertilisers and tree planting were mostlyconstrained by lack of labour and knowledge. Farmers prioritisedpractices to increase yield and viewed SFMPs to be the least important management practices, although they believe high cocoa yieldis an important indicator of soil fertility. To foster sustainable cocoa intensification, it is necessary to enhance farmers’knowledge onSFMPs, increase access to inputs, and ensure returns on investment while considering farmers’priorities and practices
Auteur(s)
Urcil P Kenfack Essougong1, 2, 3
, Maja Slingerland3
, Syndhia Mathé4, 1, 5
, Wouter Vanhove6
, Precillia I Tata Ngome7
, Philippe Boudes8
, Ken E Giller3
, Lotte S Woittiez3
, Cees Leeuwis2
1
IITA-DRC -
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
( 444410 )
- BP 4163
Kinshasa
- Congo-Kinshasa
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture [Nigeria] ( 34312 )
;
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research [CGIAR] ( 300980 )
2
Knowledge, Technology and Innovation group
( 490548 )
- Pays-Bas
Wageningen University and Research [Wageningen] ( 356395 )
3
WUR -
Wageningen University and Research [Wageningen]
( 356395 )
- Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 PB Wageningen
- Pays-Bas
4
UMR Innovation -
Innovation et Développement dans l'Agriculture et l'Alimentation
( 1002403 )
- A l'INRA : Campus La Gaillarde – 2 place Viala – Bat 27 - 34060 Montpellier Cedex 02
Au CIRAD : Campus Lavalette – TA-85/15 – 73, rue J.F. Breton - 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5
A l'IRC : 1101, avenue Agropolis - BP 5098 - 34093 MONTPELLIER Cedex 05
- France
Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement UMR85-2007 ( 11574 )
;
Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement UMR0951 ( 577435 )
;
Institut Agro - Montpellier SupAgro ( 1090073 )
;
Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement ( 1042499 )
5
Cirad-ES -
Département Environnements et Sociétés
( 420902 )
- Campus international de Baillarguet TA C-DIR / B 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5 France
- France
Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement ( 11574 )
6
UGENT -
Universiteit Gent = Ghent University
( 302729 )
- St. Pietersnieuwstraat 33, 9000 Gent,
- Belgique
7
IRAD -
Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement [Yaoundé]
( 110750 )
- BP 2067/2123, Yaoundé
- Cameroun
8
ESO -
Espaces et Sociétés
( 59373 )
- France
Université de Caen Normandie ( 7127 )
;
Normandie Université ( 455934 )
;
Le Mans Université ( 7566 )
;
Université d'Angers ( 74911 )
;
AGROCAMPUS OUEST ( 108028 )
;
Université de Rennes 2 ( 406201 )
;
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( 441569 )
;
Institut de Géographie et d'Aménagement Régional de l'Université de Nantes ( 530572 )
;
Université de Nantes 93263 ( 93263 )
Langue du document
Anglais
Nom de la revue
Human Ecology
(ISSN : 0300-7839, ISSN électronique : 1572-9915)
Publié par Springer Verlag
Revue non référencée dans Sherpa-Romeo
Vulgarisation
Non
Comité de lecture
Oui
Audience
Internationale
Volume
48
Page/Identifiant
709 - 720
Date de publication
2020
Numéro
6
Licence
Paternité - Pas d'utilisation commerciale - Pas de modification
Domaine(s)
Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]/Sciences agricoles/Sciences et techniques de l'agriculture
Sciences de l'Homme et Société/Sociologie
Mots-clés
en
Smallholder farmers, Soil fertility management practices, Pest and disease management, Agroforestry, Post-harvest Perceptions, Cocoa, Cameroon
Urcil P Kenfack Essougong, Maja Slingerland, Syndhia Mathé, Wouter Vanhove, Precillia I Tata Ngome, et al.. Farmers’ Perceptions as a Driver of Agricultural Practices: Understanding Soil Fertility Management Practices in Cocoa Agroforestry Systems in Cameroon. Human Ecology, 2020, 48 (6), pp.709 - 720. ⟨10.1007/s10745-020-00190-0⟩. ⟨hal-03136338⟩