Sustainable Organic Fertilizer Agriculture

Theme

Food system

Area

Strategy

To promote the adoption of locally produced organic fertilizers to address soil degradation, health concerns, and economic challenges, fostering sustainable agricultural practices in Mkushi district.

Place and constituency

Masansa, Mkushi
Masansa Conservation Youth Club, YEFI, District Agriculture office, Constituency Development office

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Summary

The Masansa Conservation Youth Club initiative in Mkushi district focuses on promoting sustainable agriculture by advocating for the use of locally produced organic fertilizers. This approach aims to counter the negative impacts of chemical fertilizers, addressing issues like soil degradation, health concerns, and economic challenges. By providing an alternative solution and fostering knowledge about organic farming practices, the initiative strives to enhance soil health, crop yields, and overall agricultural sustainability.

The problem

With the continued use of chemical fertilizers which are very expensive for ordinary rural farmers in Mkushi have contributed to reduced soil fertility, causing health problems, creating huge pieces of land abandoned due to acidity of the soil. Chemical fertilizer has been linked to destroying microorganisms in the soil that contribute to soil health. The district besides experiencing high cost of inputs also has limited access to sustainable crops that can respond to the climate crisis. Majority of the farmers were experiencing low yields because that could not afford to pay the farming inputs. Therefore, substituting chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer is an important agricultural practice that improves crop yields but also affects soil biogeochemical cycling.

Background to the problem:

In the context of Mkushi district, the background to the problem centers on the detrimental effects of prolonged chemical fertilizer use in agriculture. This has led to reduced soil fertility, health concerns, abandoned acidic land, limited access to climate-resilient crops, high input costs, and low yields. These challenges underscore the necessity for alternative solutions that promote sustainable practices. The initiative led by the Masansa Conservation Youth Club aims to address this complex issue by advocating for locally produced organic fertilizers and holistic farming approaches, aiming to improve soil health, crop yields, and overall agricultural sustainability

The solution

Organic fertilizers comprise a variety of plant-derived materials that range from fresh or dried plant material to animal manures and litter to agricultural by-products. The initiative uses particularly organic manure from chickens, goats, agricultural waste, roam soil and cows which are locally available. The fertilizer produced is compost and liquid manure for pest control and top-dressing fertilizer. The fertilizer produced contains high levels of nutrients needed for crops such as nitrogen and nitrates.

The youth club, discussing their organic fertilizer initiative, conveyed insights from a farmer about the benefits of these fertilizers. Organic fertilizers, rich in essential nutrients, address synthetic fertilizer issues and reduce the need for frequent application. They gradually release nutrients, ensuring balanced crop growth, while also serving as an energy source for soil microbes, improving soil structure. Noted for their slow-release and trace element-rich nature, organic fertilizers offer a safer option than chemical counterparts. The youth club acknowledged the risk of misuse leading to overfertilization or nutrient deficiency, proposing a controlled release strategy to maintain sustainable agricultural yields.

Target Market:

The target market of the initiative led by the Masansa Conservation Youth Club is ordinary rural farmers in the Mkushi district. These farmers are currently facing challenges due to the use of expensive chemical fertilizers, leading to reduced soil fertility, health problems, and abandoned land. The initiative provides an alternative solution to these issues by promoting the use of organic fertilizers. The target audience includes small-scale farmers who have limited resources and access to sustainable crops that can thrive in the local climate conditions. By offering information, training, and access to locally produced organic fertilizers, the initiative aims to benefit these farmers by improving crop yields, enhancing soil health, and contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices in the district.

Business model:

The initiative is more focused on addressing agricultural and environmental challenges rather than generating profit. However, the initiative offers locally produced organic fertilizers, including compost and liquid manure derived from various organic sources like chicken and goat manure, agricultural waste, roam soil, and cow manure. Although the initiative does not focus on profit, initiative at times could sell organic fertilizers to farmers at a reasonable cost, which help cover production expenses and sustain the club.

Competators:

The initiative has companies producing and selling chemical fertilizers considered direct competitors. Also, farmers choose between chemical and organic fertilizers based on factors like cost, convenience, and perceived effectiveness. The government program through FISP and supported agribusiness stand in the way of organic fertilizer consumption by local farmers.

Unique Selling Proposition:

The unique selling proposition led by the Masansa Conservation Youth Club of promoting the use of organic fertilizers, lies in its holistic approach to addressing multiple challenges faced by ordinary rural farmers in Mkushi district. The initiative offers a comprehensive and sustainable solution to the challenges posed by chemical fertilizers. The clubs focus on a combination of organic materials, such as chicken and goat manure, agricultural waste, roam soil, and cow manure, ensures a natural and nutrient-rich fertilizer. This approach benefits both the environment and the community by providing a safer, more cost-effective, and long-term solution to farming challenges, ultimately fostering resilient and sustainable agriculture

Effects and results

The club has managed to get a grant under Constituency Development Fund under the Ministry of local
government for 2022 amounting to K7, 500 that supported the expansion reach to local farmers.
The club has managed to train 60 cooperatives within Mkushi District.
The club has managed to train 2, 220 farmers who have been trained in sustainable agriculture.
The club has well established 5 demo plots within the district for conducting training for farmers within the
district.

Key-Takeaways

Beyond the context of the Masansa Conservation Youth Club initiative, the practices and principles of promoting locally produced organic fertilizers can serve as a model for sustainable agriculture elsewhere. These encompass advocating for the use of diverse organic materials, emphasizing the importance of nutrient-rich compost and liquid manure. Additionally, the initiative's educational efforts play a pivotal role by training farmers in making organic compost manure and liquid fertilizer, implementing intercropping and crop rotation techniques, utilizing methods such as ripping and constructing various crop beds. The promotion of seed banks contributes to broader seed sovereignty 3 objectives, while teaching organic food preservation and crop drying using solar methods addresses post-harvest challenges sustainably. Moreover, the club's educational outreach on the dangers of chemical fertilizers and the significance of sustainable organic farming extends beyond the initiative, fostering awareness and positive agricultural practices in wider contexts.

Feasibility

Technical resources and capacity available

The initiative utilizes locally available organic materials and employs methods such as composting, intercropping, and crop rotation. This suggests a strong alignment with existing agricultural practices, making it technically feasible. However, the initiative's success might depend on the availability of trained personnel to educate and support farmers effectively. The solution seems well-established, leveraging proven agricultural techniques.

Economic viability, cost and benefits

Organic fertilizers can be produced using locally sourced materials, potentially reducing input costs compared to chemical fertilizers. This could make the initiative economically viable for small-scale farmers, especially if the costs associated with training and education are manageable. The benefits include improved crop yields, enhanced soil health, and potential savings on costly chemical inputs.

Legal requirements

The initiative aligns with environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices, which generally don't conflict with legal requirements. However, there could be local regulations related to waste disposal, land use, or crop cultivation that need to be considered. Ensuring compliance with any such regulations is essential for the initiative's success.

Level of experience

The initiative has built on existing agricultural knowledge and practices for over 7yrs since 2017 in composting, intercropping, and crop rotation are well-known techniques. Therefore, the experience level required to implement these practices might vary from existing which is for traditional farmers to incremental for those familiar with organic farming to new for individuals or cooperatives that are completely new to sustainable agriculture

Potential for scaling

Scaling deep: trainings, mentorships, networks supporting growth of communities of practice The initiative has a strong potential for scaling deep through training, mentorships, and networks. By establishing communities of practice, the knowledge and practices of organic fertilization can be shared, refined, and expanded within the local context. Training programs can be enhanced to include mentoring, encouraging more farmers to adopt sustainable practices, thereby creating a network of informed practitioners.

Scaling up: policy, planning and legislation that values and invest in solution To scale up the initiative, there is a need for supportive policies, planning, and legislation that value and invest in sustainable agricultural solutions. Advocacy efforts can focus on highlighting the benefits of organic farming and encouraging government support for such practices. If policies and regulations prioritize sustainable agriculture, it could lead to wider adoption and funding for initiatives like this one.

Scaling out: replication in other contexts, access to infrastructure and resources The initiative's success can be replicated in other contexts with similar agricultural challenges. By sharing best practices and knowledge, the initiative can be scaled out to neighboring regions or communities facing similar soil degradation and economic issues. Access to infrastructure and resources, such as composting facilities or educational materials, can facilitate this expansion

Future

Opportunities Available:

There is an opportunity to collaborate with cooperatives for scaling up the initiative.
There is an opportunity to work with the department of agriculture to promote sustainable farming.
There is an opportunity to cut the costs for farming inputs if organic fertilizer is used as compared to chemical fertilizer.
There is an opportunity for communities to produce their own fertilizer and apply it at point in the agricultural season.

What should we do next?

The club needs funding for the procurement of equipment’s to support the scaling up process of sustainable agriculture. Financial assistance for continuous training, workshops, and educational materials will enhance the club's capacity to educate farmers effectively and enable them to transition to sustainable agriculture successfully. Funds are needed for poultry to ensure availability of chicken manure for organic fertilizer production. There is a need to procure wire fence for security of demo plots. Funding is required to expand outreach efforts to the remaining cooperatives in Mkushi District, enabling the club to offer sustainable agriculture training to a broader audience and fostering community participation. The club envisions to establish a mentorship program which will require resources for organizing training sessions, workshops, and providing incentives to experienced farmers who can guide and support newcomers in adopting organic practices.