One of the most popular agroforestry practices in the highlands of Kenya is to use traditional hedges to demarcate both external
and internal boundaries of farms and compounds. These hedges
also protect soil and crops as well as producing fodder green manure and mulch. Among the most common species found in
them are Tithonia diversifolia Lantana camara Thevetia eruuiana
and Croton megalocarpus. Some species such as tithonia and
lantana produce large quantities of biomass which farmers do
not fully utilize as green manure. Yet the major constraint to high
crop productivity in Kenya is declining soil fertility. In particular the soils are deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus.
Publication year
1997
Authors
Nyasimi, M.; Niang, A.I.; Amadalo, B.A.; Obonyo, E.; Jama, B.A.
Keywords
Crop yield, Green manures, Organic fertilizers, Phosphorus, Propagation materials, Soil fertility
