Agricultural Management Practices and Decision-Making in View of Soil Organic Matter in the Urbanizing Region of Bangalore

Abstract

Rapid urbanization and agricultural intensification are currently impacting the soils of many tropical countries. Bangalore is a growing megacity experiencing both issues and their derived ecological and socio-economic effects. This paper seeks to understand how the socio-economic effects of urbanization are affecting soil organic carbon (SOC) in Bangalore’s rural–urban interface. We first compiled information on how management practices affect SOC dynamics and specifically evaluated the effects of fertilization practices on SOC levels in major cropping systems. We then used interview data from farmers’ households across an urbanity gradient in Bangalore to test the association between urbanization as well as related socio-economic drivers and farming practices. We found that fertilization increases SOC concentrations, especially when mineral fertilizer is combined with additional farmyard manure. Single mineral fertilizer and a combination of mineral fertilizer and farmyard manure are commonly applied in Bangalore. Conservation practices, such as reduced tillage and mulching, are applied by 48% and 16% of households, respectively. Farm and household characteristics, including market integration, are the most important determinants of management decisions that affect SOC. Our study shows that improving farm and household conditions and opportunities, independently of the degree of urbanity, is necessary for implementing agricultural practices that can benefit SOC in Bangalore.