Abstract
Exploring the synergy of Farmer Field Schools (FFSs) and profitable market links on agricultural production is important in enhancing adoption of improved Soil Fertility Management (SFM) innovations in smallholder farming systems. A comparison study was conducted in the highlands of southwestern Uganda with communities with and without FFSs having urban and local potato market links respectively. While it is widely perceived that the FFS approach is experiential learning among farmers and may lead to adoption of improved beneficial innovations, potato farmers in the highlands of southwestern Uganda invested less towards improving soil fertility. Furthermore, linking farmers to improved markets did not necessarily lead to adequate investment in improved SFM in potato production. This led to continuous soil mining and subsequent negative nutrient flow balances in most potato fields belonging to households of the different wealth categories. Positive nutrient flow balances of some fields resulted in reduced tuber yields due to infection of bacterial wilt, leading to reduced nutrient outflows from potato fields.
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