Abstract
Abstract Background: Closing the yield gap, especially in Africa, using environmentally appropriate and sustainable methods is important to meet current and future food demands. Grow Biointensive Sustainable Agriculture (GBSA) is an organic method that combines eight sustainable practices that may close the yield gap, increase food production, improve soil quality and reduce soil nutrient loss. Method: Utilizing the GBSA method, four Kenyan farms over four years tested the effect of a one-time application of organic fertilizers (recommended based on soil testing) on crop and residue yields and soil parameter levels. Results: Yearly crop edible yields increased overall for maize, sorghum and sweet potatoes. Amaranth showed no significant change. Yearly crop residue yields increased for sweet potatoes, and increased marginally for amaranth, maize, and sorghum. Harvesting practice changes in cowpeas and lablab made interpretation more complex, but both edible and residue yields for these crops varied from unchanged to significantly increased. Fourteen soil parameters were tested. Boron, electrical conductivity, magnesium, organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur and zinc increased significantly. Calcium, copper, iron, pH, and sodium showed no significant changes, and only manganese levels decreased significantly. Conclusion: Combining a single application of recommended organic fertilizers and the GBSA method, farmers may be able to improve their crop yields and maintain soil fertility in a manner that is more sustainable.
Highlights
Global food systems face two main challenges: (1) feeding a growing population with increasing consumption levels of calories and animal products (Bodirsky et al, 2015; Sans and Combris, 2015); and (2) supporting ecosystem services, restoring natural resources degraded by unsustainable agricultural practices, and staying within safe operating biophysical boundaries (Rockström et al, 2009, 2015; Godfray et al, 2010; Foley et al, 2011).Closed Loop Fertility AfricaAfrica faces these challenges in unique and demanding ways
Amaranth and cowpea yields did not significantly change, and lablab yields increased through the second season of Year 3 when harvesting practices were changed
Edible yields of many of the crops increased from Year 1 and continued to increase each year (Figure 4), suggesting that the one-time addition of organic fertilizers and subsequent compost additions increased soil nutrient availability, which had a positive effect on crops
Summary
Global food systems face two main challenges: (1) feeding a growing population with increasing consumption levels of calories and animal products (Bodirsky et al, 2015; Sans and Combris, 2015); and (2) supporting ecosystem services, restoring natural resources degraded by unsustainable agricultural practices, and staying within safe operating biophysical boundaries (Rockström et al, 2009, 2015; Godfray et al, 2010; Foley et al, 2011) Africa faces these challenges in unique and demanding ways. The projected doubling in population size by 2050 (United Nations Department of Economic Social Affairs, 2010) and increased caloric and animal product demand (Roxburgh et al, 2011) place increased burdens on food production systems To address these food needs within the constraints of sustainable development such as limited water, energy and land availability, and biodiversity loss adds additional challenges (Foley et al, 2011; Montpellier Panel Report, 2013). Grow Biointensive Sustainable Agriculture (GBSA) is an organic method that combines eight sustainable principles that may close the yield gap, increase food production, improve soil quality, and reduce soil nutrient loss
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