The role of integrated soil fertility management in improving crop yields in the Ethiopian Highlands

Land degradation and declining productivity in the Ethiopian Highlands are primarily caused by soil fertility decline due to erosion, nutrient depletion, and soil acidity. An integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) project operating over a six-year period aimed to combat this and boost yields through participatory demonstrations. Despite high levels of yield variability expected from a farmer-managed observational study over a wide area, results show that crop yields increased with increased use of ISFM.

Research article first published in the journal “Experimental Agriculture (2023), vol. 59, e24, 1–17” by Cambridge University Press, November 2023

Authors: Julia Doldt, Kidist Yilma, Jim Ellis-Jones, Steffen Schulz, Alex Thomson and Carlos Barahona