Assessment of the impact of water erosion on productivity of maize in Kenya: an integrated modelling approach

Mantel, S.; Engelen, V.W.P. van

doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-145x(199911/12)10:6<577::aid-ldr365>3.0.co;2-f

Cited by 15 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Accurate and detailed spatial soil information is essential for conducting yield gap analysis. In Africa, where land degradation and a loss in soil fertility have been reported by numerous studies [39,40], such spatial remote sensing-based information is increasingly required by farmers in order to improve land management and thereby reducing yield gap. To this end, many remote sensing-based mapping and advanced machine learning modeling approaches (i.e., multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest regression (RFR) [41] and support vector machine (SVM) [42]) have been used for yield gap estimation.…”

Section: Studies Combining Remote Sensing-based Soil Properties Mapping and Advanced Modeling Approaches For Yield Gap Estimationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring and Analyzing Yield Gap in Africa through Soil Attribute Best Management Using Remote Sensing Approaches: A Review

Khechba¹,

Laamrani²,

Dhiba³

et al. 2021

Remote Sensing

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Africa has the largest population growth rate in the world and an agricultural system characterized by the predominance of smallholder farmers. Improving food security in Africa will require a good understanding of farming systems yields as well as reducing yield gaps (i.e., the difference between potential yield and actual farmer yield). To this end, crop yield gap practices in African countries need to be understood to fill this gap while decreasing the environmental impacts of agricultural systems. For instance, the variability of yields has been demonstrated to be strongly controlled by soil fertilizer use, irrigation management, soil attribute, and the climate. Consequently, the quantitative assessment and mapping information of soil attributes such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), soil organic carbon (SOC), moisture content (MC), and soil texture (i.e., clay, sand and silt contents) on the ground are essential to potentially reducing the yield gap. However, to assess, measure, and monitor these soil yield-related parameters in the field, there is a need for rapid, accurate, and inexpensive methods. Recent advances in remote sensing technologies and high computational performances offer a unique opportunity to implement cost-effective spatiotemporal methods for estimating crop yield with important levels of scalability. However, researchers and scientists in Africa are not taking advantage of the opportunity of increasingly available geospatial remote sensing technologies and data for yield studies. The objectives of this report are to (i) conduct a review of scientific literature on the current status of African yield gap analysis research and their variation in regard to soil properties management by using remote sensing techniques; (ii) review and describe optimal yield practices in Africa; and (iii) identify gaps and limitations to higher yields in African smallholder farms and propose possible improvements. Our literature reviewed 80 publications and covered a period of 22 years (1998-2020) over many selected African countries with a potential yield improvement. Our results found that (i) the number of agriculture yield-focused remote sensing studies has gradually increased, with the largest proportion of studies published during the last 15 years; (ii) most studies were conducted exclusively using multispectral Landsat and Sentinel sensors; and (iii) over the past decade, hyperspectral imagery has contributed to a better understanding of yield gap analysis compared to multispectral imagery; (iv) soil nutrients (i.e., NPK) are not the main factor influencing the studied crop productivity in Africa, whereas clay, SOC, and soil pH were the most examined soil properties in prior papers.

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Section: Studies Combining Remote Sensing-based Soil Properties Mapping and Advanced Modeling Approaches For Yield Gap Estimationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring and Analyzing Yield Gap in Africa through Soil Attribute Best Management Using Remote Sensing Approaches: A Review

Khechba¹,

Laamrani²,

Dhiba³

et al. 2021

Remote Sensing

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“…The spatial distribution of sediment yield along stream channels was estimated with a sediment delivery model. In previous years' significant number of erosion assessment methods used plot scale observations to extrapolate catchment or landscape erosion rates [49,50]. Recent advances in GIS, remote sensing, and DEM have promoted the application of spatial models of erosion and sediment distribution at catchment scales [51].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil erosion and sediment yield assessment using RUSLE and GIS-based approach in Anjeb watershed, Northwest Ethiopia

Tsegaye

Bharti

2021

SN Appl. Sci.

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Soil erosion is a serious and continuous environmental problem in Ethiopia. Lack of land use planning, environmental protection, over-cultivation, and overgrazing are prominent causes of erosion and sedimentation. This study is conducted in Anjeb watershed located in the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia. In this study, the quantity and distribution of soil erosion, sediment delivery ratio (SDR), and sediment yield of the watershed were assessed by employing remote sensing, geographic information system (GIS), and revised universal soil loss equation analysis capabilities. Important data sets of topography, soil, conservations practices, cover management, and rainfall factors were processed and superimposed in GIS analysis, and soil loss rate, SDR, and sediment yield of the watershed were derived. Based on the result found, the watershed was categorized into six classes of erosion: slight (0–5), moderate (5–10), high (10–15), very high (15–30), severe (30–50), and very severe (> 50) t ha−1 yr−1. The estimated average annual soil loss was 17.3 t ha−1 yr−1. The soil loss rate is higher in the steeper and topographically dissected part of the watershed. The average sediment delivery capacity was about 0.122. The result showed that the average sediment yield in the watershed was grouped into classes of low (< 2.5), moderate (2.5–7.5), high (7.5–12.5), very high (12.5–22.5), severe (22.5–40), and very severe (> 40) t ha−1 yr−1. It is found that from a total of 20,125.5 t yr−1 eroded soil over the whole watershed 2254.5 t yr−1 of sediment has been brought and deposited to the channels. Sediment accumulation from the watershed threatens the storage capacity and life span of Anjeb reservoir which is the source of irrigation water downstream. The study provides an insight to planners and resource managers to design and implement practices of watershed management to reduce erosion and enhance land productivity and to minimize the reservoir sediment accumulation.

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“…Higher productivity in the maize sector could propel Ethiopia's food production and would enable the country to reduce its national food deficit and keep pace with a growing population. However, production is severely constrained by stemborer pests and parasitic weeds, particularly Striga, and low soil fertility [44,45]. Stemborers alone can result in significant yield losses ranging 10-80% of the total maize yield, depending on pest population density and phenological stage of the crop at infestation [46].…”

Section: The Push-pull Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Transdisciplinary Research: Collaborative Leadership and Empowerment Towards Sustainability of Push–Pull Technology

et al. 2018

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A transdisciplinary research approach requires that different scientists with their discipline-specific theories, concepts and methods find ways to work together with other societal players to address a real-life problem. In this study, the push-pull technology (PPT) was used as a boundary object to enable interactions among stakeholders across science-practice boundaries engaged in the control of stemborer pest in maize crops in Bako Tibe, Jimma Arjo and Yayu Woredas in Ethiopia between August 2014 and April 2015. The PPT is a biological mechanism developed by researchers for the control of stemborer pests and Striga weed in maize crop. It involves inter-cropping maize with a stemborer moth-repellent silverleaf or greenleaf Desmodium (push), and planting an attractive trap crop, Napier or Brachiaria grass (pull), around it. The on-farm implementation of PPT was used to provide an opportunity for collaboration, interaction and learning among stakeholders including researchers from the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research and practitioners from the Ministry of Agriculture and smallholder farmers/traders. The research was implemented following the transdisciplinary action research and the data collected using mixed methods approach, including key informant interviews, focus group discussions, workshops, on-farm practical demonstrations and participant observations. The findings show that collaborative leadership provides a chance for the stakeholders to participate in the technology learning and decision making, by enabling them to jointly contribute skills towards development, refinement and adaptation of the PPT. In situations where there are conflicts, they are embraced and converted to opportunities for in-depth learning, finding solutions and adaptation of the innovation processes rather than being sources of contradictions or misunderstandings. The leadership roles of the farmers enabled them to reflect on their own practices and draw on scientific explanations from researchers. It also enabled them to take the lead in new technology implementation and information sharing with fellow farmers and other stakeholders in a free and easy manner. Although the perennial nature of the companion crops in the PPT provides opportunities for continuous stakeholder interaction and learning, it requires a personally committed leadership and formal institutional engagements for the sustainability of the activities, which span several cropping seasons. Market forces and the involvement of the private sector also play a role as shown from the involvement of individual farmers and traders in Desmodium and Brachiaria seed production, collection and distribution during the PPT implementation.

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Assessment of the impact of water erosion on productivity of maize in Kenya: an integrated modelling approach

Cited by 15 publications

References 18 publications

Monitoring and Analyzing Yield Gap in Africa through Soil Attribute Best Management Using Remote Sensing Approaches: A Review

Monitoring and Analyzing Yield Gap in Africa through Soil Attribute Best Management Using Remote Sensing Approaches: A Review

Soil erosion and sediment yield assessment using RUSLE and GIS-based approach in Anjeb watershed, Northwest Ethiopia

Transdisciplinary Research: Collaborative Leadership and Empowerment Towards Sustainability of Push–Pull Technology

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