The slash and mulch technique in semi-arid regions

Photo credit: Agricultures Network

Crusted soils yield sorghum again after branches of camel’s foot are cut from the surrounding scrub and added as mulch. Photos: Georges Félix

From slash and burn to ‘slash and mulch’

Written by Georges Félix in Farming Matters | 31.1 | March 2015

EXCERPT

In semi-arid cropping regions of West Africa, fallow periods are getting shorter. As land becomes more scarce, farmers are not able to give their soils enough time to rest. This is leading to depletion of soil organic matter, severely threatening soil fertility and damaging soil structure. In the worst cases, crops hardly yield anything anymore. But this is not an option for family farmers. In Burkina Faso, some have found ways to restore their soils that have been dubbed ‘slash and mulch’. The improvement and spread of these techniques also proves the importance of partnerships between farmers and researchers in developing locally suited practices.

Farmers and agronomists are conducting experiments to find a balance between crop yields, feeding their cattle and improving the soil. Photos: George Félix – http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/soils-for-life/slash-and-mulch/yieldslivestocksoil.jpg

Catching and holding the rain

Food production in Yilou, semi-arid Burkina Faso and in much of dryland Africa, is supported by only three to four months of rainfall each year. The main crops around Yilou are sorghum, cowpea, sesame, okra and other vegetables, hibiscus, and maize around the homesteads. But producing enough food to sustain family nutrition year round is an enormous challenge. Typically, farmers quickly prepare their land at the start of the rains in early June, plant by mid-June, and hope that the rains are abundant and evenly spread throughout the season.

Farmers and agronomists are conducting experiments to find a balance between crop yields, feeding their cattle and improving the soil. Photos: George Félix – http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/soils-for-life/slash-and-mulch/yieldslivestocksoil.jpg

As rainfall is short and intense, with only an average of 500-600 mm each year, minimising runoff and increasing infiltration are crucial. Also, the more soil is covered, more rain infiltrates and less will evaporate. And reducing runoff with physical barriers such as stone bunds and mulch has the added benefit of reducing soil erosion and sediment loss, an important step in rehabilitating degraded lands.

 Read the full article: Agricultures Network