Objetivo African farmers operate under the deleterious effects of a rapidly degrading resource base, particularly from nutrient depletion and soil erosion. Soil organic matter plays a key role in crop sustainability primarily through its interactions with soil chemical and physical properties in relation to nutrient release, cation retention and maintenance of soil structure. By improved management of organic resources, soil erosion is reduced, soil fertility is more sustainable, farm productivity is increased and the quality of life of farmers is enhanced. The principal objective of this proposal is to develop and test an innovative methodology for modification and improvement of the indigenous soil fertility management practices of smallholder farmers in four countries in East and Southern Africa, by increasing the efficiency of use of organic and inorganic resources. Simultaneously, the project aims to enhance the capability of research institutions in these four countries to conduct farmer participatory research in resource management. The research approach involves three phases, which will be conducted in case-study sites in each of the four countries: Kenya, Tanzania, zambia, and zimbabwe. In the first phase, a multi-disciplinary team of social, soil, and biological scientists will work with farmers to identify research priorities, formulate hypotheses, and characterise available resources for their potential in alleviating the primary constraints limiting productivity in key components of the agroecosystems. In the second phase, soil biological process studies will be conducted on-station and on-farm to test strategies for modifications to indigenous soil fertilitv management practices to improve resource use efficiency. In the third phase, spatial models will be constructed in order to determine the applicability of extrapolation of improved management practices to wider areas. The project builds on the experimental approach, methodologies and African research network of the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility programme Ámbito científico social sciencessociologydemographyfertilitysocial scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivityagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturesocial scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and management Programa(s) FP3-STD 3 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of the life sciences and technologies for developing countries, 1990-1994 Tema(s) Data not available Convocatoria de propuestas Data not available Régimen de financiación CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinador BBSRC Institute of Arable Crops Research Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Rothamsted Experimental Station AL5 2JQ Harpenden Reino Unido Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Participantes (7) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo Institut Français de Recherche Scientifique pour le Développement en Coopération (ORSTOM) Francia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 70-74 route d'Aulnay 93143 Bondy Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Kenya Agricultural Research Institute Kenia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Nairobi Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Misamfu Research Station Zambia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Kasama Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Sokoine University of Agriculture Tanzania Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Morogoro Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID España Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Isaac Peral 28040 MADRID Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN Dinamarca Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 83,Solvgade 83 H 1307 KOEBENHAVN K/COPENHAEGEN Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos University of Zimbabwe Zimbabue Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección MP 167 Harare Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos