Soil fertility management in yam cropping systems in Côte d’Ivoire

What do we see on the project photo?
Here we are working with the farmers from the local community to prepare the field trial in one of the project sites. The field trials were carried out for two years and interested farmers were invited to get hands-on experience on the tested practices.

How would you explain to a child what the project is doing?
Farms in West Africa often have poor soils, so it is difficult to grow enough food. Sometimes farmers therefore cut down the forest to grow crops there. In this project we worked together with farmers to make their soils better so that they can grow more food without having to cut down the forest.

What is the project’s main objective?
The overall aim was to improve soil fertility in yam cropping systems. We wanted to better understand how we can develop soil management strategies that are agronomically and culturally appropriate, and how to disseminate that information.

Why is the project important?
Soil degradation is an urgent issue in yam cultivation. It threatens food security and may lead to deforestation. To sustain yam production, we need to work together with farmers to develop and implement soil management strategies that prevent soil fertility decline and improve crop productivity.

What has been the most positive moment during the project?
Engaging with farmers who shared their knowledge about soil management and the importance of yams for their culture, as well as using boardgames as an outreach tool, were some highlights from this project.

What have been the biggest challenges encountered in the project?
Obtaining unexpected results from the field trials forced us to reevaluate the purpose of the project.  

What is the most important lesson learned from the project?
Successful implementation of a new technology or practice needs to be based on both the agronomic and human dimensions of the farming system. We should prioritize farmers’ preferences and objectives and adopt a realistic timeframe regarding the anticipated benefits of such technology.