How Farmers Manage Soil Fertility
A Guide to Support Innovation and Livelihoods
Peter Golob, Graham Farrell and John E Orchard (eds)

This guide provides an alternative view of soil fertility management issues to that presented by conventional textbooks. Based on the experiences of farmers in semi-arid India, it describes the wide range of varied practices that farmers have adopted, and examines how these fit into the livelihoods of other rural people, such as people involved in wage labour or in selling organic fertilizers like vermicompost. Bringing together the voices of farmers and scientists, this book describes the advantages and disadvantages of different practices in different places, and deals with both the technical and the socio-economic aspects of soil fertility management.

The book is intended as a guide for rural development workers, with limited formal training in agriculture, to help them to:

• respond to the needs of farmers in ways that build upon traditional practices;
• recognise the benefits of both organic and inorganic approaches to providing soil nutrients; and
• understand the multi-faceted nature of soil fertility management.

Together with a companion CD that includes photographs, short video films and extension materials, the book forms a valuable resource for trainers in agriculture and rural development.

Can be ordered in India from Andhra Pradesh Rural Livelihoods Programme and elsewhere from Practical Action Publishing Development Bookshop