Soil Management

ABSTRACT Soil degradation and declining agricultural productivity remain major challenges for Kenyan farmers. Regenerative farming practices, particularly compost making, offer an effective solution for restoring soil fertility, enhancing biodiversity, and improving climate resilience. This study examines various composting techniques applicable within Kenyan farming systems, including traditional heap and pit composting, the Berkeley method, vermicomposting, and

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background to the Study Kenya’s agricultural sector is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its dependence on rain-fed farming and the predominance of smallholder farmers who cultivate less than two hectares of land. Over the past two decades, farmers have been confronted with increasingly unpredictable rainfall, recurrent droughts, rising temperatures, land degradation, soil

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background to the Study Sustainable agriculture in Kenya has gained increasing attention as farmers confront declining soil fertility, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and rising production costs. Over several decades, continuous cultivation, erosion, and intensive reliance on synthetic fertilizers have contributed to the depletion of soil organic matter and reduced resilience of farming systems. This trend

Introduction Maize is Kenya’s staple food crop and a cornerstone of household food security and rural livelihoods. Yet maize yields remain well below potential on many smallholder farms because of declining soil fertility, erosion and inconsistent rainfall. Improving soil health is therefore the single most important step toward more resilient, higher-yielding and sustainable maize production.