THE USE OF MANURE ON SMALLHOLDERS FARMS IN SEMIARID EASTERN KENYA

The manure that is returned to croplands each year is an important resource in the subsistence farming systems of eastern Kenya. Measurements on several farms have shown that the manure being used is of very poor quality. Analyses of soil samples from beneath the bomas (small enclosures) where animals are kept indicate that substantial losses of nutrients occur through leaching; ammonia volatilization and denitrification may also be involved. Current practice is to apply the manure at rates that appear to make poor use of this scarce resource. The findings are discussed in terms of what changes to the system may be feasible to reduce losses of nutrients, and to improve the quality of the manure and the effectiveness of its use.