Soil and Soil Fertility Management Research in Sub-Saharan Africa Fifty years of shifting visions and chequered achievements Earthscan Studies in Natural Resource Management Series

Judicious soil fertility management is crucial for sustainable crop production and food security in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This book describes the various concepts and approaches underlying soil and soil fertility management research in SSA over the last fifty years. It provides examples of important innovations generated and assesses the position of research within the research-to-development continuum, including how innovations have been validated with the intended beneficiaries.

Using the experience of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) as a case study, the authors analyse how processes, partnerships and other factors have affected research priorities, the delivery of outputs, and their uptake by farming communities in SSA. They evaluate both successes and failures of past investments in soil fertility research and important lessons learnt which provide crucial information for national and international scientists currently engaged in this research area. The book is organised in a number of chapters each covering a chronological period characterised by its primary research content and approaches and by the dominant research paradigms and delivery models.

1. The Exploratory Years: 1967-1976 2. More Exploration, Lagging Integration, Weak Impact: 1977-1982 3. New Trends, Old Habits: 1983-1988 4. Towards Farming Systems: 1989-1994 5. Ecoregions, Benchmarks and Projects: 1995-2001 6. Research for Development – From the Virtual to the Real Farm: 2002-2011 7. Addressing Farmers’ Own Soil Fertility Challenges: 2012-Today 8. Looking Back and Moving Forward

Henk Mutsaers is a Farming Systems Agronomist based in the Netherlands.

Danny Coyne is a Soil Health Scientist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Stefan Hauser is a Root and Tuber Systems Agronomist at IITA, based in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Jeroen Huising is a Soil Scientist at IITA, based in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Alpha Kamara is a Savannah Systems Agronomist at IITA, based in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Generose Nziguheba is a Soil Ecologist at IITA, based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Pieter Pypers is a Soil Fertility Specialist at IITA, based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Godfrey Taulya is a System Agronomist at IITA, based in Kampala, Uganda.

Piet van Asten is a Systems Agronomist at IITA, based in Kampala, Uganda.

Bernard Vanlauwe is R4D Director for Central Africa and Natural Resource Management at IITA, based in Nairobi, Kenya.