A review of soil fertility management communication in sub-Saharan Africa
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Date
2021
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Abstract
In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), declining soil fertility is among the factors affecting optimal food production. Although
a number of interventions have been implemented to improve soil fertility management (SFM) in SSA, their adoption
especially among small scale farmers has been low. Although the literature provides considerable evidence of socio economic factors which influence adoption, the subject of how communication influences adoption of SFM remains
under-explored. This paper therefore reviewed studies on SFM communication in SSA. The objectives were to identify
the current focus of studies on SFM communication, the current definitions of communication which informed such
studies, and the type of SFM practices being communicated in the SSA region. Using specific search terms, articles
were collected from various databases and content analysed. The review revealed five main themes as the focus of
current studies on SFM. The study also revealed two main interpretations of communication which in turn influence the
use of either diffusion or participatory communication strategies for SFM communication. The review also showed
a focus on integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) messages in the SSA area. The study concludes that while
each of the two communication strategies has their individual strengths, farmers prefer participatory strategies. This
is because participatory strategies foster interaction and greater understanding; thereby, increasing the likelihood
of farmer adoption of SFM practices in SSA. The review concludes by calling for further research on the use of
participatory communication to engage farmers about various SFM practices in SSA.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
adoption, interaction, ISFM, local knowledge, participation