Crop and Natural Resource Management

Soil salinity is a major problem, particularly in the Senegal River delta, which is otherwise ideal for rice cultivation. New methodologies to manage soil salinity have helped improve rice yields in the Sahel.

New site-specific recommendations for fertilizer and herbicide use in the Sahel are more cost-effective than previous 'blanket' recommendations that took no account of soil differences across the zone.

Computer  programs that simulate the growth of rice crops under different management regimes help Sahelian rice farmers make technical decisions to manage their crops better.

Growing certain legumes as cover crops has several advantages over leaving land to natural fallow in the savanna and forest zones. Legumes reduce weed growth during the fallow period and during the subsequent rice crop. They also improve the yield of the succeeding rice crop.

In acid soils, the major limiting nutrient is phosphorous. We are testing and promoting the use of local rock-phosphate as a cheaper alternative to soluble phosphate fertilizer.