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Management of tropical sandy soils for sustainable agriculture

A holistic approach for sustainable development of problem soils in the tropics

Year of publication 2007

Pages 536

Author Agriculture Group

Product type Document

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Light textured sandy soils are ubiquitous throughout the tropics and constitute an important soil resource on which millions are dependent for their livelihoods. Spanning a range of rainfall regimes from the arid to the humid tropics, they present unique sustainability and environmental challenges to resource managers. Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of sandy soils often act as a severe limitation in crop production. Within the tropics, these soils are predominantly occupied by resource poor and often marginalized communities that have limited capacity to address the aforementioned biophysical challenges. By manipulating the constituent components of the soil through the addition and conservation of organic matter or through the physical application of organic waste and clay materials, the potential productivity of these soils can be realized. There are thus significant opportunities in developing innovative management strategies that enhance the productivity of these systems under the diverse range of climatic conditions in which these soils occur. This symposium brought together scientists, extension practitioners and policy-makers to exchange knowledge and experiences on land and water degradation of tropical sandy soils and their sustained management and remediation. This proceedings documents the 92 session papers presented at the symposium (58 oral and 34 poster papers).

Language English

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