PROJECT ASSESSMENTS - Science for Agriculture and Rural Development in Low-income Countries - page 121

price of fertilizers and the high risks of crop failure in the rainfed systems, use of
mineral fertilizers is restricted to the market-oriented farms with access to irrigation
facilities.
Financial performance
Average net farm income levels were low, resulting in 35-85% of the farm
households living below the poverty line, depending on research location. Labour
productivity is low, especially in the subsistence-oriented farming systems. Off-farm
income played an important role in the total family earnings in Kasikeu, Kibwezi
and Kiomo with contributions to family income of over 60%. In the more remote
locations, opportunities for off-farm income were very limited. Net farm income
levels were higher in the partially intensive, more market-oriented farming systems
in Matuu and Kasikeu.
Participatory learning and action research
The farmers' groups decided to focus the experiments on various application levels
and combinations of farmyard manure and types of mineral fertilizers on the most
common crop in the area (Table 3).
The results show that the erratic rainfall conditions in these semi-arid areas seri-
ously hamper design and implementation of appropriate soil fertility management
techniques at farm level. The results in Matuu, comparing irrigated and rainfed
maize, show that incentives, in terms of financial returns, for application of manures
and fertilizers dramatically increase when water availability is not constraining. The
experimental results also show that the negative nutrient balances, prevailing in the
rainfed farming systems can be remedied by application of higher levels of FYM
and/or mineral fertilizers. Combinations of FYM and fertilizer tend to give better
yield responses than application of FYM or fertilizers alone.
The financial returns to fertilizer and manure application are low and almost
all treatments in the rainfed crops show Value-Costs Ratios (VCRs) below 2. Thus,
under the prevailing conditions in semi-arid Kenya, it is financially unattractive and
risky to apply these higher levels of nutrients, despite the positive impact on yields
and nutrient balances. The combinations of FYM and fertilizers appear to give better
financial returns than either of the two alone. The most appropriate strategy in terms
of application of fertilizers and FYM for a farmer in a given situation depends
among others on cash and manure availability. However, FYM application levels as
in the experimentation are not feasible, because of lack of good quality manure.
Labour may also be a serious constraint, especially when alternative (for instance
off-farm) activities provide higher returns. The unfavourable price ratio between
inputs and outputs also seriously constrains the adoption of nutrient adding tech-
nologies in the semi-arid areas. Even moderate reductions in fertilizer prices, for
instance through reduced transaction costs and/or increased chain efficiency could
result in significantly higher VCRs, rendering application of fertilizers much more
attractive to farmers in semi-arid areas.