Principles of Soil Management - Principles of Sustainable Soil Management in Agroecosystems - page 16

Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where 60%-70% of the population depends
on agriculture, can be realized only through adoption of BMPs based on basic prin-
ciples of soil management. The per capita agriculture growth rate of 0.36%/year for
Sub-Saharan Africa during the 2000s (Pardey 2011) necessitates adoption of soil-
based BMPs. The large yield gaps of major crops (Hengsdijk and Langeveld 2009)
must be abridged through restoration of soil quality and augmentation of soil and
ecosystem resilience. Thus, widespread adoption of BPMs based on sound principles
of soil management is more urgent now than ever before in human history.

ABBREVIATIONS
ACC: abrupt climate change
As: arsenic
BMPs: best management practices
Hg: mercury

INM: integrated nutrient management

K: potassium

MBC: microbial biomass C

Mha: million hectares

MRT: mean residence time

N: nitrogen

NT: no-till

P: phosphorus

Pb: lead

PT: plow tillage

SOC: soil organic C

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