African Applied Forest Ecology (Forestry/Environmental) | 15 June 2001
Agroforestry Practices and Soil Fertility Enhancement in Kibera Slums: A Longitudinal Study on Yield Gains and Farmer Adoption
W, a, w, e, r, u, M, u, t, a, m, b, i, ,, M, w, a, n, g, i, K, a, r, i, u, k, i, ,, K, i, b, e, t, N, d, e, r, i, t, u
Abstract
{ "background": "Agroforestry practices have been proposed as a sustainable solution to enhance soil fertility in degraded environments such as urban slums.", "purposeandobjectives": "To evaluate the yield gains and adoption rates of agroforestry practices among farmers in Kibera Slums, Nairobi, Kenya.", "methodology": "A longitudinal study design was employed with quantitative data collection methods including surveys and soil analysis.", "findings": "The preliminary findings suggest that integrated tree-crop systems led to a statistically significant increase in maize yields by $12\%$ (95% CI: [6%, 18%]) compared to conventional farming practices. Farmer adoption rates increased from $40\%$ at baseline to $70\%$ after a year of intervention.", "conclusion": "Agroforestry practices effectively improve soil fertility and can be scaled up for broader application in urban agriculture contexts.", "recommendations": "Government policies should incentivize farmers' participation in agroforestry programmes through subsidies and training initiatives.", "keywords": "agroforestry, yield gains, farmer adoption, Kibera slums, Nairobi, soil fertility", "contributionstatement": "This study introduces a specific statistical model for predicting yield improvements in agroforestry systems." } --- The integration of trees with crops resulted in a statistically significant increase in maize yields by $12\%$ (95% CI: [6%, 18%]) compared to conventional farming practices, indicating the effectiveness of agroforestry in enhancing soil fertility and crop productivity.