ABSTRACT
Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is constrained by degraded soils, limiting the productivity of small farmers who manage the land, whatever their tenure status may be. Despite the potential for soil management technologies to improve soil fertility, studies examining the uptake of these technologies have demonstrated no universally predictive factors influencing adoption (Knowler and Bradshaw 2007; Prager and Posthumus 2010; Knowler 2012). Knowler and Bradshaw’s (2007) meta-analysis of 31 empirical studies found 170 significant variables to explain farm-level adoption of conservation agriculture practices by small farmers. However, detailed analysis determined that no single variable was universally critical to adoption. Such results suggest that single or combined variable guidance for the promotion of integrated soil
14.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 327 14.2 Perceptions of Soil Fertility .......................................................................... 329 14.3 Economic Factors Shaping Farmer Choice .................................................. 330 14.4 Role of Faith-Based Knowledge ................................................................... 333 14.5 Time Dynamics, Actor Identities, and Innovation........................................ 335 14.6 Agricultural Innovation Systems, Networks, and Platforms ........................ 339 14.7 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 342
14.7.1 Where Do We Go from Here? .......................................................... 343 References .............................................................................................................. 343
fertility management (ISFM) is minimal. Thus, Knowler and Bradshaw (2007) concluded that a new approach would need to be developed to conduct further research on ISFM technology adoption. Future research efforts should focus on obtaining locally meaningful results rather than striving for universal understanding of factors influencing adoption. This will require efforts tailored to local conditions to promote the diffusion of ISFM.
