Daniel Mugendi

• PhD
• Head of Faculty at Embu University College, Embu, Kenya

Long-term experiments (LTEs) are critical for evaluating strategies that can maintain or increase crop yields, soil fertility and soil organic carbon (SOC), and help adapt to climate change. Yet, scientific knowledge is advancing and research questions are evolving. Therefore, it is important to review the objectives of LTEs over time. A change in...

Sustainable intensification schemes that increase crop production and soil fertility, such as integrated soil fertility management (ISFM), are a proposed strategy to close yield gaps and achieve food security in sub-Saharan Africa while maintaining soil fertility. However, field trials are insufficient to estimate the potential impact of such techn...

Deficits in soil moisture and low soil fertility are the major constraints to smallholder farming systems in the SSA (sub-Saharan Africa) region. This study evaluated the effects of tied ridging and selected soil fertility inputs on; soil water content at different depths, maize yields, and economic returns. The treatments were: Tithonia diversifol...

Acidic soils pose a major challenge for crop production in heavily weathered tropical soils, especially due to the high toxicity of aluminum (Al), low cation exchange capacity, and low availability of phosphorus (P) to plants. Lime application was recommended to alleviate soil acidity problems. Granular CaCO 3 lime was introduced into the Kenyan ma...

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), acidic soil covers 29% of the total area. About 13% of the Kenyan total land area has acidic soils, widely distributed in croplands of the central and western Kenyan regions. The high soil acidity, coupled with soil nutrient depletion, negatively affects crop productivity in the region. We conducted an on-farm experimen...

Crop productivity in most smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa experience low use of soil amendment resources, low and erratic rainfall, frequent dry spells, and droughts. Rain-fed agriculture has a high crop yield potential if rainfall and soil nutrient input resources are utilized effectively. Thus, in 2011, we set up an on-farm expe...

Soil acidity and phosphorus deficiency are some of the constraints hampering agricultural production in tropical regions. The prevalence of soil acidity is associated with phosphorus (P) insufficiency and aluminum saturation. We conducted a two-seasons experiment to evaluate soil phosphorus availability and exchangeable aluminum in response to phos...

In sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), few studies have quantified greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions following application of soil amendments, for development of accurate national GHG inventories. Therefore, this study quantified soil GHG emissions using static chambers for two maize cropping seasons (one full year) of four different soil amendments in the cent...

We carried out a litterbag experiment to assess the characteristics of animal manure and Tithonia diversifolia and their nutrient release dynamics in un-amended soils under different tillage systems. We conducted the study in Meru South and Kandara sub-Counties during short rains 2016 (SR16) and long rains 2017 (LR17) seasons. The treatments were;...

Aims: To evaluate the effects of phosphate rock and organic inputs on soil organic carbon and acid phosphatase activity. Study Design: The experiment was laid in Randomized Complete Block Design with seven treatments replicated thrice. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Kigogo Primary school in Meru South Sub-county, Tharaka Ni...

Current demand for soybean in Kenya is higher than production, and the deficit is filled through importation from neighboring Countries. Despite the high demand, production and adoption remain low. The study sought to determine factors influencing the decision to adopt soybean by smallholder farmers, assess acreage under soybean, and its production...

Current demand for soybean in Kenya is higher than production, and the deficit is filled through importation from neighboring Countries. Despite the high demand, production and adoption remain low. The study sought to determine factors influencing the decision to adopt soybean by smallholder farmers, assess acreage under soybean, and its production...

Climate variability has a negative impact on crop productivity and has had an effect on many small-holder farmers in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Small-holder farmers in Eastern Kenya are faced with the constraint associated with climate variability and have consequently made effort at local level to utilize adaptation techniques in their...

Drier parts of Embu County, Eastern Kenya, endure persistent crop failure and declining agricultural productivity which have been attributed, in part, to prolonged dry-spells and erratic rainfall. Nonetheless, understanding spatial-temporal variability of rainfall especially at seasonal level, is an imperative facet to rain-fed agricultural product...

Potential for promoting sorghum crop as a climate change adaptation strategy for rain-fed agriculture in Embu County, Kenya was evaluated using farmer perceptions and scientific methods. Three hundred and sixty six smallholder farmers participated in the evaluation. The treatments which were overall rated as ‘good’ are tied ridges with a mean score...

There is continued decline in per capita agricultural productivity in the drier parts of Kenya’s central highlands. The declines have been linked to low and declining soil fertility, soil water, high atmospheric heat, prolonged dry-spells and erratic rainfall. Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) technologies have been developed and tested i...

This study examined the extent of seasonal rainfall variability, drought occurrence, and the efficacy of interpolation techniques in eastern Kenya. Analyses of rainfall variability utilized rainfall anomaly index, coefficients of variance, and probability analyses. Spline, Kriging, and inverse distance weighting interpolation techniques were assess...

Drier parts of Kenya’s Central Highlands endure persistent crop failure and declining agricultural productivity. These have, in part, attributed to high temperatures, prolonged dry spells and erratic rainfall. Understanding spatial-temporal variability of climatic indices such as rainfall at seasonal level is critical for optimal rain-fed agricultu...

The aim of this work is to investigate the consequences of selected soil and water conservation techniques and tillage practices on runoff amounts, sediment yield and maize yields under semi-arid and sub-humid environments. Field trials were set in Kigogo primary school in Meru South Sub-County, Tharaka Nithi County, representing the sub-humid cond...

Drier parts of Embu County endure high atmospheric heat, prolonged dry spells, declining soil fertility and erratic rainfall. Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) technologies have been developed, and tested, with standardized application procedures and rates aimed at optimizing overall yield productivity. Despite their significant impacts,...

Dependence on uncertain rainfall and exposure to unmitigated climate risk are major obstacles in efforts to sustainably intensify agricultural production and enhance rural livelihoods. There is generally enough seasonal total rainfall; the challenge is its poor distribution over time and across the season. The amount of water available to plants st...

Mitigating nutrient loss is a prerequisite of sustainable agriculture in the tropics. We evaluated three soil and water conservation technologies (mulching, minimum tillage and tied ridging) for two cropping seasons (long rains 2011, short rains 2011) at two sites in the central highlands of Kenya. The objectives were: to determine effects of the t...

Smallholder farmers in Tharaka and Kitui suffer the adverse effects of climate variability, especially variations in rainfall and temperatureThis has had a negative impact on agricultural production and is attributed to the fact that most of their agriculture is rain-fed There is therefore need for adaptation as a fundamental and necessary response...

Why use local indicators in weather forecasting? • Most of agriculture in Tharaka and Kitui is rain-fed and the bulk is under small-holder farming. • Cropping systems in the region are often limited by variations in climate (rainfall and temperature). • The conditions caused by climate variability have negative effects on agricultural productivity...

Continued declines in per capita agricultural productivity in the Central Highlands of Kenya are mainl y due to: • Soil nutrient deficiencies • Low soil water availability (rainfall variability & prolonged dry spells/ droughts) • Crop response to fertilizer highly depends on seasonal distribution of rainfall due to its influence on soil water conte...

tillage practices with various surface management technologies under sub-soiling stabilizes yield over time as compared to use of surface management strategies alone. Partners: Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), Kenyatta University (KU) -is This pamphlet funded by RUFORUM -soiling -; Recommendation Sub Sub s...

This study aimed to first assess knowledge levels of the farmers in the use of manure, fertilizer and combinations of manure and fertilizer and secondly to identify the socioeconomic factors influencing the levels of knowledge in the use of animal manure, inorganic fertilizers and combination of animal manure and inorganic fertilizers in Meru South...

Soil fertility degradation remains the major biophysical cause of declining per capita crop production on smallholder farms in Central Kenya highlands. A study was conducted to compare farmers' perception and biophysical data on selected water harvesting and integrated soil fertility management technologies on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)...

Low soil fertility is a fundamental constrain to crop production in the central highlands of Kenya. The aim of the study was to assess gender disparities in sourcing information and preference of extension methods used in dissemination of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) in the central highlands of Kenya from a comparative perspective. D...

Research Application Summary Farmers in the central highlands of Kenya have been experiencing declining crop yields due to low soil water availability caused by low and unreliable rainfall and poor water harvesting techniques. To increase crop yields, and reduce production risks, research on better use of available rainfall and the interactions bet...

Limited information is available on the potential performance of introduced dual purpose varieties across different Kenyan soils and agro-ecological environments and consistency across sites and seasons. Crop simulation modeling offers an opportunity to explore the potential of and select introduced cultivars for new areas before establishing costl...

Inappropriate soil management practices are cited as the main causes of soil fertility decline of cultivated lands in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Small-scale farmers are faced with daunting challenges and limited opportunities for maintaining the productivity of their land due to low accessibility and affordability of agricultural inputs. In Kenya, a...

The central highlands of Kenya is generally densely populated and declining land productivity with reduced crop yields has been a major problem facing the smallholder farmers in the region. Land sizes are small and this promotes continuous cropping with limited scope for crop rotation and inadequate soil fertility replenishment. Efficient use of so...

Inadequate links between researchers and farmers has resulted in low uptake of research advances recommended to improve food security in the central highlands of Kenya. Access to timely and accurate information by extension agents and farmers is paramount in dissemination of soil fertility management practices. Hence, the study sought to investigat...

Inadequate links between researchers and farmers has resulted in low uptake of research advances recommended to improve food security in the central highlands of Kenya. Access to timely and accurate information by extension agents and farmers is paramount in dissemination of soil fertility management practices. Hence, the study sought to investigat...

The full potential of legume based technologies can only be achieved if farmers widely adopt these technologies. Widespread adoption of legume-based technologies calls for the identification of spatial and temporal niches of legumes in the farming systems. The entry point may be immediate provision of food and fodder but also contribution to soil f...

Legumes play an important role in farming systems in East Africa. Legumes are not only a source of food and fodder but also play a key role in improving soil fertility. As a result of the increasing pressure on land, the traditional fallow periods needed for land regeneration have shortened. Similarly, most farmers in the region do not use fertiliz...

The effect of continuous cultivation using inorganic and organic fertilizers on crop yields and soil agro-properties was studied in a 30-year-old long-term field experiment at Kabete, near Nairobi, in the highlands of Kenya. The area is sub-humid with an average bimodal rainfall of 980mm and two cropping seasons per year. The soil is a dark red, fr...

In the smallholder farms of central Kenya soils suffer from nitrogen (N) deficiency due to inability to replenish it through application of chemical fertilizers and/or manure. This study evaluated the effect of some organic materials such as Mucuna pruriens, Crotalaria ochroleuca, Calliandra calothyrsus, Leucaena trichandra, cattle manure and Titho...

Declining land productivity is a major problem facing smallholder farmers in Kenya today. This decline results from a reduction in soil fertility caused by continuous cultivation without adequate addition of external inputs. Improved agronomic measures integrating grain legumes into maize cropping systems can enhance overall system’s productivity....

Declining soil fertility is a critical agricultural challenge facing smallholders in central Kenya. A study to improve soil fertility and farm productivity in the area was carried out during the period 2003 to 2007. Problem-solving tools were used to build the broad conceptual and methodological approaches needed to address farming constraints. The...

Combined use of organic resource (OR) and mineral resource (MR) of nutrients is accepted as one of the most appropriate ways to address the problems of declining soil fertility and poor crop yields facing small-scale farming in sub-Saharan Africa. A field study was conducted at Embu in Central Kenya to investigate the effect of OR and MR management...

Smallholder farms in Central Highlands of Kenya exhibit a high degree of heterogeneity, determined by a complex set of socio-economic and biophysical factors. The farms consist of multiple plots managed differently in terms of allocation of crops, nutrient inputs and labour resources, making within-farm soil fertility gradients caused by management...

We established hedges of calliandra, leucaena, napier, and their combinations along the contours on slopes of between 5 and 40% as options for soil and nutrient management on steep arable landscapes. Hedge biomass was harvested after every 2 months following proper hedge establishment and incorporated into the plots that were served by specific hed...

Smallholder land productivity in drylands can be increased by optimizing locally available resources, through nutrient enhancement and water conservation. In this study, we investigated the effect of tillage system, organic resource and chemical nitrogen fertilizer application on maize productivity in a sandy soil in eastern Kenya over four seasons...

Understanding gender differentials in adoption of soil nutrient replenishment technologies is critical to their successful implementation by farmers. This study was conducted first to examine gender differentials in choices of technologies adopted at intrahousehold level. Second, to investigate socio-economic, institutional, and demographic factors...

ABSTRACT On-farm tree planting projects in Africa can lead to sustainable development and at the same time contribute to the global effort to stabilize Greenhouse Gases (GHG) levels in the atmosphere. Trees can provide sinks of atmospheric carbon dioxide and the carbon credit accruing from such programs can be used to offset carbon emissions in ind...

Declining land productivity is a major problem facing smallholder farmers in Kenya today. This decline primarily results from a reduction in soil fertility caused by continuous cultivation without adequate addition of external nutrient inputs. Improved fertility management combining organic and mineral fertilizer inputs can enable efficient use of...

Forests have continuously played an important role in the livelihoods of many rural households particularly in developing countries. However, very limited quantitative information exists to back this claim, yet presence of such evidence can have a far-reaching influence on the design and quality of conservation and socioeconomic policies. Based on...

Soil fertility degradation remains the major biophysical cause of declining per capita crop production on smallholder farms in sub-Saharan Africa. Appropriate soil fertility regimes, are therefore, critical for improved crop productivity. This study investigated the feasibility of using sole organics or their combinations with inorganic fertilisers...

The effect of continued application of mineral and organic fertilizers on soil agro-properties and soil microbial populations and activity, was studied in a long-term field experiment at Kabete, in the highlands of Kenya. The area is sub-humid with an average bimodal rainfall of 980 mm and two cropping seasons per year. The main treatments were 3 r...

Technological interventions to address the problem of poor productivity of smallholder agricultural systems must be designed to target socially diverse and spatially heterogeneous farms and farming systems. This paper proposes a categorisation of household diversity based on a functional typology of livelihood strategies, and analyses the influence...

Smallholder farmers in East-Africa commonly intercrop maize (Zea mays L.) with grain legumes to maximize utilisation of land and labour, and attain larger crop yields. Conventionally, one legume line is intercropped between each pair of maize lines. This study evaluated the potential of a modified two-by-two staggered arrangement (MBILI) to increas...

When building soil organic matter (SOM) contents in agricultural production systems, stabilization of both pre-existing as well as added C is important. A laboratory mineralization experiment was conducted over 374 days to evaluate the effect of pre-existing SOM on soil C mineralization after addition of organic matter (OM) using sugar cane. The SO...

The effect on soil fertility of applying particular organic resources to a humic Nitisol in the central highlands of Kenya was studied. The organic resources (Calliandra calothyrsus, Leucaena trichandra, Tithonia diversifolia, Mucuna pruriens, Crotalaria ochroleuca and cattle manure) were either applied solely or along with inorganic fertilizer in...

Organic resources (ORs) are important nutrient inputs in tropical agriculture. Combined with mineral fertilizers, they form the backbone of integrated soil fertility management. This study was conducted to determine the medium- to long-term influence of OR quality and quantity on maize productivity and to evaluate the occurrence of additive benefit...

Soil fertility decline is the major cause of declining crop yields in the central highlands of Kenya and elsewhere within the African continent. This paper reports a study conducted to assess adoption potential of two leguminous trees, two herbaceous legumes, cattle manure, and Tithonia diversifolia either solely applied or combined with inorganic...

High population pressure in the central highlands of Kenya has led to continuous cultivation of land with minimal additional inputs leading to soil nutrient depletion. Research work has reported positive results from use of manure and biomass from Tithonia, Calliandra, Leucaena, Mucuna and Crotolaria for soil fertility replenishment. An experimenta...

Declining soil fertility is a major cause of low per capita food production on smallholder farms of sub-Saharan Africa. This study attempted to provide an empirical explanation of the factors associated with farmers' decisions to adopt or not to adopt newly introduced integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) technologies consisting of combinatio...

Abstract: Nitrogen is the major limiting nutrient in crop production and it is also one of the nutrients that is easily lost from the plant-soil system in various ways. Due to this, N supply, N management and N-use efficiency will continue to be important factors in crop production and at the same time a reminder of the concern as to the availabili...

We established hedges/barriers of calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus Meissner), leucaena (Leucaena trichandra (Zucc.) Urban)) and napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) and combination hedges of either calliandra or leucaena with napier grass on slopes exceeding 5% to study the effect of vegetative barriers on productivity of arable steep-lan...

In the highlands of Western Kenya, we investigated the reversibility of soil productivity decline with increasing length of continuous maize cultivation over 100 years (corresponding to decreasing soil organic carbon (SOC) and nutrient contents) using organic matter additions of differing quality and stability as a function of soil texture and inor...

Low survival and slow growth rate of multipurpose trees and shrubs as a result of poor quality tree seedlings hamper efforts by small-scale farmers in development of effective agroforestry systems. These may be attributed to the chemical and physical properties of the soil growing media used. With the current high and growing demand for quality agr...

The following study was conducted to determine smallholders' land use management practices and agricultural indicators of soil quality within farmers' fields in Chuka and Gachoka divisions in Kenya's Central Highlands. Data on cropping practices and soil indicators were collected from farmers through face-to-face interviews and field examinations....

This study investigated the feasibility of using sole organics or a combination of organics with inorganic fertilizer to improve maize production in on-station and on-farm experiments in central Kenya. In the on-station experiment, combined application of Calliandra calothyrsus, Leucaena trichandra and Tithonia diversifolia at 30 kg N ha −1 plus in...

"Dependency on natural resources in the commons still ranks very high among rural communities in many developing countries. Kakamega forest in Kenya is one example of a local common that supports a huge rural population. The forest is a high biodiversity area and for generations has been an important source of local peoples livelihoods. The forest...

Low inherent soil fertility in the highly weathered and leached soils largely accounts for low and unsustained crop yields in most African countries. But in particular, the major nutrients, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), are commonly deficient in these soils. This scenario of nutrient depletion is reflected in food deficits and hence the food aid...

Moderate to steep landscapes and severe soil, water and nutrient losses characterize over 40% of arable land in the central highlands of Kenya. To study the effectiveness of biological methods in management and enhancement of productivity of these arable steep-lands, we established contour double row hedges of sole Calliandra, Leucaena and napier a...

The failure to understand the dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM) is a major limitation to the sustainability of smallholder production systems that predominantly relied on organic resources for the maintenance of soil fertility. This study evaluated the influence of organic resource management on SOM in three selected experiments in central and...

A study was conducted to determine farmers’ perceptions of soil quality and soil management practices that influenced soil fertility within farmers’ fields in Chuka and Gachoka divisions in central Kenya highlands. Soils were characterized by farmers after which they were geo-referenced and sampled at surface depth (0–20 cm) for subsequent physical...

A study was conducted to determine farmers' perceptions of soil quality and common soil management practices that influenced soil fertility within farmers' fields in Chuka and Gachoka divisions, Kenya. Soils were characterised by smallholders after which they were geo-referenced and sampled at surface depth (0–20 cm) for subsequent physical and che...

Soil nutrient depletion as a result of continuous cultivation of soils without adequate addition of external inputs is a major challenge in the highlands of Kenya. An experiment was set up in Meru South District, Kenya in 2000 to investigate the effects of different soil-incorporated organic (manure, Tithonia diversifolia, Calliandra calothyrsus, L...

Management of nitrogen (N) nutrition is a vital aspect in maize production systems ofKenya. In Central andWestern parts of Kenya, high population density has eliminated the use of traditional fallow farming systems for replenishing soil fertility while high unevenly distributed rainfall increase chances of N leaching. A study was conducted at Mase...

Declining land productivity is a major problem facing smallholder farmers in Kenya today. This decline is as a result of reduced soil fertility caused by continuous cultivation without adequate addition of manures and fertilizers. Low soil fertility is one of the greatest challenges facing farmers in the central highlands of Kenya. A farmers partic...

Declining crop productivity is a major challenge facing smallholder farmers in central highlands of Kenya. This decline is caused by continuous cultivation of soils without adequate addition of external inputs in form of manures and fertilizers. With this background, an on-station trial was initiated at Embu in 1992 to evaluate the feasibility of u...

The application of nitrogen in a soil under agricultural production is subject to several pathways including de-nitrification, leaching and recovery by an annual crop. This is as well greatly influenced by the management practices, nitrogen source and soil conditions. The main objective of this study was to investigate the loss of nitrogen (N) thro...

Application of N-rich tree biomass to crop fields in agroforestry associations can cause a build-up of mineral-N in the top soil in excess of crop demand during early stages of crop growth. It is therefore important to monitor movement of such mineral-N in the soil, so that management options to minimise its potential loss via leaching can be desig...

Decline in crop yields is a major problem facing smallholder farmers in Kenya and the entire Sub-Saharan region. This is attributed mainly to the mining of major nutrients due to continuous cropping without addition of adequate external nutrients. In most cases inorganic fertilizers are expensive, hence unaffordable to most smallholder farmers. Alt...