Fosbrooke

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Fertilizers in the improvements of shifting cultivation
(Fosbrooke, 1973) Adetunji, A.A; Agboola, A.A
Farming in Nigeria and in some other parts of Tropical Africa is maintained by a system of 'shifting cultivation1 - the system whereby a piece of land is cultivated for a few years and left to rest for some years. The period of rest is related to the population pressure on the land. This system which is considered primitive has certain merits. It involves minimum disturbance of soil for the production of crop. Regeneration of vegetation does not take long, as a result the nutrient reserve is built up rapidly. It provides control over erosion, weeds, pests and diseases and requires no great skill of management and high investment.Above all it is an effective and practical means of maintaining soil fertility as long as ample land permits a lengthy fallow period. In the past, the maintenance of soil fertility by this method was comparatively easy, because the population was not large and a reasonable fallow period was possible. Presently the problem of maintaining soil fertility by shifting cultivation is becoming difficult as rapid growth of population is placing more strain on the resources of the land and getting the fallow period reduced - consequently there is decline in the general level of fertility, which is made worse during subsequent cycles.