SPin Kenya: Soil Productivity in Kenya

Mentor 1

Mai Phillips

Location

Union Wisconsin Room

Start Date

29-4-2016 1:30 PM

End Date

29-4-2016 3:30 PM

Description

Eastern Africa is called the drylands due to its harsh dry seasons and deforestation. For the people who live in this region sustaining life can be difficult. The rivers and streams dry up every year, forcing habitants to dig for water to give to their animals and water their crops. In order to combat these extreme conditions the local DNRC, Dryland Natural Resource Center, has instilled a program for residents to plant woodlots in order to increase the organic matter and moisture in their soil. In the second year of this program, we visited three different farms and took soil samples from their woodlots, cultivated lots and fallow plots. Taking soil samples required a random sampling technique in order to prevent bias towards a particular section of the plot. The soil samples needed for this research were to be from 0-5cm deep and from 15-20cm deep at each sampling location, in order to see if there were any variances at different soil depths. These samples were then sent to Nairobi University to be tested for organic matter and soil moisture. To-date, we have not received the organic matter and moisture results of our soil samples from the University of Nairobi. However, based on the results of the 2014 study and from our personal observations, it is likely that our research will also show no significant measurable differences in the soil moisture and organic matter levels in the 2015 samples, and that two years is not a substantial time frame to accumulate enough organic matter in the top soil to show measurable differences in the soil moisture levels. Therefore, the woodlot program may need to continue for several more years in order to establish older woodlots that are capable of sustaining large volumes of organic matter and higher soil moisture levels.

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Apr 29th, 1:30 PM Apr 29th, 3:30 PM

SPin Kenya: Soil Productivity in Kenya

Union Wisconsin Room

Eastern Africa is called the drylands due to its harsh dry seasons and deforestation. For the people who live in this region sustaining life can be difficult. The rivers and streams dry up every year, forcing habitants to dig for water to give to their animals and water their crops. In order to combat these extreme conditions the local DNRC, Dryland Natural Resource Center, has instilled a program for residents to plant woodlots in order to increase the organic matter and moisture in their soil. In the second year of this program, we visited three different farms and took soil samples from their woodlots, cultivated lots and fallow plots. Taking soil samples required a random sampling technique in order to prevent bias towards a particular section of the plot. The soil samples needed for this research were to be from 0-5cm deep and from 15-20cm deep at each sampling location, in order to see if there were any variances at different soil depths. These samples were then sent to Nairobi University to be tested for organic matter and soil moisture. To-date, we have not received the organic matter and moisture results of our soil samples from the University of Nairobi. However, based on the results of the 2014 study and from our personal observations, it is likely that our research will also show no significant measurable differences in the soil moisture and organic matter levels in the 2015 samples, and that two years is not a substantial time frame to accumulate enough organic matter in the top soil to show measurable differences in the soil moisture levels. Therefore, the woodlot program may need to continue for several more years in order to establish older woodlots that are capable of sustaining large volumes of organic matter and higher soil moisture levels.