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Using Natural Fertilizers in Miombo Woodlands by Emmanuel Chidumayo

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Using Natural Fertilizers in Miombo Woodlands by Emmanuel Chidumayo ISSUES 'IN AFRICAN BIODIVERSITY THE BIODIVERSITY SUPPORT PROGRAM IYwmber 2, May 1999 Using Natural Fertilizers in Miombo Woodlands By Emmanuel Chidumayo Introduction Miombo woodlands grow on the ancient central African plateau and its escarpments. They form a swathe across the continent from Angola to Mozambique, and extend from lhnzania and southern Congo in the north, to Zimbabwe in the south. Scientists distin- guish miombo from other savanna woodland and forest formations by the presence of legume trees belonging to the genera Brachustegia, Julbernardia, and Isoberlinia. The climate in the miombo zone is subhumid, characterized by a short seasonal rainfall rang- ing from 650 mm to 1,400 mm, occurring from November to March, and a long dry sea- son (April to October/November). Miombo is divided with the wetter type (with > 1,000 mm of rainfall) occurring in the north, and drier type (with < 1,000 mm) (White 1983) occurring in the south of the miombo zone. Miombo occurs on geologically old and acidic (pH 4-6) soils with low fertility. A charac- teristic association between miombo tree species and ectomycorrhizal fungi significantly increases mineral uptake from the soil. There is higher species diversity in miombo woodlands and associated wetlands or dambos than, for example, acacia woodlands. Miombo is of outstanding international importance for the conservation of plants and birds, many of whichare endemic to the region. It provides seasonal habitat for two large, spectacular antelope in Africa, the roan and sable. Miombo trees are typically highly resilient to the annual fires that sweep across the region, and resprout rapidly after anthropogenic disturbance; however, woodland regeneration can be stalled or prevented if trees are uprooted and the connection with ectomycorrhiza is disturbed. In spite of the inherently low soil fertility, miombo vegetation offers a range of products, including food, medicines, timber, and fuel (Clark, Cavendish and Coote, 1996). A large number of people depend on these products: Campbell, Wendish and Coote (1996) estimate that in 1990, 40 million rural people inhabited the miombo zone, with an addi- tional 15 million urban dwellers relying on miombo resources. Various traditional forms of shifting agriculture have developed in response to the low soil fertility. However, under increasing human pressures, shifting cultivation systems tend to break down and are succeeded by more intensive systems that incorporate some foim of soil fertility management. All of the traditional farming systems that replace shifting cul- tivation depend to varying degrees on natural fertilizers stored in the vegetation to improve crop production and are therefore well suited for use in regions with limited resources. This paper features three farming methods that depend on'the miombo sys- 2 ISSUES IN AFRICAN BIODIVERSITY NUMBER 2, MAY 1999 tem's natural plant resources and nutrient recy- Consequently, the nutrient stock in trees is cling. The people who practice these traditional greater than that in the topsoil in wetter miom- methods probably comprise the majority of rural bo. Compared to drier miombo, the higher con- inhabitants in the miombo zone, which is why centration of nutrients in the vegetation of wetter these farming systems are important to human miombo also results from the larger biomass of welfare. trees in the latter (70-150 metric tonnes per hectare compared to 30-70 metric tonnes per hectare in drier miombo) (Frost 1996). Table 1 Fertilizer Stocks in Miombo shows average nutrient content in vegetation in a mature miombo woodland. Wetter miombo, although richer in tree species (70 species per hectare) (Malaisse 1984) than It is therefore no accident that agricultural devel- drier miombo (40 per hectare) (Chidumayo opment in the miombo zone has historically 1997), has low nutrient stocks in topsoil (0-10 been confined to drier miombo areas, where cm deep). Stromgaard (1984) estimated that topsoil fertility is higher. For example, although macronutrient content in a wetter miombo top- both types of miombo occur in Zambia, agricul- soil is 2.3 metric tonnes per hectare, about half tural development until the 1960s was concen- that in drier miombo (4.8 metric tonnesfha, trated on the plateaus of Central, Eastern and Chidumayo 1993). The low fertility in the topsoil Southern provinces, which are covered with drier of wetter miombo is partly caused by excessive miombo. Wetter miombo soils have, until recent- leaching of nutrients to the subsoil by the high ly, been subject to traditional forms of shifting rainfall. The prevalent tree species, however, cultivation that capitalize on the natural fertiliz- with their deep roots, are well adapted to cap- ers stored in the vegetation. Further crop cultiva- turing leached nutrients in the subsoil. tion in the miombo zone will be influenced by: Table 1. Average nutrient stocks in miombo woodland vegetation Biomass Nutrients Vegetation component (t ha-l) (t ha-l) Woody vegetation: Above-ground wood 84.0 3.48 Below-ground wood 29.0 0.86 Leaves 4.0 . 0.19 Herbs: Above-ground (grass) 1.7 0.08 Below-ground (grass) 3.4 0.08 Above-ground (other herbs) 0.4 0.03 Below-ground (other herbs) 1.8 0.07 Source: Chidumayo (unpublished). CHIDUMAYO * USING NATURAL FERTILIZERS IN MIOMBO WOODLANDS ' 3 distribution of nutrients in the vegetation Chiternene culkation in Zambia and soil degree of depletion of the nutrient stocks in The Chitemene (meaning "to cut") denotes a the ecosystem shifting cultivation system practiced by the * capacity of farmers to access modern farm- Bemba in' wetter miombo along the ing inputs, especially artificial fertilizers Congo-Zambezi watershed of northern Zambia. response of miombo soils to artificial fertil- The best known of the three methods, this shift- izers. ing cultivation system is unique in growing crops in an ash garden (infield) made from burning a Here these factors are considered in relation to pile of branches. These are obtained by lopping three traditional farming systems in the miombo and chopping trees from an area (outfield) ten zone that rely on natgral fertilizers for crop pro- times larger than the ash garden. The pile of duction: (1) chitemene (Zambia), (2) fundikila wood is burned just before the onset of the rainy (Zambia), and (3) communal area farming season to ash-fertilize the garden and millet is (Zimbabwe) ('hble 2). A common feature among sown in the ash without tilling the soil. The ash them is that they are all practiced by predomi- consists predominantly of potash (83 percent) nantly resource-poor farmers with limited access and nitrogen (16 percent) (Stromgaard 1984). In to artificial fertilizers. addition to fertilization, the potash reduces soil Table 2. Characteristics of chitemene, fundikila, and communal area farming systems in the miombo zone of southern Africa.* Chitemene FZlndikila Communal Area Characteristic (Zambia) (Zambia) (Zirnbabwe) Ecosystem Wetter miombo Wetter miombo Drier miombo State of miombo Deforested where Extensively Extensively woodland carrying capacity deforested degraded has been exceeded --Area (sq. krn) 126,200 6,200 ! 164,000 P~pulationdensity 5.7 (1990) 12.6 (1990) 25.5 (1982) (per sq. km) Average size of 1.5 0.5 2.8 cultivated plot per I ---household (ha) , Fallow as percent 90 60 0 of total cropland Natural source Wood Grass llee leaves and manure of fertilizer Fertilizer incor- Burning Burying Spreading and poration method ploughing * Based on data from various sources. 4 ISSUES IN AFRlCAN BIODIVERSITY NUMBER 2, MAY 1999 acidity by up to 50 percent, improving nutrient often become so short that woodland recovery is uptake by the millet crop that is sown during the impaired and permanent deforestation has first year (Araki 1992, Chidumayo 1987). In the become apparent. This is especially the case second year, cassava, which matures over a 2-3 within 50 krn of major roads (Chidumayo 1987). year period, succeeds millet before the ash gar- In an attempt to reduce deforestation and pro- den is abandoned. During this period, soil acidi- mote permanent cultivation, the Zambian gov- ty increases to the preburn level, and apparently ernment initiated an agricultural development triggers abandonment of the ash garden (Lungu program in northern Zambia in the 1970s, based and Chinene 1993). on hybrid maize monocropping and subsidized cheap artificial fertilizers (NORAGRIC and IUCN Although other vegetation types occur in the 1989). However, continuous use of nitrogen fer- chitemene zone, local people prefer setting up tilizer (without lime) only increased soil acidity. their gardens in miombo (Stromgaard 1984). It After four to five years, low maize yields forced is unclear whether this preference is based on farmers to shift to new areas. In areas where differences in nutrient content available from the land clearing was done by machines, removal of trees or differential soil responses to burning in topsoil, coupled with acidification of the subsoil, the different vegetation types. Woodland regen- has impaired miombo woodland regeneration eration on ash gardens is extremely slow after land was abandoned (personal observa- because stumps and roots, which are the main tions). Thus, a new form of shifting cultivation sources of woodland regrowth, are completely resulting in soil acidification has replaced the destroyed during the burns. Regeneration of traditional one that never acidified the soil. miombo from seed is also extremely slow However, Structural Adjustment Policies in
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