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The problems caused by low soil fertility have far reaching consequences in African economies where the agricultural sector often represents more than 50% of the gross domestic product (GDP). Research in Mali has shown that at least 40 to 60% of the harvest is obtained by using nutrients that are not renewed. Losses due to soil degradation were estimated to be 1,38 billions of F CFA in 1988. These losses are estimated to 9,3 billions of F CFA in year 2005 if appropriate technologies are not defined and applied.

The objective of this pilot study is to assist CARE-Macina and “Projet Intégré de Devélopement de Bafoulabe (PIDEB) in improving or including activities of Integrated Plant Nutrient Management (IPNM) procedures into their work-plans.

Integrated Plant Nutrient Management is based on three principles:

• maximize the use of organic materials
• make supplementary use of fertilizers
• minimize the losses of plant nutrients (control of soil erosion)

Interviews and discussions were carried out with the local farmers, project staff, local development agents, local agricultural dealers, and local authorities.  In addition, field visits were made to selected farmer’s fields and research programs.

The farmers in the Macina area were asked to rank the causes for low food security in decreasing order of priority. The following list appeared: (i) insufficient flooding of the plains, (ii) insufficiency in farm equipment: bulls and plow, (iii) insufficiency in the nutrition of animals, (iv) insufficient credit funds, (v) low fertility and insufficiency of land, (vi) insufficient road infrastructure, (vii) increasing soil erosion (both water and wind erosions), (viii) pest damage on crops, and (ix) lack of health care facilities.

The corresponding list in the PIDEB area was as follows: (i) insufficiency in farm equipment: bulls, plow, and chart , (ii) low soil fertility, and (iii) insufficiency or unavailability of arable lands.

Factors responsible for the low fertility of soils in both areas include: (i) population growth and its impact on reduced land availability, frequency and length of fallow periods, (ii) reduction in bio-mass production due to decreasing and erratic rainfall, (iii) limited use of organic fertilizers, (iv) very limited or no use of mineral sources of fertilizers, (v) disappearing of some species from pasture lands and overgrazing of the pasture lands, (vi) land degradation due to the clearing of land, but with low management capacity, and (vii) increased soil erosion due to diminishing density of trees.