Farm soil nutrient flows and balances in cereal-based heterogeneous smallholder systems in western Burkina Faso

Abstract

The present study analysed farm soil nutrient flows and partial balances for cereal-oriented agricultural livelihood system (ALS) types in the Satiri sub-district, western Burkina Faso. The results showed that main inflows are mineral and organic fertilizers, crop residues recycling and biological N fixation due to legumes in pure or in association with cereal crops. The results found large negative soil partial nutrient balance mainly for nitrogen and potassium. The nitrogen partial balance of ALS type II (poor) is close to be balanced (-0.98 kg/ha). And its phosphorus partial balance is positive with around 7 kg/ha while its potassium partial balance is the less negative with -26 kg/ha. The wealthier farms (ALS types III and IV) had similar partial soil nutrient balance. It was around -11 N kg/ha, -4 P kg/ha and -36 K kg/ha for ALS type IV, the better-off. The results confirmed that wealthier Agricultural livelihood systems mainly rely on mineral fertilizers, and tend to have larger negative soil partial nutrient balances. The key message of this study is that, improving soil nutrient balance performance passes through promoting integrated soil nutrient management practices like cereal-legumes integration, composting and recycling as well as crop-animal integration to benefit from synergies within farming systems.