Participatory Research of Compost and Liquid Manure in Kenya

Soil fertility is declining in Kenya’s low potential areas. Soil fertility management technologies which are more appropriate to farmers’ socio-economic circumstances are needed. This paper presents the methodology and results of an on-farm experiment with the use of compost and liquid manure on maize, using a Participatory Technology Development (PTD) approach. One group comprised conventional farmers while the second comprised farmers using a Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) approach. The study shows that with this approach, farmers and researchers can come to agreement on technologies to be tested, treatments and research design.