Practical aspects and essential concepts for sustainable soil conservation and management in tropical zones
To feed the world better, we must first feed the soil. In the tropics, most soils are naturally poor in naturally poor in organic matter and fertilizing elements. To increase their agricultural the soil to replace the mineral elements exported during harvesting crops. How to estimate crop yields in the field? Knowing the land is the first step of agricultural development.
This book combines practical aspects with a presentation of the essentials of agropedology agropedology, the science that studies the application of soil knowledge to agriculture. It meets to a clear need in tropical regions, where agronomists and agricultural technicians are faced with the fertilization and sustainable soil management.
The author presents the basics of soil science and the different types of tropical agro-sylvo-pastoral systems. Possible ways of maintaining and enriching the soil's stock of organic matter are outlined and effective soil and water conservation practices are discussed from an agro-ecological perspective.
This clear, concise and abundantly illustrated compendium will be of use to all professionals looking for new, more ecological ways to manage their soils, new, more ecological ways of managing land, as well as to trainers, whether they be agricultural schools or field extension workers. It will also be of interest to readers committed to respecting the environment, as well as the general public interested in sustainable development in tropical regions.
Clément Mathieu
Académie des sciences d’Outre-mer. D’abord pédologue-cartographe des sols (station agronomique de Laon), Clément Mathieu est ensuite passé à la pratique de terrain (expert en irrigation au Maroc, expert FAO en Centrafrique), puis à l’enseignement supérieur (Bujumbura et Toulouse) et à l’engagement associatif (président fondateur de l’Association France Tchad Pendé Agriculture). Il a le souci de transmettre son expérience, acquise au cours de voyages et travaux de terrain menés en Afrique, en Amérique latine et en Asie, en réponse à toute une série de questions très tangibles, posées par l’agriculture tropicale.