How Smallholder Farmers Can Use Soil Map Data for Higher Productivity By Guest Writer on April 14, 2021
Average cocoa yields in Ghana by smallholder farmers are currently 400 kg/ha, far below their production potential of over 1,500 kg/ha. Dominant factors contributing to this current yield gap include climate, cultural practices, and the soil. Among these, long-term soil degradation and, in particular, soil infertility is recognized as one of the main factors limiting cocoa yields
There is huge potential for precision agriculture services to help farmers identify soil practices that lead to higher productivity and profitability, lower input costs and optimize input use, particularly fertilizer use. However, a major limitation in assessing farm-scale soil suitability and limitations lies is acquiring accurate soil property data.