How to boost wheat and barley yields in Ethiopia by addressing acidic soil problems.

What is it about?

Low agricultural yields in Africa mean that millions of people face hunger and under-nutrition, especially in rural areas where most depend on small-scale farming for their livelihoods. Contributing to this, acid soils are a major constraint for cereal crop production in Ethiopia and other parts of Africa. Lime and fertilizer applications are potential solutions, but which option is most cost-effective? Our recent study estimated the effects of acid soil on the yields of wheat, and barley in Ethiopia, and compared the economic benefits of lime and fertilizer applications. The study used a combination of soil data, crop models, and economic analysis to assess the potential yield gains and net returns from different soil management scenarios. We found that raising the soil pH from 5.5 to 6.5 (a measure of acidity) with lime can boost wheat yields by 22% and barley yields by 19%. We also found that fertilizer is less effective on very acidic soils. For wheat, applying lime once every five years can save more money than using fertilizer every year. The savings can be as high as 121% of the average annual income of a farming household. For barley, the savings are lower but still significant at 24%.

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Why is it important?

The study also suggests that the findings are broadly applicable to large parts of Africa that suffer a similar acidification yield loss crisis. This could help farmers grow more food and earn more money. It could also make Ethiopia's agriculture more resilient to climate change and other challenges.