Cattle and manure management strategies to increase soil fertility in Western Niger

In western Niger soil fertility depletion threatens food production. Cattlemanagement and manure are used to maintain soil fertility. However, cattle population and insufficient feed limit the use of manure for improving soil fertility. The purpose of this research was to assess farmers perceptions of soil fertility, particularly the role of cattle, the contribution of communal action to soil fertility improvement, and to examine the ability of phosphorus (P) supplementation to cattle to increase P levels in Djerma and Fulani farm fields.