Alley farming: A sustainable technology for crops and livestock production

Abstract

The paper's study focused on developing farming systems that would eliminate fallow periods while increasing production and maintaining soil fertility. Crop yields increased with alley farming and the prunings from the alley crop, Leucaena leucocephala, were fed to cattle giving them increased body weight. Alley farming's benefits include improvement of soil fertility, provision of all year round fodder for livestock, possibility of continuous cropping, low capital requirement and supply of fuelwood and stakes. Constraints of alley farming include lack of knowledge about its benefits and lack of finances. The authors conclude with suggestions for effective extension of alley farming to enhance adoption.