Integrated soil fertility management: operational definition and consequences for implementation and dissemination.

Traditional farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa depend primarily on mining soil nutrients. The African Green Revolution aims at intensifying agriculture through dissemination of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM). In this paper we develop a robust and operational definition of ISFM, based on detailed knowledge of African farming systems, their inherent variability, and optimal use of nutrients. We define ISFM as: A set of soil fertility management practices that necessarily include the use of fertilizer, organic inputs, and improved germplasm, combined with the knowledge on how to adapt these practices to local conditions, aiming at maximizing agronomic use efficiency of the applied nutrients and improving crop productivity. All inputs need to be managed following sound agronomic principles. The integration of ISFM practices into farming systems is illustrated by dual-purpose grain-legume‐maize rotations in the savannahs and fertilizer micro-dosing in the Sahel. Finally, the dissemination of ISFM practices is discussed.