Sustaining agricultural production through improved soil management is critical to the issue of food security and poverty alleviation in developing countries owing to the escalating population growth, intensified cropping, shrinking agricultural land and widespread land degradation. Limited availability of additional land for crop production along with declining yield growth for major food crops have heightened concerns about agriculture’s ability to feed the world population. Much currently cultivated land is being lost through soil erosion, nutrient depletion, desertification, deforestation, and salinization or overgrazing. As agricultural areas become even more crowded, arable land is likely to come under increasing pressure. Integrated soil health and fertility management (ISHFM) is the key in raising productivity levels while maintaining the natural resource base. This training course aims to guide participants on how to replenish soil nutrient pools, maximize on-farm recycling of nutrients, and reduce nutrient losses to the environment and improving the efficiency of external inputs.

Duration: 5 days

Who Should Attend?

This course is intended for various actors in the Agriculture Extension (Agricultural extension officers, senior agricultural officials and policy makers) working with communities, in governments, funding agencies, Research organizations and non-government organizations among others for Agriculture support activities and other development programmes. 

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, learners will be able to:

• Understand validated and participatory approach to designing and implementing effective ISHFM programs

• Apply a participatory approach to designing and implementing an ISHFM program.

• Understand soil fertility concepts.

• Understand soil fertility enhancing strategies that maximize profits and agronomic use efficiency.

• Understand the methodologies and tools to assess suitability, economic feasibility, and impacts of ISHFM on agricultural production, soil fertility, and the environment.

• Understand how to promote ISHFM to farmers and other stakeholders.

Course Content

Module I: The Impact and Role of Global Agriculture was found by Irrigation

a.      Irrigated agriculture in addition to water use

b.      The performance of the global funding companies in irrigation development

c.       Economics of irrigation

d. Introduction to ISHFM and basic concepts 

e. ISHFM Strategies to Maximize Profits and Agronomic Use Efficiency 

Module II: Fundamentals of Irrigation

a.      Components of irrigation and also drainage schemes

b.      Determining irrigation water requirements

c.       Soil Fertility Management 

d.     Soil Conservation

Module III: Maintenance, Operation, and Design of Irrigation Systems

a.      Design of drainage and irrigation systems

b.      Irrigating techniques

c.       Maintenance and operation

Module IV: Management Structures

a. Management structures for irrigation

b. Enhancing efficiency

c. Extension Techniques

d. Non-Agronomic Soil Components

Methodology

The instructor led trainings are delivered using a blended learning approach and comprises of presentations, guided sessions of practical exercise, web-based tutorials and group work. Our facilitators are seasoned industry experts with years of experience, working as professional and trainers in these fields.

Key Notes

i. The participant must be conversant with English.

ii. Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with an Authorized Training Certificate

iii. Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.

iv. The course fee includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch and a Certificate upon successful completion of Training.

v. One-year post-training support Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.

vi. Payment should be done at least a week before commence of the training, to DATASTAT CONSULTANCY LTD account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.