!is section on Soil fertility management in agroecological farming is supposed to be used together with the trainings on specific commodities. !e training concept is the same as outlined for the trainings in the commodities. We provide this part on soil fertility management as a separate leaflet because it is valid for all commodities (specific issues are treated in the respective commodity manuals) and you could use it at different times during the training in a commodity. We suggest introducing this part in the session on “Site selection and land preparation”, but depending on your training program and timing it could be addressed earlier (rather than later).

As mentioned in the introduction on “What is agroecological farming?” agroecological soil fertility management not only consists of adding nutrients as (chemical) fertilizers to your plot. A healthy and productive soil provides plants with nutrients (“plant food”), water and air. Organic matter in the soil (“humus”1 ) is important that the soil can fulfill these tasks. In agroecological farming we aim at nurturing the soil so that it enables our crops to grow well. We therefore try to provide our soil not only with nutrients (to be used by the plants) but also with organic matter. Recycling organic material from the farm (such as crop residues, weeds or manure) and the household (e.g. waste from cooking and cleaning) allows for reducing wastage of valuable substances and making use of nutrients and organic matter for soil fertility improvement. By producing quality compost, such material is converted into great food for the soil and our crops. Nature can help us in agroecological soil fertility management: leguminous plants can capture nitrogen, one of the most important crop nutrients, from the air and make it available in the soil for our crops. Crop rotations or intercropping with such legumes not only increases soil fertility but is also preventing a lot of pests and diseases. Furthermore, a permanent soil cover of living or dead plants (or plant parts) protects the soil because braking up the soil and leaving it open exposes it to wind and water erosion, and organic matter is decomposed, what not only reduces soil fertility but also releases CO2 to the atmosphere and thus contributes to climate change. In the following we explain how you can recycle organic material from your farm and household and turn it into compost to feed your soil and crops. Compost is great for soil fertility management because it adds nutrients and organic matter to the soil and thus helps holding water and nutrient in the soil, allows for adequate soil aeration, and improves the soil’s structure favoring root growth, seedling emergence and soil life, and reducing soil erosion and compaction. It allows improving the value of animal manure, may suppress soil-borne pests and diseases, and can raise the pH value of the soil.