
Rebuilding Africa's Soil, 1 Farm at a Time
By growing trees, shrubs and other perennial plants among crops in the field, African farmers can revitalize some badly depleted soils while raising food yields
John P. Reganold is a professor of soil science and agroecology at Washington State University. He serves on Scientific American's board of advisers. Credit: Credit: Nick Higgins
By growing trees, shrubs and other perennial plants among crops in the field, African farmers can revitalize some badly depleted soils while raising food yields
The age-old practice of turning the soil before planting a new crop is a leading cause of farmland degradation. Many farmers are thus looking to make plowing a thing of the past
Large-scale agriculture would become more sustainable if major crop plants lived for years and built deep root systems
Traditional conservation-minded methods combined with modern technology can reduce farmers' dependence on possibly dangerous chemicals. The rewards are both environmental and financial
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