Legumes and soil health – participatory action research

Session: Soil degradation and rapid change are faced across Africa, and require attention to both old and new technologies. Over two decades of action research with farmers in Malawi has shown that smallholder food production and nutrition can be improved through biological principles and targeted use of inputs. Innovations include resilient legumes such as pigeon pea, mixed systems with unique abilities to capture more sunlight, access more nutrients, and use water conservatively to produce nutritious food, fodder and fuel.

Biographical information: Sieg Snapp is a Professor of Soils and Cropping Systems Ecology and the Associate Director of the Center for Global Change at Michigan State University. As an agroecologist, she has produced two farming systems books, and over a 100 articles while working in SE Africa for over 25 years. She studies sustainable management of soils and food, and has the great privilege to carry out action research in close partnership with educators, students, farmers and extension, from Malawi to Michigan.