Soil degradation is a major challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, where integrated soil fertility management has been promoted to restore productivity. A long-term experiment (1972\uffe2\uff80\uff931992) run in Benin consisted of two phases: a depletion phase (1972\uffe2\uff80\uff931980) with varying levels of mineral and organic fertilisation, and a regeneration phase (1981\uffe2\uff80\uff931992) where all plots received full fertilisation and organic matter additions. Soils were sampled at 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9320\uffc2\uffa0cm depth in 1973, 1974, 1982, and 1989 to assess fertility changes. Mineral fertilisation (N, P, K) and plant biomass management (crop residue retention and biomass additions) significantly influenced seed cotton and maize grain yields during the depletion phase. Soil organic carbon declined consistently in all treatments during depletion but remained stable during regeneration. The long-term effect was evident only in seed cotton yield during depletion. In contrast, due to high variability, maize grain yield showed no consistent trend. The combined use of organic resources and mineral fertilisers helped maintain crop productivity but led to declining soil chemical properties in this Ferralsol. The analysis of this outdated yet unpublished dataset shed light on how long-term soil depletion effects persist over time, even when soil fertility management is restored, indicating a sort of \uffe2\uff80\uff98soil memory\uffe2\uff80\uff99. The persistence of these effect suggests that regenerative interventions must begin before critical thresholds of degradation are crossed. Future research should focus on alternative measures to restore/maintain soil fertility not evaluated in this experiment, such as conservation tillage or legume integration, to provide long-term benefits for smallholder farmers facing soil fertility challenges.The official environmental discourse in Laos describes a \uffe2\uff80\uff9cchain of degradation\uffe2\uff80\uff9d stretching from upland shifting cultivation, increased runoff and soil erosion to the siltation of wetlands and reservoirs. This perspective has had wide\uffe2\uff80\uff90ranging impacts on rural development policy which, in the uplands, has long favoured forest conservation over agriculture. Integrating soil erosion and water sediment data with local perceptions of land degradation in an upland village of northern Laos, this study tests the validity of the official environmental discourse. Biophysical measurements made in a small agricultural catchment indicate a significant correlation between the spatial extent of cultivation and soil erosion rates. However, sediment yields recorded at the outlet of the catchment highlight relatively low levels of off\uffe2\uff80\uff90site sediment exportation. Furthermore, farmers' perceptions suggest that local land degradation issues and crop yield declines could be less related to soil erosion than to agricultural land shortage, increased weed competition, and fertility losses resulting from the intensification of shifting cultivation. The study concludes that a better understanding and management of land degradation issues can be achieved by developing more inclusive and scientifically\uffe2\uff80\uff90informed approaches to environmental perceptions and narratives.
", "keywords": ["http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_24420", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7170", "SOL CULTIVE", "F08 - Syst\u00e8mes et modes de culture", "culture itin\u00e9rante", "\u00e9rosion", "SEDIMENT", "POLITIQUE AGRICOLE", "SYSTEME DE REPRESENTATIONS", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_12076", "conservation des for\u00eats", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3062", "for\u00eat", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1374158672853", "DEGRADATION DU SOL", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7165", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2651", "intensification", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_34823", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7168", "2. Zero hunger", "P36 - \u00c9rosion", " conservation et r\u00e9cup\u00e9ration des sols", "AGRICULTEUR", "15. Life on land", "VILLAGE", "ruissellement", "6. Clean water", "JACHERE", "BASSIN VERSANT", "fertilit\u00e9 du sol", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7038", "d\u00e9gradation du sol", "13. Climate action", "conservation des sols", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_35388", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_33485", "d\u00e9gradation des terres", "EROSION HYDRIQUE", "impact sur l'environnement", "ROTATION DES CULTURES", "ZONE DE MONTAGNE"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1477-8947.2011.01438.x"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Natural%20Resources%20Forum", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/j.1477-8947.2011.01438.x", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/j.1477-8947.2011.01438.x", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/j.1477-8947.2011.01438.x"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2012-03-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "11370/a5fba259-dd61-43ac-8b8a-86b2d5fd6cef", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-25T16:24:48Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2025-08-20", "title": "Regenerating productivity after soil fertility depletion in a 20-year cotton\u2013maize rotation in Benin", "description": "AbstractSoil degradation is a major challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, where integrated soil fertility management has been promoted to restore productivity. A long-term experiment (1972\uffe2\uff80\uff931992) run in Benin consisted of two phases: a depletion phase (1972\uffe2\uff80\uff931980) with varying levels of mineral and organic fertilisation, and a regeneration phase (1981\uffe2\uff80\uff931992) where all plots received full fertilisation and organic matter additions. Soils were sampled at 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9320\uffc2\uffa0cm depth in 1973, 1974, 1982, and 1989 to assess fertility changes. Mineral fertilisation (N, P, K) and plant biomass management (crop residue retention and biomass additions) significantly influenced seed cotton and maize grain yields during the depletion phase. Soil organic carbon declined consistently in all treatments during depletion but remained stable during regeneration. The long-term effect was evident only in seed cotton yield during depletion. In contrast, due to high variability, maize grain yield showed no consistent trend. The combined use of organic resources and mineral fertilisers helped maintain crop productivity but led to declining soil chemical properties in this Ferralsol. The analysis of this outdated yet unpublished dataset shed light on how long-term soil depletion effects persist over time, even when soil fertility management is restored, indicating a sort of \uffe2\uff80\uff98soil memory\uffe2\uff80\uff99. The persistence of these effect suggests that regenerative interventions must begin before critical thresholds of degradation are crossed. Future research should focus on alternative measures to restore/maintain soil fertility not evaluated in this experiment, such as conservation tillage or legume integration, to provide long-term benefits for smallholder farmers facing soil fertility challenges.