Current knowledge on practices targeting soil fertility and agricultural land rehabilitation in the Sahel. A review

Abstract Implementing sustainable production practices to rehabilitate soils is a grand challenge of our day, particularly for resource-poor farmers. The West African Sahel requires attention balancing the need increasing agricultural against harsh environmental conditions. While there much research documenting technologies soil regeneration in Sahel, has been limited focus on how contribute or exacerbate these efforts. Previous assessments this region have largely descriptive, and some ameliorating promoted with little empirical evidence their effectiveness. Here we systematically review literature fertility conservation that studied within Sahelian systems. We identified tested improve reduce land degradation, summarized outcomes practices. A unique contribution assessment site-specific conditions contexts under which are most effective studies recorded specific characteristics. found area dominated by chemical fertilizer organic amendment practices, moderate few focused water conservation, crop diversification, agroforestry. Additionally, consisted single rather than combining target range biophysical limitations farmers face production. These highlight increased testing combinations across long-term on-farm generate stronger best perform. findings provide key lessons extension management challenging Sahel.