Page 210 - Area 9 - Relevant Document

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Plate 20c: Fallow field with Sesbania sesban (Katurai)
as a rotational woodlot

Areas where the practice is relevant

This practice is relevant in areas where land is regularly fallowed.
However, fallowing is not common in Kenya now due to population
pressure, although it does occur in western Kenya (mainly in the Lake
Victoria basin) and in semi-arid areas. Improving fallows is relevant
where farms are relatively large, and where labor is more of a
constraint than size of farm holding. Improving fallows by
establishment of shrubs is not a very common practice in Kenya.

Establishment and spacing
Since very many individual shrubs are required, all with a relatively
short life span, a simple and cheap propagation method is necessary.
Direct sowing is the best option. The denser the spacing the more
effectively will weeds be suppressed.

Management aspects

The shrubs require little management once they are well established.
But protection from livestock, is an absolute necessity. If the shrubs
are very densely spaced some thinning can be done for harvesting of
staking material, fito or firewood. When land is to be brought back
under cultivation, some shrubs can be left to supply propagation
material for the next fallow period.

Benefits

The main benefits are quick restoration of soil fertility and wood
production. The risks or potential problems are damage by livestock