Chapter 1.1 (Agriculture 4)

Soil Conservation

Conservation of resources

A resource is anything that is useful to human beings. For example, soil, water and fuel are necessary resources for agricultural and household uses. Such resources can be exhausted rapidly if they are overused. Consequently, human beings, animals and the environment in general will be affected. In this strand, we will learn how to conserve soil, water, fuels and wild animals in our environment in order to meet our current and future needs.

Soil Conservation

Soil is the main medium through which plants grow. Soil supports plants by holding their roots firmly. Soil also supplies the plants with air, water and nutrients which are necessary for growth. Animals such as cattle, goats and sheep eat grass which grows on soil. In addition, soil is home to many animals such as moles, mice and some insects.

To provide crop requirements, the soil should be fertile. We will make compost manure using heap method for use in the garden. How can composting help to conserve our environment?

Materials for making compost manure

Compost manure is made by decomposing plant materials and animal wastes. Such materials are called organic because they can decay or decompose.

  1. What materials can we use to make compost manure? 
  2. What materials should not be used when making compost manure? Share with the rest of the class. 

Using a digital device, watch a video clip on how to make compost manure by heap method. Your teacher, parent or guardian will guide you on how to obtain an appropriate video clip.

After watching the video clip:

  1. Describe how compost manure is prepared through the heap method.
  2. Explain the importance of compost manure.
  3. Describe how a good compost manure looks like.

Let us learn

Organic materials used to make compost manure include dry crop remains, grass clippings, hedge clippings, weeds, food remains and animal wastes from cattle, sheep, goats, chicken or rabbits. To make good compost manure, ash, fresh garden soil and water are also required. However, the following materials should not be used:

  1. Meat, fish, bones, cooking fats and oils and dairy products such as milk and yoghurt. They can attract flies, rats and other animals.
  2. Cat and dog wastes. They can spread diseases and parasites to human beings.
  3. Weeds that have seeds.
  4. Plants affected by diseases or pests.
  5. Any material that cannot decompose.

Some organic materials in our environment are therefore important resources that should be used to make compost manure. The manure can be used to improve soil fertility in our gardens either in school or at home.

a

Dry leaves

b

Chicken droppings

c

Farm and kitchen waste

d

Grass

e

Cattle dung

Preparing compost manure by heap method

In heap method, materials for making compost manure are placed in a pile on the ground surface.

Activity 3: Let us do (in groups)

  1. Select a suitable site for preparing the compost manure. Such a site should be well drained and sheltered from sunlight and rainfall.
  2. Collect the required material such as dry maize stalk, dry grass, dry sugarcane, grass leaves, dry bean stalks, green leaves, animal wastes, ashes, fresh topsoil and water.
  3. Measure a rectangle of about 100 centimetres wide and 150 centimetres long. Your teacher will guide you on any other suitable measurements.
  4. Dig a shallow pit about 30 centimetres deep. Put the topsoil on one side, you will need it later.
  5. Put a bottom layer of rough materials such as maize stalks or dry vegetation in the shallow pit. This layer should be about 30 centimetres thick. Sprinkle some water on this layer.
  6. Add a second layer of green vegetation such as green grass, green leaves and hedge cuttings. You may also add food leftovers and kitchen wastes. This layer should be about 15 centimetres thick. Sprinkle water on this layer too. You should sprinkle water on each layer as you add it. The pile should be moist throughout.
  7. Put on a third layer of animal manure.
  8. Sprinkle some ash.
  9. Add a thin layer of topsoil. Old compost may be added if it is available instead of topsoil.
  10. Add more layers in turn, starting with dry vegetative materials, then green materials followed by animal manure, wood ash and topsoil. Remember to sprinkle water on every layer. Build the pile up to 100 to 150 centimetres high. The height of the pile will depend on the materials available.
  11. Cover the whole heap or pile with dry grass or dry vegetation such as banana leaves.
  12. Take a long, sharp, pointed stick and drive it in at an angle so that it passes through the heap from top to bottom. This stick will act as your “thermometer”. After 3 days, decomposition will have started in the pile, and the stick will be warm when you pull it out.
  1. Keep checking the progress of the decomposition process by pulling the thermometer stick from time to time. If the thermometer stick is cold, it means decomposition is not taking place and you need to turn the materials.
  2. Sprinkle water on the compost heap occasionally (about every 3 days, depending on the weather). If it has been raining, you may not need to water the pile.

After every 2 to 3 weeks, turn the compost heap over with a manure fork to ensure that the different layers are well mixed. The top layer will now become the bottom layer while the bottom layer will become the top layer.

After about 3 to 4 months the compost manure will be fully decomposed and ready to use in your garden. If it is not being used immediately, it is good to put it in a shade to prevent loss of nutrients through evaporation. When fully decomposed, the compost heap will become cool and the size of the original heap will be greatly reduced. The compost manure should be dark in colour and have a fresh, earthly smell. It should not show any grass, leaves or animal manure.

Note

Take photos and videos as you participate in the project of making compost manure and save them in your portfolio. You will present to your teacher, parent or guardian to show your participation in the project.

Take Home Activity

Make a habit of making compost manure at home using organic waste materials so that you can be applying it in your kitchen garden. You will be conserving your environment by re‑using the organic waste materials since the environment will be neat. Your garden will also be more fertile and therefore produce more food for your own consumption. Discuss with your parent or guardian how you can do this together to practise what you have done in school.

Applying compost manure

Let us learn

Importance of compost manure in farming

Compost manure is important because of the following reasons:

  1. It improves soil fertility by releasing nutrients into the soil to be used by plants.
  2. It releases nutrients to be used by small living things that live in the soil.
  3. It helps the soil to retain moisture, for example in sandy soils. This in turn reduces the likelihood of soil erosion.
  4. Makes some types of soil to be well aerated, for example, clay soil whose soil particles are very close to each other.
  5. Using compost manure helps to save on cost of buying artificial fertilizers.

Note

One can also sell excess compost manure to crop farmers to earn income.

Assess Yourself

  1. Identify the materials that can be used to make compost manure from the provided options.
  • Dry maize stalks
  • Broken glass
  • Broken egg shells
  • Topsoil
  • Coconut husks
  • Coffee grounds
  • Plastic bags
  • Grass cuttings
  • Cat waste
  • Cattle dung
  • Wood ash
  • Meat
  • Waste from sheep
  • Old clothes
  • Hedge cuttings
  1. Choose the correct answer from the choices given.
    1. While making compost manure through the heap method, materials are placed
    2. is made from decayed plant materials and animal wastes.
    3. The best site for preparing compost manure is
    4. Well decomposed manure should haveand
    5. Compost manure heap should be turned
    6. If compost heap is hot you should
    7. Compost manure can be ready in
    8. Adding compost manure in sandy soilswater retention.
    9. Well decomposed compost manure should
    10. One reason for making compost manure is tothe environment.
Please wait