Socio-cultural, ecological, economic and political aspects of small-scale farmers’ contexts and how they affect their choices and decisions about soil and water management. community learn about how they can make the most of their soil and water systems to allow for greater farm sustainability.

There has always been variability in climatic episodes, such as droughts, storms and flooding – and farmers have learnt to cope with this variability. They adapt their practices throughout the season, carefully responding to changes in rainfall and seasons through their selection of crops, crop varieties, planting and other cultural measures, while at the same time changing how they manage their soil and water systems. This so-called “response farming” reflects an approach that seeks resilience and flexibility in farming – and sustainability.

This figure also shows how soil moisture in its turn has a strong influence on crop production. It does so through several routes: adequate soil moisture provides a buffer and ensures water availability to plants even in the absence of rainfall; soil moisture is essential to mobilise transport of nutrients to and through the plants; and adequate soil moisture improves soil chemical processes and aids the availability in particular of the macro-nutrient, nitrogen. The challenge is not only to increase the availability of water to the land – but also to retain the moisture within the soil. As discussed earlier clay and silty soils have a better capacity to retain moisture. Increasing the organic content of the soil further improves this. Cultivation practices can also improve the retention of soil moisture in the soil – for example, mulching (to avoid evaporation from the soil surface) or deep ploughing (moving moisture to deeper layers), though the appropriateness of such practices are location-specific.

organisms makes up a “soil food web” densely packed in the upper layers of the soil (see Figure above). These organisms can be divided into different levels of producers and consumers that interact and convert energy and nutrients between themselves, as well as in association with plants’ roots. Although much about soil ecosystems is still unknown, what we do know is that soil organisms modify the soil environment, affecting its physical, chemical and biological properties and processes. It is the soil organisms that interact with minerals and organic matter, helping to create soil structure and therefore affecting water infiltration, drainage and holding capacity. For example, earthworms create tunnels and burrows throughout the soil. Activities in the soil determine plants’ access to nutrients through decomposition of rocks, organic matter, animals and micro-organisms. Roots absorb these minerals if they are readily available in soil solution

Whether we realise it or not, soil affects each of us in our everyday lives. Besides being fundamental to the production of our food and other agricultural products, the soil performs a wide range of functions that go beyond farming. It regulates water, sustains plant and animal life, recycles organic wastes, recycles nutrients, stores carbon, filters out pollutants, and serves as a physical support for structures. For farmers, understanding the functioning of the soils on their farms - and how to make the best use of the water available - form the base of their livelihoods.

Self identities define how people interact for purpose of managing the natural environment. As a result different societies have different conceptions in managing environmental systems and may vary within and between societies. Every human being is affected by social and biophysical environment in which they live. The process of managing it can be facilitated by understanding both the people involved and the processes leading to such identities. At the same time, the idea of inter generational transmission of the best environmental management attitudes as part of education should be encouraged.

There is a close link between self identity with environment and ones actions on the environment.

Human beings have been interacting with nature and changing the natural landscape for a long time. Realizing that this state of affairs can’t continue indefinitely, different theories have been put forward to explain why different people see, behave and have contributed differently to this change as a step towards understanding the individual perception as part of environmental management.

We have shown our commitment to set aside money for agricultural sector development. Along the way we have come across such a big set back

Agriculture is our key economic sector; majority of our people depend on agriculture for their survival in terms of food, exports and raw materials for our industries.