Landscapes, fields and soils: understanding the history of soil fertility management in Southern Zimbabwe

摘要: Many commentators on African agriculture believe soil fertility is declining to levels where food production can no longer be sustained, thus spelling disaster for the future. But how accurate are these doomsday pictures? This paper takes a more focused look at issues of management using case study from southern Zimbabwe. An historical perspective taken which attempts unravel range factors have influenced changes in landscape and farm over past century. The story that emerges not one terminal decline, but some areas increased status through active enrichment management, while others declined. role institutions, both local external, mediating processes change highlighted an examination patterns labour organisation, land tenure, government legislation markets prices. resulting story, surprisingly, much complex...