THIRD WORLD NETWORK INFORMATION SERVICE ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Dear friends and colleagues,
Re: Data from Tigray, Ethiopia show increased yields with bioslurry compost
The Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD), Ethiopia has pioneered the use of compost with small farmers in Ethiopia, with great success and increased yields. (See TWN Agriculture Info: Compost Sharply Increases Crop Yields in Tigray, Ethiopia, 30 January 2008).
Since 2009, ISD has been involved in a national programme aiming to help Ethiopian small farming families install and manage anaerobic digester plants, to provide them with an alternative and renewable form of cleaner and safer energy (biogas, 60% methane) for cooking and lighting, as well as a readily available organic fertilizer (bioslurry) to improve crop yields.
Data from the 2010 cropping season show that with bioslurry compost application, the average yield of wheat grain increased by 64%, while that of barley grain increased by 72 % compared to when no inputs were used. Furthermore, the use of bioslurry was as effective, or slightly more so than chemical fertilizers.
With best wishes,
Lim Li Ching
Third World Network
131 Jalan Macalister,
10400 Penang,
Malaysia
Email: twnet@po.jaring.my
Websites: www.twnside.org.sg, www.biosafety-info.net