Green Manuring: A Sustainable Path to Improve Soil Health and Fertility

Soil health and fertility are fundamental pillars of sustainable agriculture, ensuring long-term productivity and environmental integrity. Green manuring, a practice rooted in agroecological principles, has gained recognition as an effective and sustainable strategy to enhance soil quality. This abstract provides an overview of the concept of green manuring, its benefits, and its role in promoting sustainable agriculture. It involves planting specific cover crops, often legumes or nitrogen-fixing plants, in between cash crops or during fallow periods. These cover crops are then incorporated into the soil, enriching it with organic matter and vital nutrients. The symbiotic relationship between certain cover crops and soil microorganisms allows for the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and mitigating the environmental impact of excess nitrogen use. The advantages of green manuring extend beyond soil fertility. This practice enhances soil structure, water retention, and reduces erosion, all of which contribute to improved soil health. The addition of organic matter boosts microbial diversity, leading to increased nutrient cycling and a reduction in soil borne diseases. It also plays a pivotal role in carbon sequestration, contributing to climate change mitigation by storing carbon in the soil. This abstract emphasizes the importance of green manuring as a sustainable solution for enhancing soil health and fertility. Its ability to reduce the reliance on chemical inputs, conserve water, and sequester carbon makes it an invaluable practice for modern agriculture. To maximize the potential of green manuring, farmers must tailor their cover crop choices to their specific agroecological context and integrate it into their crop rotation systems. Further research and knowledge sharing are essential to support the adoption and optimization of green manuring for a sustainable and resilient agricultural future.