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  • Publication | 2021
Agricultural practices for the restoration of soil ecological functions in Madagascar
Global Food and Nutrition Security

With agroecology, great attention is now given to ecological processes occurring within agrosystems. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to soil ecological processes and the below-ground biodiversity in agricultural practices despite their recognized high potential to enhance ecosystem service delivery and promote multiple ecosystem functions simultaneously (Ratnadass, Blanchart and Lecomte, 2013; ClermontDauphin et al., 2014; Blanchart et al., 2020). Soil function restoration (SFR) is especially relevant for tropical smallholder farmers developing their crops on fragile and poor soils, with low available chemical inputs and under climate change. Restoring soil functions first requires restoring the abiotic environment or habitat and providing energy to soil biota. SFR practices gather (i) the use of original organic inputs with high agroecological performances such as vermicomposts, composts, improved manures, (ii) an efficient combination of organic and mineral inputs promoting plant functions, (iii) biofertilization (i.e. inoculation of soil-plant mutualists (such as earthworms, mycorrhizae, etc.) to restore some soil functions) and (iv) the use of crop varieties that respond efficiently to innovative SFR practices.