Transferring an Indigenous Practice for Soil Improvement : Cattle Manure with Groundnut Shells

Soil fertility never used to be a major
constraint due to the age-old practices of recycling
agricultural residues in several ways. However, in these
days of inorganic fertilizers and quick returns, the problem
of soil management and its related constraints are
surfacing. In this context, indigenous practices related to
soil and water conservation which can also be termed
resource-conserving technologies need to be documented in a
systematic way and also to be analyzed and introduced to
potential new areas. Preparation of valuable manure from
groundnut shells spread on the floor of the cattle shed is
one such indigenous practice followed by farmers of
Anantapur district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India.
This age-old practice is still practiced by the farmers of
this region.