GESTION DE LA FERTILITE DES SOLS DANS LES OASIS DE LA REGION DE GHARDAÏA (SAHARA SEPTENTRIONAL D’ALGERIE)

Abstract

In arid conditions, the rational management of soil fertility and water resources is crucial for the agro-ecological sustainability of fragile oasian systems. Their vulnerability is amplified by other aspects (various crops combined, salinization of soils, excessive evapotranspiration, and diverse parasites). The objective of this study is to establish, through an investigation on a sample of 58 farms, an analysis of the oasian farmer’s practices of their soils fertility management (organic amendments, crops rotation, and mineral in puts). A diversity of practices is carried out by farmers, both conservative and non-conservative of soil fertility on the relationship with available resources, strategies deployed and room for improvement. Positive trend is observed among oasian farmers to valorize animal and vegetable biomass produced on their farms and in the same time reduce their dependence on mineral fertilizers which prices have become exorbitant and not adapted to the physicochemical and biological characteristics of their soils