Sustainable Soil Management Handbook

A Practical Training Manual for Extension Officers in Siaya County

This training manual provides a practical, county-owned, and user-friendly guide to strengthen the capacity of frontline actors in promoting Sustainable Agricultural Land Management (SALM) in Siaya County. Drawing from over a decade of ProSoil project experience, the manual translates proven practices into actionable training content and participatory methodologies tailored to the realities of smallholder farmers.

The manual addresses the interlinked challenges of soil degradation, climate risks, and agricultural sustainability while highlighting opportunities for carbon storage and credit systems. Soil degradation in Siaya is driven by erosion, nutrient mining, acidification, and loss of organic matter. These constraints are further compounded by climate variability, including erratic rainfall, prolonged dry-spells, floods, and rising temperatures, which disrupt cropping cycles and increase vulnerability of farm households.