Soil Science: Soil Fertility and Conservation

This topic focuses on maintaining and improving soil fertility, a critical competency in the Zambian CBC. Learners will investigate factors determining soil fertility, classify nutrients (major and minor), and distinguish between organic and inorganic fertilisers. Practical skills include making compost manure and learning conservation techniques such as crop rotation, mulching, minimum tillage, and cover cropping. Students will also explore soil erosion mitigation. Mastery of soil fertility management is directly applicable to ECZ exam questions on sustainable agriculture, school-based assessment projects, and real-life farming practices to ensure productive and sustainable crop yields.