Volume 59, Issue 331, July 2023

Assessment of the efficiency of ReviTec technology for soil restoration in sudano-sahelian part of northern Cameroun: Case of Hardé soils of Maroua-Salak

Michaël Zirted Jourmbi^1,2♦, Daniel Toumba¹, Idrissou Danmori², Bruno Olivier Rouama Paggo², Arafat Gové^1,3

¹Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Multipurpose Station of Agricultural Research of Garoua, PO Box 415 Garoua, Cameroon
²Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, PO Box 454 Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
³Departments of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, PO Box 454 Ngaoundéré, Cameroon

^♦Corresponding author
Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Multipurpose Station of Agricultural Research of Garoua, PO Box 415 Garoua, Cameroon and Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundéré, PO Box 454 Ngaoundéré, Cameroon

ABSTRACT

ReviTec is an innovative technology of soil restoration established in Cameroon in 2012 by the Bremen-based Partnership Cooperation. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this technology to restore hardés soils in northern Cameroon. Two monitoring periods were scheduled (2015 and 2016) inside and outside of ReviTec. Some parameters of soil (pH, texture, moisture, soil compaction) and vegetation (herbaceous percentage coverage and tree growth (bio volume)) were evaluated inside and outside of ReviTec. Results indicated that substrate filled in ReviTec biodegradable bags (compost, biochar, mycorrhiza, silt, etc.) influences soil pH and texture positively. pH and texture respectively remain acidic and silty loam outside of ReviTec (on hardé) whereas inside of the ReviTec site, pH became alkaline and texture changed into sandy clay loam. During the both monitoring periods, the percentage of soft soils (ss) and semi-soft soils (sss) were always significantly higher in ReviTec site than outside respectively 44.44% ss, 42.60% sss, 12.96% hs inside of ReviTec site and 2.08% ss, 19.80% sss and 78.12% hs outside of ReviTec in 2015 and 53.70% ss, 31.50% sss, 14.81% hs inside ReviTec site and 5.20% ss, 20.83% sss, 73.96% hs outside of ReviTec in 2016. Percentage coverage of herbaceous species was higher inside ReviTec site (almost 100% near structures) than outside during each monitoring period and bio volume of trees was almost the same, inside (1,2m³) and outside (1,4m³) in 2015 whereas in 2016 it has considerably increased inside ReviTec (1,2m³ to 2,8m³) compared to outside (1,4m³ to 1,9m³).

Keywords: ReviTec, soil restoration, Hardé soil, Far North Cameroon

Discovery, 2023, 59, e84d1274

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Published: July 2023