Abstract: Maize productivity among smallholder farmers in Nyanza District, Rwanda, remains below its potential despite ongoing agricultural interventions. Low yields are largely attributed to soil degradation, declining fertility, soil acidity, and inadequate organic matter. While Sustainable Soil Management (SSM) practices have been promoted to address these challenges, their adoption and contribution to maize productivity remain inadequately documented. This study examined the influence of SSM practices on maize productivity among smallholder farmers in Nyanza District. Specifically, it assessed the effects of physical, chemical, and biological soil management practices, including terracing, liming, organic manuring, agroforestry, and Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), on maize yield, grain quality, and household income. A descriptive and correlational research design was employed. Data were collected from 398 smallholder farmers selected using Yamane’s formula and 62 purposively selected key informants, including agronomists and Social Economic Development Officers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that organic manure was the most widely adopted SSM practice (71.9%), whereas lime application and ISFM showed relatively low adoption due to high costs and limited farmer awareness. Maize productivity remained low to moderate, with 43.7% of farmers producing between 1.1 and 2.0 tons per hectare and only 13.1% achieving yields above 3.0 tons per hectare. Regression analysis demonstrated that SSM practices significantly influenced maize productivity (R² = 0.55, p < 0.001). ISFM (β = 0.29), liming (β = 0.24), and terracing (β = 0.18) emerged as the strongest predictors of improved maize yields. Qualitative findings identified high input costs, inadequate extension services, and limited technical knowledge as major barriers to adoption. The study concludes that sustainable improvements in maize productivity require integrated soil fertility management approaches rather than reliance on isolated agricultural inputs. It recommends expanding subsidies for lime and soil amendments, strengthening agricultural extension services, and enhancing farmer training to promote wider adoption of SSM practices and support Rwanda’s Crop Intensification Program (CIP).
Keywords: sustainable, soil management, maize productivity, smallholder farmers, Nyanza District.
Title: Influence of Sustainable Soil Management Practices on Maize Productivity among Smallholder Farmers in Nyanza District
Author: TUYISENGE Jean Bosco, Dr. Eric SIBOMANA
International Journal of Life Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-313X (Print), ISSN 2348-3148 (online)
Vol. 14, Issue 2, April 2026 - June 2026
Page No: 83-96
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 22-June-2026
