A suggested framework of inputs and linkages for the integration of local and scientific soil knowledge is given in Fig. 1 . The framework identifies within the context two soil knowledge systems; the Local Soil Knowledge (LSK) and the Scientific Soil Knowledge (SSK). The influence of these two knowledge systems together with prevailing natural environmental phenomena (e.g. rainfall, temperature, etc.), existing institutional frameworks and prevailing socio-economic conditions constitutes the main driving forces controlling farmer technical practices that give rise to existing agro-ecosystem structure and their dynamics. Though sharing common core concepts, both knowledge systems nevertheless have gaps (Barrios et al., 2006),