3.2. Perceptions about soil fertility
Farmers were asked if their soil fertility had decreased, not
changed or increased; and what their perceived reasons were.
Almost every farmer interviewed (>90%) perceived a general
decline in soil fertility, while few farmers (8e9%) perceived no
change in soil fertility (Table 3). Those farmers who perceived no
soil fertility change reported that they had just started growing
crops on their land over the past few years, thereby no significant
variations were observed. Those farmers who recognized soil
nutrient decline offered several reasons for the decline (Fig. 3).
Farmers in Sala Krau perceived excessive use of pesticides (i.e.
herbicide and insecticide) (35%), soil erosion (31%) and many years
of cropping (37%) as the major causes for the soil fertility decline;
while Samlout farmers claimed the main causes were soil erosion
(48%), many years of cropping (39%) and excessive use of pesticides
(12%). Other reasons for soil fertility decline (