Results of a survey on the use of mineral fertilizers under oil palm (eleaisguineensisjacq.) in côte d'ivoire

In order to develop mineral fertilizer scales, adapted to different regions and new varieties of oil palm, a survey was conducted among 275 producers in the South-East, South-Center and South-West from Côte d’Ivoire. This semi-structured survey focused on the different types of mineral fertilizers, the doses applied and the producers' assessments of the use of these mineral fertilizers. According to the results of the survey, 10 different types of chemical fertilizers are applied under oil palm cultivation in Côte d'Ivoire. Among these types of fertilizer, KCl is the most used, with a rate of about 80% of use by producers surveyed in all regions. Border regions in neighboring countries, particularly the south-east, hold the record for the number of fertilizers used. Prolonged agricultural practices on the land have led to the need to restore them through the use of chemical fertilizers according to producers. Also, the wish of the oil palm producers surveyed is to use these chemical fertilizers. But given the high cost, lack of extension and low purchasing power of the rural population, fertilizers are not actually used. The few surveyed farmers, who have already used chemical fertilizers, have mostly obtained them through agroindustries.