NUTMON is an integrated, multidisciplinary methodology covering the process of managing natural resources in general and plant nutrient in particular. With the NUTMON methodology farmers and researchers jointly analyze the environmental and economic sustainability of tropical farming systems. Participatory research techniques such as resource flow mapping, matrix ranking and trend analysis are used to obtain the farmers perspective. Next to this a quantitative analysis is carried out which generates import indicators such as nutrient flows, nutrient balances, cash flows, gross margins and farm income. Both the qualitative and quantitative analysis are then used to improve or design new technologies which tackle soil fertility decline can help to increase the economic performance of the farm.
NUTMON is a programme of four Wageningen UR institutes and is carried out in co-operation with research institutes and NGO’s in: the Netherlands, UK, Greece, Spain, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mali, Burkina Faso, China and Vietnam.
Services and online products include:
- manual and software package (the NUTMON Toolbox) which can be used to monitor nutrient flows and economic performance of tropical farming systems. Institutes from developing countries can apply for one free of charge. Demo version available to download from web site
- publications – some available on web site in full-text
- project details