Legume inoculant production and use in East and Southern Africa

Rhizobium inoculation is a cheaper and usually more effective agronomic practice for ensuring an adequate supply of N for legume-based crop and pasture production than the application of fertilizer N. This is particularly important in developing countries in Africa which, due to financial and technological limitations, must otherwise spend scarce foreign currency on foreign imports. We give an account of legume inoculant production, quality control and use in East and Southern Africa, with particular emphasis on Zimbabwe and Kenya.