DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sajb.2026.v14i06.001

Pages: 417-424

Composting biodegradable urban solid waste offers a promising pathway to restore the fertility of degraded soils and reduce dependence on imported mineral fertilizers. Preliminary research carried out in Yamoussoukro has confirmed the agronomic potential of a solid urban waste compost for tomato cultivation in the Centre region of Côte d’Ivoire. The present research evaluates, under on-farm conditions in southwestern Côte d’Ivoire, the effects of increasing solid compost application rates (0, 10, 20, 30 t·ha⁻¹) on the fertility of an Acrisol, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) yield, and economic profitability, compared to an unfertilized control and a compost + NPK combination. A randomized complete block design with four replications was implemented across two sites over two consecutive growing seasons (2023–2024), with Tukey HSD post-hoc tests (α = 0.05) and polynomial dose-response modelling. Results show consistent, significant and dose-dependent improvements in soil pH (from 5.65 to 6.15), cation exchange capacity (CEC, +64% at 30 t·ha⁻¹), and organic matter (OM, +6.7%). Maximum fruit yield (8.22 ± 1.72 t·ha⁻¹) was achieved at 20 t·ha⁻¹, representing a +455% increase over the control and +226% over NPK alone. A quadratic model (R² = 0.915) estimated the economic optimum at 26.7 t·ha⁻¹. Cost-benefit analysis confirmed the superiority of solid compost alone, with a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 6.15 at 20 t·ha⁻¹ (net profit: 2,754,519 FCFA·ha⁻¹, approximately €4,200), far exceeding the FAO threshold of 2.0. Optimized solid compost thus constitutes an effective and economically viable alternative to mineral fertilization for smallholder tomato production in Côte d’Ivoire.