Crop rotation is the practice of planting different crops on the same piece of land in a planned sequence. The aim is to maintain soil fertility, reduce pests and diseases, and improve yields.
For example, a farmer may plant maize in one season, beans in the next, and then vegetables. Legumes such as beans and cowpeas add nitrogen to the soil, which benefits cereals like maize.
Rotating crops also breaks pest cycles, since insects and diseases that affect one crop often do not affect another. Many smallholder farmers use crop rotation to reduce costs on fertilizers and pesticides while keeping the land productive.