scholarly journals Technology Package for Sustainable Productivity and Resiliency to Climate Variability: The Proof from SIMLESA Studies in Tanzania

Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 168
Author(s):  
John Sariah ◽  
Daniel Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Cropping Season ◽  
Normal Duration

The agricultural sector in Tanzania is mainly dryland and dominated by smallholder farmers. Unreliable rainfall, short than normal duration of cropping season and fluctuations of onset and end of cropping season are main challenges facing farmers. The increased frequency and intensity of droughts, unpredictability of weather, shorter than normal duration of cropping seasons have significant impact on farmers’ productivity, profitability and resilience. This paper report study on Conservation agriculture for Sustainable Intensification (CASI) technology package tested on farm for productive, resilient and sustainable smallholder maize-legume cropping systems across five districts in Tanzania. Three practices namely Conservation practice (CA), Current applied recommended practice (CONV. or sometimes referred to as IMPROV) and primitive farmers practice (FP) were compared in experimental plots on farmers’ fields. Improved (DT maize and Pigeonpeas) was intercropped in all practices. Only CA and CONV practices were statistically compared, whereas FP was for farmer’s visual observations and comparisons. Data recorded were, soil carbon, moisture, yields and economic analysis. Results showed that, the average maize yields for four seasons in CA and CONV doubled and for tripled. An average of 30.5% hours of labour were saved in CASI relative to non CASI practice. The benefit cost ratio of maize-pigeonpea intercrops under CASI was 2.1 as compared to 1.4 in conventional agriculture investments. The institutionalization of CASI at local and national policy decision levels will be required for the scaling of CASI technologies across Tanzania.

Are conservation agriculture (CA) systems productive and profitable options for smallholder farmers in different agro-ecoregions of Zimbabwe?

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Mupangwa ◽  
M. Mutenje ◽  
C. Thierfelder ◽  
I. Nyagumbo
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Direct Seeding ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Production Risk ◽  
Conventional Practice

AbstractContinuous conventional tillage coupled with unsystematic cereal/legume rotations has promoted low crop productivity on smallholder farms. A multi-locational study was established in three agro-ecoregions (AEs) of Zimbabwe. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of four tillage systems (conventional plowing, planting basins, rip-line and animal traction direct seeding systems) on maize (Zea mays L.), cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] yields, and evaluate the economic performance of the conservation agriculture (CA) systems relative to conventional plowing. Each farmer was a replicate of the trial over the three cropping seasons. In the high (750–1000 mm per annum) and low (450–650 mm) rainfall AEs, conventional practice and CA systems gave similar maize grain yield. Under medium rainfall conditions (500–800 mm) planting basins, rip-line and direct seeding systems gave 547, 548 and 1690 kg ha−1 more maize yield than the conventional practice. In the high and low rainfall AEs, conventional practice and planting basins had the lowest maize production risk. Cowpea yield was 35 and 45% higher in the rip-line and direct seeding than conventional practice. Soybean yield was higher in rip-line (36%) and direct seeding (51%) systems than conventional practice. Direct seeding system gave the highest net benefits in all AEs. A combination of long-term biophysical and socio-economic assessments of the different cropping systems tested in our study is critical in order to fully understand their performance under different AEs of Zimbabwe.

scholarly journals Soil Carbon Fractions at Different Soil Depths as Influenced by Land use Practices under Cropping Systems in a Vertisol

2021 ◽  
pp. 23-30
Author(s):  
Arpit Suryawanshi ◽  
H. K. Rai ◽  
Aditi Chourasia ◽  
G. D. Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Rabi Season ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Carbon Fractions ◽  
Land Use Practices ◽  
Soil Carbon Fractions

The experimental field study was conducted at Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) Research Farm, Lakhanwada, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India to evaluate the soil carbon fractions (very labile, labile, less labile and non-labile or recalcitrant carbon) in different land use practices with soil depths under cropping systems in Vertisols after harvest of Kharif and Rabi season crops of year 2015-16 and 2016-17. The experiment was conducted under Split plot design considering land use practices as main plot treatments [L1: Uncultivated, L2: rice-wheat system with conventional agriculture (CT), L3: rice-wheat system with conservation agriculture (CA), L4: soybean-wheat system with CT, L5: soybean-wheat system with CA, L6: maize-wheat system with CT and L7: maize-wheat system with CA] and depth (0-5 cm, 5-15 cm and 15-30 cm) as sub-plot treatments replicated thrice. Very labile carbon fraction was obtained highest in L3 (rice-wheat system with CA) and lowest under L6 (maize -wheat system with CT) treatment after harvest of Kharif and Rabi season crops during 2015-16 and 2016-17and it was significantly higher at 0-5 cm soil depth  than those in 5-15 cm and 15-30 cm soil depths. Similar trends were also obtained in case of labile, less labile and non-labile fraction of carbon i.e. the applied land use practices had significant effect on all the carbon fractions under study and found to be maximum under L3 (R-W system with CA) and minimum in L6: (M-W system with CT) treatment after harvest of both the season crops during both years of experiment. Whereas, the interaction effect of land use practices and soil depths on the carbon fractions was found statistically non-significant during both the seasons and years.

scholarly journals Organic and conservation agriculture promote ecosystem multifunctionality

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (34) ◽  
pp. eabg6995
Author(s):  
Raphaël A. Wittwer ◽  
S. Franz Bender ◽  
Kyle Hartman ◽  
Sofia Hydbom ◽  
Ruy A. A. Lima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Performance ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Additional Support ◽  
Ecosystem Multifunctionality

Ecosystems provide multiple services to humans. However, agricultural systems are usually evaluated on their productivity and economic performance, and a systematic and quantitative assessment of the multifunctionality of agroecosystems including environmental services is missing. Using a long-term farming system experiment, we evaluated and compared the agronomic, economic, and ecological performance of the most widespread arable cropping systems in Europe: organic, conservation, and conventional agriculture. We analyzed 43 agroecosystem properties and determined overall agroecosystem multifunctionality. We show that organic and conservation agriculture promoted ecosystem multifunctionality, especially by enhancing regulating and supporting services, including biodiversity preservation, soil and water quality, and climate mitigation. In contrast, conventional cropping showed reduced multifunctionality but delivered highest yield. Organic production resulted in higher economic performance, thanks to higher product prices and additional support payments. Our results demonstrate that different cropping systems provide opposing services, enforcing the productivity–environmental protection dilemma for agroecosystem functioning.

scholarly journals Designing cropping systems adapted to smallholder farmers. The case of Conservation Agriculture in the state of Parana (Brazil)

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-75
Author(s):  
Maria de Fatima dos Santos Ribeiro ◽  
Dacio Antonio Benassi ◽  
Bernard Triomphe
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
The State

scholarly journals Longitudinal analysis of a long-term conservation agriculture experiment in Malawi and lessons for future experimental design

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 506-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Lark ◽  
I. S. Ligowe ◽  
C. Thierfelder ◽  
N. Magwero ◽  
W. Namaona ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Analysis ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Randomised Control Trial ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Cropping Season

AbstractResilient cropping systems are required to achieve food security in the presence of climate change, and so several long-term conservation agriculture (CA) trials have been established in southern Africa – one of them at the Chitedze Agriculture Research Station in Malawi in 2007. The present study focused on a longitudinal analysis of 10 years of data from the trial to better understand the joint effects of variations between the seasons and particular contrasts among treatments on yield of maize. Of further interest was the variability of treatment responses in time and space and the implications for design of future trials with adequate statistical power. The analysis shows treatment differences of the mean effect which vary according to cropping season. There was a strong treatment effect between rotational treatments and other treatments and a weak effect between intercropping and monocropping. There was no evidence for an overall advantage of systems where residues are retained (in combination with direct seeding or planting basins) over conventional management with respect to maize yield. A season effect was evident although the strong benefit of rotation in El Niño season was also reduced, highlighting the strong interaction between treatment and climatic conditions. The power analysis shows that treatment effects of practically significant magnitude may be unlikely to be detected with just four replicates, as at Chitedze, under either a simple randomised control trial or a factorial experiment. Given logistical and financial constraints, it is important to design trials with fewer treatments but more replicates to gain enough statistical power and to pay attention to the selection of treatments to given an informative outcome.

scholarly journals Maize (Zea mays) Response to Anthill Soil (Termitaria), Manure and NPK Fertilization Rate under Conventional and Reduced Tillage Cropping Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kafula Chisanga ◽  
Ernest Mbega ◽  
Patrick Alois Ndakidemi
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Fertilization Rate ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Maize Varieties

Soil fertility management has been described by many scholars as fundamental and a major hindrance to food production amongst smallholder farmers in the developing world. To counteract this challenge, some farmers have been reported to use anthill soil as analternative fertilizer to improve soil fertility for supporting crop growth. Against this background, a study was undertaken with the aim of ascertaining the effect of anthill soil application alone, cattle manure, and/or their combination with commercially available NPK fertilizer on the growth and yield parameters of three maize varieties under field conditions involving conventional (CONV) and conservation agriculture (CA) tillage systems. Results revealed that anthill soil alone (5000 kg/ha) or in combination with either manure (10,000 kg/ha) or half rate of commercially available fertilizer (NPKS: 10% N, 20% P2O5, 10% K2O, 6% S at 100 kg/ha) competed favourably in terms of response to growth parameters. Furthermore, pH and P levels changed significantly (p < 0.05) at harvest. We conclude that resource-constrained smallholder farmers in less developed countries utilizing anthill soil for fertility improvement purposes should judiciously apply it in CA planting basin structures compared with conventional methods, which appeared to be less effective and leads to sub-optimal yields.

Productivity and profitability of manual and mechanized conservation agriculture (CA) systems in Eastern Zambia

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 380-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Mupangwa ◽  
M. Mutenje ◽  
C. Thierfelder ◽  
M. Mwila ◽  
H. Malumo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Direct Seeding ◽  
Net Return ◽  
Conventional Practice

AbstractClimate variability and declining soil fertility pose a major threat to sustainable agronomic and economic growth in Zambia. The objective of this study was to assess crop yield, land and labor productivity of conservation agriculture (CA) technologies in Eastern Zambia. On-farm trials were run from 2012–2015 and farmers were replicates of a randomized complete block design. The trials compared three CA systems against a conventional practice. Yield and net return ha−1 were determined for maize and legume yield (kg ha−1) produced by ridge and furrow tillage, CA dibble stick planting, CA animal traction ripping and direct seeding. The dibble stick, ripline and direct seeding CA systems had 6–18, 12–28 and 8–9% greater maize yield relative to the conventional tillage system, respectively. Rotation of maize with cowpea and soybean significantly increased maize yields in all CA systems. Intercropping maize with cowpea increased land productivity (e.g., the land equivalent ratio for four seasons was 2.01) compared with full rotations under CA. Maize/cowpea intercropping in dibble stick CA produced the greatest net returns (US$312-767 ha−1) compared with dibble stick maize-cowpea rotation (US$204-657), dibble stick maize monoculture (US$108-584) and the conventional practice (US$64-516). The net-return for the animal traction CA systems showed that maize-soybean rotations using the ripper were more profitable than the direct seeder or conventional ridge and furrow systems. Agronomic and economic benefits of CA-based cropping systems highlight the good potential for improved food security and agricultural productivity for smallholder farmers.

NEMATODE MANAGEMENT IN RAIN-FED SMALLHOLDER MAIZE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS UNDER CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE IN ZIMBABWE

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 452-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
SANDRA M. MADAMOMBE ◽  
ISAIAH NYAGUMBO ◽  
BRIGHTON M. MVUMI ◽  
PHILLIP NYAMUGAFATA ◽  
MENAS WUTA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Sandy Soils ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Smallholder Farming ◽  
Nematode Management

SUMMARYNematode infestation in Sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) cropping systems, worsened by poor crop rotations, is a major factor contributing to limited utilisation of applied nutrients and water, leading to low maize (Zea mays L.) yields particularly on sandy soils. The effects of nematode infestation on maize productivity were evaluated under conservation agriculture (CA) on granitic sandy soils in sub-humid smallholder farms of Goromonzi district of Zimbabwe. Four treatments were tested for three seasons on six smallholder farmers’ fields in a randomised complete block design, each farm being a replicate: fenamiphos 40EC (a commercial synthetic nematicide), lime + fenamiphos 40EC, lime and an untreated control. Results of the study showed that independent application of fenamiphos 40EC and lime significantly reduced plant parasitic nematode infestations in maize roots by more than 10 times those present in the untreated plots while maize yield also increased significantly. Yield increase from fenamiphos and lime applications amounted to 53 and 42% respectively, compared to the untreated controls. Maize yield was negatively correlated with density of Pratylenchus spp. nematodes. Nematode management strategies involving fenamiphos 40EC or lime could significantly reduce maize yield losses in maize-based smallholder farming systems of SSA under CA. It was more economical to use fenamiphos than lime to control nematodes.

scholarly journals Conservation Agriculture Mitigates the Effects of Climate Change

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 122-132
Author(s):  
Tika Bahadur Karki ◽  
Pankaj Gyawaly
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Research Council ◽  
Public And Private Sector

Intensive tillage based conventional agriculture have high global warming potential. Alternative to this, conservation agriculture (CA) systems utilize soils for the production of crops by reducing excessive tillage, maintaining crop residue on the soil surface, and adoption of crop rotations. The paper attempts to review the findings of CA based experiments under different cropping systems within and outside of the country. It has been found that CA increases and sustains the crop productivities, mitigates green house gas emissions from agriculture by enhancing soil carbon sequestration, improving soil nutrient status and water use efficiencies, and reducing fuel consumption. Mainstreaming of CA systems in Nepal is hindered by its knowledge gap, inadequate farm machineries and tools, small holdings, poor infrastructures, and lack of CA friendly policy support. Therefore, there is an urgent need to test, verify and scale-out the CA based technologies by Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) across the different agro-ecologies through farmer-centered partnership among the international institutions, public and private sector of Nepal.  

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