Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
African Conservation Tillage Network
By: Peter Kuria
2nd November 2017
Conservation AgricultureConcepts and Principles
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
1.Historical perspectives
2.What is Conservation Agriculture (CA)?
3.Terminologies related to CA
4.Application of the CA principles
5.Opportunities for CA systems
6.World adoption trends of CA
7.CA for challenging situations
8.Overall challenges
Contents
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Food Security more urgent in Africa in coming years
1.Global pop. to increase by 33% to 9 billion by 2050
2.Africa’s to increase by 115%; by 21% in Asia
3.60% more food worldwide; 100% in Africa
4.Worldwide hunger decreased by 132 million in last 20 years; it
increased by 64 million in Africa.
5.Threatening climate change challenges
6.Farming related land resource degradation
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
1.Easier to double yields in Africa (say from 1.2 to 2.4 tonnes/ha)
2.A 1% increase in cereal yield can lift 2 million people out of poverty
3.Africa has 60% of the global total uncultivated crop land
4.The Question is How?
THE GOOD NEWS:
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Historical Perspectives
Ploughing of the virgin lands led to the “Dust
Bowls” in the United States in the 1930
40 million hectares destroyed,
2.5 million people migrated
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
What is Conservation Agriculture?
Three principles
No or minimum soil
disturbance
Permanent soil cover
Crop & cover crop rotations
and associations
Maximum and sustainable
benefits derived when the 3
principles overlap
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
A = Absence of soil tillage: No mechanical soil disturbance
B = Cover of the soil: Permanent cover with residues
C = Biodiversity: Crop rootation and/or associations
More: CA is not only the 3 principles
CA SYSTEMCA SYSTEM
A B C
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
The 3 CA principles MUST be complimented by
GAP enhancers.. (which are however not CA)!
1. Good agronomic practices
o Timely planting; Proper plant spacing
o Effective weed control (with and without herbicides)
2. Use of improved external inputs
o Improved seeds
o Judicious use of fertilisers and pesticides. No shame.
o Could be organic CA. Be ready to develop packages
3. Crop – livestock integration. Not a threat to CA.
4. Agro-forestry – fertiliser trees, fodder, fruit, live fences, wind breakers.
5. Mechanization
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Related terminologies
Conservation Agriculture (CA)
Conservation Farming (CF)
Conservation Tillage (CT),
Minimum tillage (MT),
NT No-tillage (never tilled)
Direct-seeding (DS)
Direct-seeding on vegetal mulch
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Why Zero or Minimum Tillage?
Tillage or ploughing – is the most time and power consuming
operation is avoided, saving costs and time
Undisturbed weed seeds remain in the soil without germinating –
reducing weeds
Ploughing disturbs the soil – making it susceptible to erosion by
water and wind; causes plough pans
Ploughing releases CO2 contributing to climate change
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Minimum soil disturbance
The “Deceiving” effects of ploughing
IMMEDIATE EFFECTS
• Weeds are controlled
• Seedbed is prepared
• Water infiltration improves
• Soil aeration improves
• Nutrients are released, availed
• Incorporation of manure,
fertilizers and organic matter
• Loose soil eroded and nutrients are
leached
LONG TERM EFFECTS
• Depleted soil organic matter
• Damaged soil structure and macro pores
• Soil flora and fauna disappear
• Hard/plough pan formation
• Acute soil water availability and restricted
aeration
• Distortion of pH levels
• Decline in nutrient availability
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
More tractors needed, but not for ploughing
Not to rob our grand
children of their future!
Not to lose Carbon
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
CA is needed now, in … Adapting to climate change
Tillage accelerates decomposition of soil and soil
surface organic matter into CO2. No till reduces CO2.
emissions
CA fosters: carbon sequestration, maintenance of
hydrological cycle and biological pest control
Although smaller amounts of carbon can be
sequestered per hectare (0.05 – 0.2 metric tons ha-
1yr-1), with thousands of farmers practising, benefits
are huge.
BURNING = PLOUGHING
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
When zero “tillage” means plenty
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
…taking advantage of macroporosity
Water infiltrates...
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Zero till Conventional
35% more infiltration
Field soil measurement
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Tillage effects on water infiltration and ground cover
120.8Moldboard plow
271.3Chisel Plow
482.7No-till
Ground cover
(%)
Water
infiltration
(mm/minute)
Tillage type
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
What equipment for Conservation Agriculture?
Hand tools: Jab
planter, hoe, stick
Oxen rippingOxen direct seeding
Tractor mounted seeder
Tractor mounted seederHighly mechanized
Start with what farmers have
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Let the roots and soil flora and
fauna do the work
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Concepts of Agricultural production and management
(Derpsch and Moriya, 1999)OLD PARADIGM
Soil tillage is good for crop production
Crop residue is a waste product –burn/bury
them with tillage implement
Bare soil for months and years is good farm
sanitation
Focus on soil chemical processes
Chemical pest control is the first option
Soil erosion is acceptable and unavoidable
risk in farming
NEW PARADIGM
Tillage is not necessary for crop production
Crop residues are valuable products and must
remain on soil surface as mulch
Permanent soil cover is essential
Focus on biological soil processes
Biological pest control be first option
Soil erosion is a symptom that unsuitable
methods are being practiced at the source
•Under new paradigm i.e. sustainable land use e.g. CA ensures
ecological, social and economical sustainability.
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
SOIL COVER- the most important principle?? -
Soil cover by crop residues (dead
plant matter) or imported mulch
Soil cover by cover crops
Soil cover by living plants –
synchronized for all year round
production
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Soil cover by cover crops -
• Intercropped cover• Imported mulch
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
All-year round cover: MAIN AND COVER
CROP
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Why soil cover?
More soil organic matter and available nutrients
Promotes biological activity-soil organisms (earthworms, insects,
rodents, microbes) leading to increased humus (decomposed organic
matter)
Increased humus leads to soil enrichment & improved soil structure
(aggregation/ pores)
Increased water infiltration, decreased water evaporation, water (&
nutrient) holding capacity
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Why soil cover?
Cushions temperature changes-dampening extremes
Better root penetration and crop growth
Less soil erosion from both water and wind
More– less fluctuating temperatures
Less weed pressure
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Permanent soil cover
Maize > Tephrosia
relay after 8 months
Maize –Canavalia
Maize – Lablab
You can’t have soil biology without plants as their host.
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
In drylands the more soil cover, the more water
infiltration and the less soil and water loss
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Early crop growth in a mulched soil
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Imperata cylindrica controlled by Mucuna
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
How Much Residue is Enough?10 % 30
%
50
%
90
%
Source: Purdue University
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Principle 3 : Rotations and associations
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Crop RotationsDefinition:
A planned system of alternating crops aimed at maintaining and
improving soil productivity
• Crop rotations can include commercial and cover crops
o Produces varying quantities & types of residues
o Facilitates residue management
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Crop rotations-principles
Basis of a good rotation is alternation of crops:
1. With differing ability to absorb or exhaust
nutrients (e.g. from deeper to top soil layers)
2. With different susceptibility to specific diseases
3. Based on considerations of beneficial or
detrimental effects of crop on following crop
4. Different peak requirements for inputs such as
labour and water
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Crop rotations - principles
1. Effects on the succeeding crop due to:
2. Moisture
3. Nitrogen and other nutrients
4. Root type and distribution
5. Residue amount for subsequent crop
6. Weeds
7. Pests and diseases
8. Allelopathic toxins
9. Seeding and harvest times
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisationRotational schemes for annual crops
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Intercropping grain and cover crops
Cereals/grasses and legumes
Cereals/grasses and oil crops
2-3 or more species, more favourable C/N ratio, spreads out
mineralization
Common mixes:
Millets + sorghum
Pigeonpea + sorghum (planted at same time)
Millet/sorghum + Crotalaria juncea
Millets + Cowpea
Maize + Velvet bean (delayed planting of c crop )
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Crop mixtures: for weed suppression
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Summary
Greater crop production overall
Break pests cycles and control weeds by introducing weed smothering
combinations
Improved nutrient cycling – from deeper layers by trees and shrubs to
crop rooting zones
Diversification of crops in rotations may mitigate against dry spells and
some crop failures
Balance amount and quality of residues for soil cover from legumes,
cereals, high and low biomass crops
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Some basic implications
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Integrated
holistic approach !
Management
Cover crop Rotations
Improved water
harvesting and retention
Improved nutrient recycling
Net accumulation
of Soil Organic matter
No soil
disturbance
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
More roots…
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Biological activity
is restored; soil fauna
is back...
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Promote soil biological life,
it is the engine room of your soil
Soil biota decompose plant
residues and promote soil fertility,
nutrient cycling, soil structure,
water infiltration, water holding
capacity, soil aeration, and filters
and suppresses soil-borne
pathogens and pest organisms
of your farm by:
• Avoiding high application rates of acidulated, salt-based and nitrogenous fertilizers
• Applying conditioner (“smart”) fertilizers and other additives that promote, rather than retard, soil life
• Maintaining good soil aeration
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Soil pH stabilises …
Soil acidification is normalised by:
- build up of soil organic matter
- minimum (optimal) use of mineral fertilisers
Effects:
- nutrient availability to plants increase/broaden
- toxicities eliminated
- range of crops that can be grown increase
- soil biodiversity increase/rich
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Field soil measurement
Soil slaking & dispersion
When water is added to soil:
- slaking; the breakdown of aggregates into
microaggregates (REVERSIBLE)
- dispersion; the breakdown of aggregates into the
primary soil particles of sand, silt and clay
(IRREVERSIBLE)
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Soil health
• contains many beneficial organisms
• better movement of air, water and nutrients
• more nutrients are available
• porous soil allows better root development
Healthy soil
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Applicability
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation LABRANZA PÓS COSECHA DE
Sweet pepper
Cassava
CA is applicable to virtually all cropsOnionsCucumber
Tomato Squash
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
LABRANZA PÓS COSECHA DE
CA is applicable in different
agroecological situations
Wet or dry areas
Slopes
Rain or irrigated systems
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Challenges
• Crop-livestock integration
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Challenges
• Weeding
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Challenges• Labour
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
How can we facilitate learning of
these facts/benefits to trainers and
farmers?
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Worldwide adoption of
Conservation Agriculture
6thSSource World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Winnipeg, 22-25 June 2014 slide 2/x
USA 36
Canada
18
Australia 17.9
Europe 2
Kazakhstan 2
Africa 1.2
Brazil
32
Conservation Agriculture globally 157 Million ha (~11% of arable cropland)
Argentina 27
Paraguay 3
China 6.7
tropical savannah
continental, dry
temperate, moist
temperate, moist
continental, dry
irrigated
smallholder
smallholder
smallholder
arid
arid
large scale
large
scale
large scale
large scale
large
scale
large
scale
subtropical, dry
tropical savannah
other LA 2.4
>50% W
(40%)
20%
99%
100% West
(36%)
Russia,
Ukraine 5.2
India 1.5
other Asia 0.1
• CA adoption expanding at the rate of 9 million ha annually
• 1.22 million ha in Africa. 65% are smallholders.
• 19,000 smallholders in East Africa are beneficiaries of South-South Partnership
Source: Adapted from
Kassam, 2015
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Worldwide adoption of
Conservation Agriculture
6th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Winnipeg, 22-25 June 2014 slide 2/x
100
Dustbowl
1930 20001950
US
So
il C
on
se
rva
tio
n S
erv
ice
co
ns
erv
ati
on
tilla
ge
du
stb
ow
l
Sib
eri
a/U
SS
R
Fa
ulk
ner
(US
) –
Fu
ku
ok
a (
Ja
pan
)
co
mm
erc
ial n
o-t
ill/U
S
firs
t n
o-t
ill d
em
on
str
ati
on
in
Bra
zil
Old
rieve/Z
imb
ab
we
ad
op
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n B
razil
pla
nti
o d
ireto
na
pa
lha
ex
pe
rim
en
ts in
Ch
ina
, In
do
gan
geti
c P
lain
s
Ne
w b
oo
st:
Ca
na
da,
Au
str
alia
, K
aza
kh
sta
n,
Ru
ss
ia, C
hin
a, F
inla
nd
...;
Afr
ica
Arg
en
tin
a, P
ara
gu
ay;
1980 1990
Fir
st
no
-till in
th
e U
S
IIT
A n
o-t
ill re
se
arc
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50
Mill. h
a
History and Adoption of CA
1970 2010
155 mill ha
firs
t n
o-t
ill fa
rmers
in
US
A
Fir
st
WC
CA
in
Ma
dri
d
Source: Kassam, 2015
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
CA Adoption Studies and Impact
Documentation in AfricaAlgeria
0%Ghana
1%Kenya
1%Lesotho
0%Madagascar
0%Malawi
8% Morocco0%Mozambique
6%Namibia0%
South Africa65%
Sudan0%
Swaziland0%
Tunisia0%
Uganda0%
Tanzania1%
Zambia12%
Zimbabwe4%
% of Area under CA (Africa)
Algeria
Ghana
Kenya
Lesotho
Madagascar
Malawi
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
South Africa
Sudan
Swaziland
Tunisia
Uganda
CA now adopted in more than 20 countries in Africa as core production component of CSA
Estimated Cropland under CA in Africa is 2.68 Mha.
Area under CA has increased by 447% since 2008/09.
> 95% of the farmers are smallholders -1ha
Of the land under CA: 30% smallholders, 1% medium, 69% large-scaleSome 2.5% of the cropped land is under CA.
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
CA for challenging situations
• Ameliorate plough pans and soil compaction
• Support developing physical structures for erosion control
• Consider Agroforestry
• Amend soil degradation
• Others?
Pre-conditions to implementation of CA
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Ameliorate plough pans and soil
compaction
• Sub-soiling
• Planting basins
• Biological tillage using cover crops with tap roots: Cajanus cajan, Dolichos lablab,
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Develop physical structures for erosion control
• Stone bunds
• Contour bunds
• Cut off drains
• Permanent ridges
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Permanent wide (2 m) beds
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Contour bunds
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Consider Agroforestry
• Fertiliser trees (Faidherbia albida, )
• Multi-purpose trees for fruits, fuel wood, building materials
• Live fences
• Wind breakers
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
• Addition of lime or manure
• Leguminous cover crops
• Proper drainage
Amend soil degradation (low pH, sodic soils, chemical
toxicity, )
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Challenges to CA
• Change of mindset. Need champions/role models.
• Crop residues to keep the soil covered. Crop-livestock integration.
• Weed control. Researching & contextualizing options.
• Land tenure
• Adaption of CA to suit local conditions and needs. CA is Knowledge intensive as
opposed to power intensive conventional farming
• Poorly addressed ecosystem/watershed and external environmental issues (produce
markets, value addition, and climate change variability)
• Enticing commercialization of production (farming as a business).
• Inconsistencies in Government policy support
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
Brachiaria undersown in
maize
Realizing sustainable agricultural mechanisation
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