C I M M Y T MR International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center Tailoring Conservation Agriculture to the Needs of Smallholder Farmers in Developing Countries: An Analysis of Issues. Patrick C. Wall

What is Conservation Agriculture? Comprises two basic components  Surface crop residue retention  Minimal soil movement

What is Conservation Agriculture? Plus other components essential to overcome problems that emerge once crop residues are retained: Crop rotation (Green manure cover crops)

Benefits of Conservation Agriculture  Increased water infiltration  Reduced moisture evaporation  Less water run-off and soil erosion  Reduction in labor and energy use  Less turn-around time between crops  Reduction in production costs *  Increases in soil organic matter *  Increases in nutrient availability *  Greater biological pest control * * Slower, cumulative benefits

Problems with Conservation Agriculture  Mind-set. The paradigm of the plow!  Weeds  Nitrogen mineralization and fertilization  Not adapted to soils with poor drainage  Very dry areas?

Adoption of Conservation Agriculture  Worldwide – estimated 95 million hectares (Derpsch, 2005)  Mostly on large, mechanised farms  Over 90% in the Americas and Australia

Adoption of Conservation Agriculture on Small Farms  China?  Indo-Gangetic Plains. 2 million ha of wheat in the rice-wheat system.  Brazil – approx 100,000 ha  Ghana – 200,000 small farmers

Some Characteristics of Small Farmers  Little access to financial capital  Prioritize production of family food needs, with sale of produce in excess of these requirements.  Risk averse  Manage mixed crop/livestock systems  Limited land resources (although this is often not their primary limiting factor)  Rely on manual labor, animal traction and/or small tractors for draught power, although they may contract service providers (with larger equipment) for some activities

Some Characteristics of Small Farmers (contd.)  Rely to a large degree on family members for hand labor.  Have close community linkages with weaker links outside the community.  Have less formal education than large-scale commercial farmers  Often are situated in marginal areas with respect to rainfall and topography  Often have precarious land tenure

An analysis of the patterns of adoption of zero tillage in six cases: Brazil Paraguay Bolivia Mexico Indo-Gangetic plains Ghana

Factors that Influence the Spread of Conservation Agriculture  Mind-set  Knowledge  Research and extension systems  Access to inputs and equipment  Competition for crop residues  Labor requirements  Crop productivity  Political issues

Mind-set  Doing away with the culture of the plough  Peer and community pressure

Knowledge - Management of CA Technologies  Conservation Agriculture is more knowledge-intensive than input-intensive  Success depends more on what the farmer does than on the inputs s/he applies  Smallholder farmers have little access to knowledge systems outside the community  Often their source of new agricultural information is from sporadic contact with extension agents  Extension agents in developing countries are often poorly linked to knowledge and information systems

Knowledge - Remodeling Research and Extension Systems (1)  Research and Extension Systems in the developing countries generally follow a linear model of knowledge development and flow Researchers conducting formal research in established institutions Basic research Strategic research Applied research Researchers Extension agents Farmers Technology transfer Adoption Knowledge flow

Knowledge - Remodeling Research and Extension Systems (2)  Although the principles of CA appear to have very wide applicability, the techniques and technologies to apply the principles are very site specific  CA is a complex “technology” that involves changes in many aspects of the production system  Research and extension systems cannot develop “packages” for all conditions.

Knowledge - Remodeling Research and Extension Systems (3)  For Complex Technologies, Multi- Agent Innovation Systems are required.  Participation of stakeholders is essential.

Limited Access to Inputs  CA may require more investment in purchased inputs, especially in the first years  Smallholder farmers are willing to purchase and apply inputs if the risks are low - CA generally reduces the risk associated with crop production, especially due to drought  Due to low volumes of demand and production, coverage of input and output markets may be poor  Programs that help support and develop input and output markets are necessary

Access to Equipment  Adequate equipment, especially for direct seeding, is a prerequisite for successful application of CA  There is little private investment in the development of equipment for smallholder farmer

Access to Equipment (2)  Dissemination of available equipment  Participatory evaluation and modification  Stimulation (support) of local manufacture

Competition for Crop Residues  Competition is mainly for animal feed  Animals are generally very important components of the production system  Communal grazing rights often apply

Competition for Crop Residues (2)  But surface crop residue retention is essential for the success of CA  How much residue must be kept? Cover % Relative Erosion % Residue t/ha Erenstein, Based on data of Shaxon et al., 1989, Tripp and Barreto, 1993, and Kok and Thien, 1994.

Based on Sain, 1997 M C R 0 R 0 A 0 Ground Cover Forage Competition for Crop Residues (3)

Based on Sain, 1997 M 1 C R 0 R 0 R 1 R A 0 A 1 Ground Cover Forage Competition for Crop Residues (3)

Based on Sain, 1997 M 1 C R 0 R 0 R 1 R R 2 A 0 A 1 Ground Cover Forage Competition for Crop Residues (3)

Competition for Crop Residues (4)  Leave part or all of the low quality forage on the land  Community awareness of the problems of land degradation Possible solutions  Concentrate inputs (progressively) on part of the farm  Intensify the production system to include better quality forage

Competition for Crop Residues (5) Data of K. Sayre from central Mexico

Labor use and labor productivity  The most important factor that has driven adoption on small farms  In many cases crop productivity per unit of labor is more important than per unit of land  Especially important where family size or health is declining 100 km/ha (Ethiopia, Bolivia) 140,000 hoe strokes/ha/yr (Malawi)

Crop Productivity  Under equal conditions CA may not give yield benefits  CA allows more timely seeding – often a critical factor in achieving high yields  Downside risk is generally lower with CA

Policy Aspects  Land tenure  Subsidies  Land stewardship payments and environmental services

Facilitating the spread of CA in E&S Africa