Abstract
A long-term study was carried out in the Zidyana Extension Planning Area (EPA), Malawi and in the Zimuto Communal Area, Zimbabwe, to evaluate the effect of different conservation agriculture (CA) systems on crop productivity, soil quality and economic performance. Maize productivity results from Zidyana showed that CA systems out-yielded the conventional system in seven out of nine cropping seasons. Labour savings relative to the conventional control ranged from 34–42 labour days ha−1 due to reduced time needed to make manual ridges and for weed control, leading to higher net benefits of 193–444 USD·ha−1. In Zimuto, yield benefits were apparent from the second season onwards and there was a much clearer trend of increased yields of CA over time. Greater net benefits (in USD·ha−1) were achieved on CA systems in Zimuto compared with conventional control treatments due to overall higher yields from CA systems. In Zimuto, both increased infiltration and a gradual increase in soil carbon were recorded, which may have contributed to the greater yield response of CA in this area. In Zidyana, yield increases were attributed primarily to enhanced water infiltration since no increases in soil carbon levels were measured. Farmers highlighted critical challenges to the adoption of CA. These will have to be addressed in future research and extension to provide effective solutions to farmers.
Highlights
Conservation agriculture (CA) has been promoted in southern Africa since the late 1990s with the aim of reversing the effects of declining soil fertility and productivity in current farming systems as well as adapting to projected increases in climate variability and change [1,2]
Research results from the southern African region show that CA maintains high levels of water infiltration thereby increasing available soil moisture for crops, which is a benefit in seasonal dry-spells [6,7,8,9]
This paper summarizes the lessons learned from 2004 to 2014 on the performance of CA systems in two contrasting on-farm communities in Malawi and Zimbabwe
Summary
Conservation agriculture (CA) has been promoted in southern Africa since the late 1990s with the aim of reversing the effects of declining soil fertility and productivity in current farming systems as well as adapting to projected increases in climate variability and change [1,2]. Research results from the southern African region show that CA maintains high levels of water infiltration thereby increasing available soil moisture for crops, which is a benefit in seasonal dry-spells [6,7,8,9]. CA has been shown to improve different parameters of soil quality such as soil fauna, aggregate stability, soil carbon amongst others which all lead to increased productivity in the medium to long-term [7,10,11,12,13]
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have