Expert Group Meeting on Sustainable Land Management as a Best Practice to Enhance Rural Development in the ESCWA Region Beirut, 25 – 27 March 2009

Sustainable Agriculture No-Till Farming

by

Mr. Isam Isa Bashour Ms. Roula Bachour, Mr. Kassem Jouni

Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences American University of Beirut (FAFS/AUB)

Lebanon Note: This document has been reproduced in the form in which it was received, without formal editing. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ESCWA.

EUNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

26/03/2009

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Sustainable AgricultureNo-Till Farming

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Isam BashourRoula BachourKassem Jouni

Lebanese Agriculture

• Contributes about 10% to GDP• Source of income to about 20% of

population• About 195,000 farmers of which 66% have

another job

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another job• Employs about 9% of the total work force

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Lebanese Agriculture cont’d

• About 248,000 ha (1999), 24% of Lebanon territoryterritory– 42% irrigated– 2% controlled environment

• Beqaa : 39% of total cultivated area ( 66%

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irrigated)• North: 26% of total cultivated area• South: 23% of total cultivated area

Agricultural Land by Farm Size

Exploitable Agricultural Lands by Farm Size Category (10 dunum = 1 ha)

Farm size category(in dunum)

Percent of farmers

Percent of totalcultivated area

Smaller than 5 53.0 9%

5-100 45.4 61%

Larger than 100 1 6 30 %

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Larger than 100 1.6 30 %

Source: MoA/FAO, 2000

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Water Resources• Raining season: September-

April ( about 80 rainy days)April ( about 80 rainy days)• Annual precipitation varies:

200-1500 mm• Water Losses: Run off and

evaporation > 70%U b A i lt

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• Usage by Agriculture: more than 2/3, water shortage is expected in the future

Soil ResourcesSome Agricultural soils are

threatened by:threatened by:– Water erosion– Wind erosion– Salinization: bad irrigation

practices– Pollution: irrigation with

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gcontaminated water

– Urbanization: converting agricultural land into housing complexes.

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Soil and water management

I t d ti f• Introduction of proper plan is essential to:

– Maintain agricultural land

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– Maintain soil fertility– Maintain soil productivity

NT-CA experiment

• The introduction of No-Till leading to the application of Conservation Agriculture (CA): to introduce a more sustainable agricultural production system started 2 years ago.

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years ago.

• AUB+LARI : funded by GTZ

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Farmers till the land to:

• Prepare adequate seedbed• Control weeds• Improve aeration• Increase water infiltration

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• Prepare furrows for irrigation• Incorporate residues and fertilizers

Reduced tillage + No-Till

• Less fuel (50% or less)• Less time• Less soil erosion• Less soil compaction

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• Requires farmers education

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In Lebanon

• No research comparing different tillage th dmethods

• No research on various types of crops and orchards.

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CA system

C tiC ti

Reduced orno-tillage

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Conservation Conservation agricultureagriculture

Soil cover

Crop rotation

Ecological Advantages(Soil Protection)

• Highest Soil Stability• Undisturbed fauna and flora• Natural Soil Structure• Increasing Organic Matter

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• Reducing Erosion• Higher soil activity

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Ecological Advantages(Water Protection)

• Increased water holding capacity of soilIncreased water holding capacity of soil

• Higher Infiltration Rate

• Decrease Leaching of nutrient residue

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• Reduce soil erosion into rivers

• Reduction of Evaporation

Ecological Advantages(Climate Protection)

• Minimal Use of Fuel

• Less CO2 loss into the atmosphere

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• Fixation of Carbon via mulch degradation

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Ecological Advantages(Highest Economy)

• Highest Mechanical Efficiency

• Less time for land preparation

• Less Machinery deterioration

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• Less Fuel Consumption

Difficulties

• No-Till system are harder to implement

• Farmers are afraid of lower yieldsresist the change

• Need new machinery ( New Investment)

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• The will of single farmer to protect his resources is low

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١٩Figure 1: CA plots in Lebanon

Plots of CA in Beqaa

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Plots of CA in Ammik

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Soil moisture content during the summer at AREC8-Jul-087-Jun-088-May-08Depth

(cm)No-Till ConventionalNo-Till ConventionalNo-Till Conventional

9.2%7.7%13.6%12.3%24.1%23.6%0-15

16.2%13.0%20.0%18.1%25.1%25.4%15-30

26 0%23 6%28 3%25 7%28 0%27 6%30-45

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26.0%23.6%28.3%25.7%28.0%27.6%30-45

28.0%26.8%29.0%28.1%31.1%30.2%45-60

19.85%17.78%22.73%21.05%27.08%26.70%Average

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٢٣Soil Moisture at Ammik

Skaff Farm – Ammik June 10, 2008,

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Yields of vetch crops at AREC & LARIYield of vetch

1000

1500

20002500

3000

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0

500

1000

Conv No-till Conv No-till

Site 1 AREC Site 2 LARI

Yields of barley at AREC, LARI, & Ammiq

Barley yield

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Yiel

d kg

/ha

Barley yield

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0

1000

2000

Conv No till Conv No till Conv No till

Site 1 (AREC) Site 2 (LARI) Site 3 (Skaff)

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٢٧New Brazilian Fankhauser No-till seeder/planter offered by GTZ

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٢٩Barley (no-till) at AREC 24-12-07

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No-till Field Conventional field

Corn Field at Ammik 10-7-08

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٣١Germination at AREC (no-till plot)

٣٢Ammik experimental plot, Chahhar, germination (Conv on the left and No-till on the right)

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List of Farmers

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• Many calls from farmers to join the program next yearyear

• Field days are planned : Spring and at harvest– Farmers– Extension personnel MOA– Private sector

To be able to contin e at larger scale

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• To be able to continue at larger scale• Two planters are needed (limited funding)

– Small grain– Coarse grain

Conclusion

• CA seems to be a promising solution for Lebanon and the region

• The system is already accepted by many farmers in Lebanon• Economical compared to conventional system ($250 less/ha)• It brings the most the most economy by maximal protection of

resources• Needs more research and promotion: mainly on farmers land

Needs more machinery: most limiting at this stage

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• Needs more machinery: most limiting at this stage• Needs great efforts by all partners and stakeholders• Needs governmental support and new agricultural policies.