Conservation Agriculture Concepts, Principles and Practices

By

Peter Kuria

Presented at

Kitui CA training for Farmers (Ox Ripping technologies) on

12th August 2014

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Why do we plough?

A destroyed land – the wonderful plough!

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Increased water infiltration!

Loose soil after continuous tilling becomes prone to water erosion

Ploughing up of the virgin lands led to the “Dust Bowls”

in the United States in the 1930

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How many tons of soil do we loose if 1mm of soil per hectare is lost - 1 mm/hectare = 15 Tons

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Gullies are formed every year and not

sufficient efforts are done to arrest them

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Increase cereal yields by one ton/ha in Africa –

low external inputs and intensification.

Doubling of current cereal production with less

environmental and economic costs is

achievable!

It will lift millions of people out of poverty – at

least the 1 out of the 4.

Transformation based on agroecological low-

external input resource conserving CA systems

For Kenya to feed itself and others

change anchored on soil health is imperative!

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What is Conservation Agriculture?

Three principles

Minimum soil disturbance

Permanent soil cover

Crop & cover crop rotations and associations

Maximum and sustainable benefits derived when the 3 principles overlap

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How minimum tillage?

Conventional Under CA

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How does CA work for hand hoe

farmers?

In Hand hoe Farming Systems

Dibble stick

Basins

Jab planter ACT 2014

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Planting CA: direct seeding into

mulch and moist soil

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No-till animal drawn planters

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Mechanical weed management

equipment options

Hand operated weeders

Animal drawn light weight weeder Knife roller

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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

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Rippers or

chisels

●Poor weed control

● Clogging

● Needs proper soil

moisture (crumbling

or dryer)

● Lifting stones/clods

● Needs lots of power

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Chemical weed control equipment

options

Pedestrian-pulled4-nozzle sprayer Zamwipe herbicide applicator

Draft animal pulled sprayer with

an 80 litre tank and a 5 m boom Zamwipe

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Ameliorate plough pans and soil

compaction

Sub-soiling

Planting basins

Biological tillage using cover crops with tap roots: Cajanus cajan, Dolichos lablab,

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Complimentary CA enhancers …

Good agronomic practices Timely planting

Proper plant spacing

Effective weed control (with and without herbicides)

Use of improved external inputs improved seeds

Judicious use of Fertilisers

Judicious use of pesticides

Agro-forestry – Fertiliser trees, fodder, live fences, wind breakers. Faidherbia Albida; Baobab; Grevillea; shrubs (e.g. Pillostigma)

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SOIL COVER

- the most important principle -

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Do weeds grow on ploughed land?

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Let the roots and soil flora and

fauna do the work ACT 2014

Develop physical structures for erosion

control

Stone bunds

Contour bunds

Cut off drains

Permanent ridges

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Consider Agroforestry

Fertiliser trees (Faidherbia albida, )

Multi-purpose trees for fruits, fuel wood, building materials

Live fences

Wind breakers

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Faidherbia Fertilizer Trees at 100 trees per ha

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Potato growing under no till cover

condition at Yaksu farm - Korea

2m wide ridge

Put potato seed

under rice stubble

covered with no-till

Harvesting potato

Left rice and potato

stubble evenly on field

Rice transplanting

on mid of June ACT 2014

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Benefits of CA

50-70% labour saving

Less drudgery

Stable yields, food security

Reduced production costs

Less wear and tear on machinery

BETTER LIVELIHOOD AND INCOMES

To farmers

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Another opportunity ... ...

Diversification to livestock and other income generating activities

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THANK YOU

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