Your search found 34 records
1 Bell, A.; Matthews, Nathanial; Zhang, W. 2016. Opportunities for improved promotion of ecosystem services in agriculture under the Water-Energy-Food Nexus. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 6(1):183-191. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-016-0366-9]
Payment for Ecosystem Services ; Payment agreements ; Water power ; Water security ; Water use ; Water quality ; Food security ; Energy consumption ; Agriculture ; Integrated management ; Pest management ; Drinking water ; Landscape ; Conservation agriculture ; Farmers ; Environmental management ; Case studies / Malawi / Cambodia / Vietnam / Shire River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047782)
In this study, we focus on water quality as a vehicle to illustrate the role that the water, energy, and food (WEF) Nexus perspective may have in promoting ecosystem services in agriculture. The mediation of water quality by terrestrial systems is a key ecosystem service for a range of actors (municipalities, fishers, industries, and energy providers) and is reshaped radically by agricultural activity. To address these impacts, many programs exist to promote improved land-use practices in agriculture; however, where these practices incur a cost or other burden to the farmer, adoption can be low unless some form of incentive is provided (as in a payment for ecosystem services (PES) program). Provision of such incentives can be a challenge to sustain in the long term, if there is not a clear beneficiary or other actor willing to provide them. Successfully closing the loop between impacts and incentives often requires identifying a measurable and valuable service with a clear central beneficiary that is impacted by the summative effects of the diffuse agricultural practices across the landscape. Drawing on cases from our own research, we demonstrate how the WEF Nexus perspective—by integrating non-point-source agricultural problems under well-defined energy issues—can highlight central beneficiaries of improved agricultural practice, where none may have existed otherwise.
2 Lalani, B.; Dorward, P.; Holloway, G.; Wauters, E. 2016. Smallholder farmers' motivations for using conservation agriculture and the roles of yield, labour and soil fertility in decision making. Agricultural Systems, 146:80-90. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2016.04.002]
Farming systems ; Conservation agriculture ; Agricultural practices ; Smallholders ; Farmers attitudes ; Soil fertility ; Yield increases ; Labour ; Decision making ; Psychological factors ; Human behavior ; Adaptation ; Motivation ; Models ; Socioeconomic environment / Africa South of Sahara / Mozambique / Cabo Delgado
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047845)
(0.50 MB)
Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been widely promoted as an agro-ecological approach to sustainable production intensification. Despite numerous initiatives promoting CA across Sub-Saharan Africa there have been low rates of adoption. Furthermore, there has been strong debate concerning the ability of CA to provide benefits to smallholder farmers regarding yield, labour, soil quality and weeding, particularly where farmers are unable to access external inputs such as herbicides. This research finds evidence that CA, using no external inputs, is most attractive among the very poor and that farmers are driven primarily by strong motivational factors in the key areas of current contention, namely yield, labour, soil quality and weeding time benefits. This study is the first to incorporate a quantitative socio-psychological model to understand factors driving adoption of CA. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), it explores farmers' intention to use CA (within the next 12 months) in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique where CA has been promoted for almost a decade. The study site provides a rich population from which to examine farmers' decision making in using CA. Regression estimates show that the TPB provides a valid model of explaining farmers' intention to use CA accounting for 80% of the variation in intention. Farmers' attitude is found to be the strongest predictor of intention. This is mediated through key cognitive drivers present that influence farmers' attitude such as increased yields, reduction in labour, improvement in soil quality and reduction in weeds. Subjective norm (i.e. social pressure from referents) and perceived behavioural control also significantly influenced farmers' intention. Furthermore, path analysis identifies farmers that are members of a Farmer Field School or participants of other organisations (e.g. savings group, seed multiplication group or a specific crop/livestock association) have a significantly stronger positive attitude towards CA with the poorest the most likely users and the cohort that find it the easiest to use. This study provides improved understanding relevant to many developing countries, of smallholder farmers' adoption dynamics related to CA, and of how farmers may approach this and other ‘new’ management systems.
3 Finley, S. 2016. Sustainable water management in smallholder farming: theory and practice. Wallingford, UK: CABI. 198p.
Water management ; Sustainability ; Smallholders ; Rainfed farming ; Conservation agriculture ; Water resources ; Water availability ; Water productivity ; Water use efficiency ; Rainwater ; Water harvesting ; Water quality ; Soil water content ; Water holding capacity ; Plant water relations ; Crop management ; Water requirements ; Evapotranspiration ; Climate change ; Irrigation water ; Water distribution ; Water storage ; Irrigation methods ; Irrigation scheduling ; Irrigation efficiency ; Strategies ; Land degradation
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 631.7 G000 FIN Record No: H047765)
(0.44 MB)
4 Cavanagh, C. J.; Chemarum, A. K.; Vedeld, P. O.; Petursson, J. G. 2017. Old wine, new bottles? investigating the differential adoption of ‘climate-smart’ agricultural practices in western Kenya. Journal of Rural Studies, 56:114-123. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.09.010]
Climate-smart agriculture ; Agricultural practices ; Innovation adoption ; Conservation agriculture ; Climate change ; Sustainable agriculture ; Land management ; Development projects ; Farmers ; Living standards ; Socioeconomic environment ; Political aspects ; Incentives ; Constraints / Kenya / Bungoma County / Kenya Agricultural Carbon Project
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048373)
(0.65 MB)
This study assesses factors influencing the adoption of land management practices associated with a World Bank-financed project on ‘climate-smart’ agriculture: the Kenya Agricultural Carbon Project. Drawing upon mixed-methods research with participating farmers in Bungoma County, western Kenya, we find modest reported adoption rates overall for project-encouraged practices, amounting to 53.6 percent on average. However, we also find that there are systematic differences in the reported adoption rates of individual practices. Disaggregating our sample into three classes or ‘wealth groups’, we find that the ‘very poor’ and ‘poor’ groups exhibit substantially lower adoption rates (42 percent and 49 percent, respectively) relative to the ‘less poor’ wealth group (73 percent). Across these groups, practices related to livestock management and pest management are systematically less adopted (0-45 percent) than more popular practices such as agroforestry and tillage management, the reported adoption of which both range from 60 to 80 percent. Consequently, we suggest that barriers to the adoption of apparently ‘climate smart’ agricultural practices at scale may increasingly be political-economic rather than simply technical-managerial in nature. This reflects the poorest strata of farmers' struggles to negotiate the increasingly externally imposed imperatives of climate adaptation and mitigation with the necessity of ‘simple reproduction’ or survival of the household as a socioeconomic unit. Future generations of ‘climate smart’ agricultural programmes may thus benefit from disaggregating adaptation and mitigation objectives in order to avoid unduly burdening the poorest strata of participating households in rural African contexts.
5 Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS). 2017. Proceedings and recommendations of Scaling Conservation Agriculture for Sustainable Intensification in South Asia - A Regional Policy Dialogue, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 8-9 September 2017. New Delhi, India: Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS). 30p.
Sustainable agriculture ; Farming systems ; Conservation agriculture ; Intensification ; Agricultural development ; Agricultural policies ; Corporate culture ; Capacity building ; Entrepreneurship ; Business models / South Asia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048772)
(5.08 MB) (5.08 MB)
6 Assefa, T.; Jha, M.; Reyes, M.; Tilahun, S.; Worqlul, A. W. 2019. Experimental evaluation of conservation agriculture with drip irrigation for water productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Water, 11(3):1-13. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w11030530]
Conservation agriculture ; Water productivity ; Drip irrigation ; Evaluation ; Water management ; Irrigation water ; Water use ; Sustainable agriculture ; Intensification ; Crop yield ; Farmers / Africa South of Sahara / Ethiopia / Ghana / Dangishita / Robit / Yemu
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049153)
(10.10 MB) (10.1 MB)
A field-scale experimental study was conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopia and Ghana) to examine the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) with drip irrigation system on water productivity in vegetable home gardens. CA here refers to minimum soil disturbance (no-till), year-round organic mulch cover, and diverse cropping in the rotation. A total of 28 farmers (13 farmers in Ethiopia and 15 farmers in Ghana) participated in this experiment. The experimental setup was a paired ‘t’ design on a 100 m2 plot; where half of the plot was assigned to CA and the other half to conventional tillage (CT), both under drip irrigation system. Irrigation water use and crop yield were monitored for three seasons in Ethiopia and one season in Ghana for vegetable production including garlic, onion, cabbage, tomato, and sweet potato. Irrigation water use was substantially lower under CA, 18% to 45.6%, with a substantial increase in crop yields, 9% to about two-fold, when compared with CT practice for the various vegetables. Crop yields and irrigation water uses were combined into one metric, water productivity, for the statistical analysis on the effect of CA with drip irrigation system. One-tailed paired ‘t’ test statistical analysis was used to examine if the mean water productivity in CA is higher than that of CT. Water productivity was found to be significantly improved (a = 0.05) under the CA practice; 100%, 120%, 222%, 33%, and 49% for garlic, onion, tomato, cabbage, and sweet potato respectively. This could be due to the improvement of soil quality and structure due to CA practice, adding nutrients to the soil and sticking soil particles together (increase soil aggregates). Irrigation water productivity for tomato under CA (5.17 kg m-3 in CA as compared to 1.61 kg m-3 in CT) is found to be highest when compared to water productivity for the other vegetables. The mulch cover provided protection for the tomatoes from direct contact with the soil and minimized the chances of soil-borne diseases. Adapting to CA practices with drip irrigation in vegetable home gardens is, therefore, a feasible strategy to improve water use efficiency, and to intensify crop yield, which directly contributes towards the sustainability of livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the region.
7 Nagothu, U. S. (Ed.) 2016. Climate change and agricultural development: improving resilience through climate smart agriculture, agroecology and conservation. Oxon, UK: Routledge - Earthscan. 321p. (Earthscan Food and Agriculture Series)
Climate change adaptation ; Agricultural development ; Climate-smart agriculture ; Climate change mitigation ; Resilience ; Extreme weather events ; Water management ; Irrigation management ; Water productivity ; Farming systems ; Conservation agriculture ; Agricultural practices ; Intensification ; Agroecology ; Irrigation canals ; Agroecosystems ; Technology ; Agricultural production ; Cereal crops ; Rice ; Nutrient management ; Soil management ; Integrated management ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Gender ; Corporate culture ; Policies ; Strategies ; Case studies / Africa South of Sahara / South Asia / South East Asia / China / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 630.2515 G000 NAG Record No: H049154)
(0.46 MB)
8 Belay, S. A.; Schmitter, Petra; Worqlul, A. W.; Steenhuis, T. S.; Reyes, M. R.; Tilahun, S. A. 2019. Conservation agriculture saves irrigation water in the dry monsoon phase in the Ethiopian highlands. Water, 11(10):1-16. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w11102103]
Conservation agriculture ; Irrigation water ; Arid climate ; Monsoon climate ; Highlands ; Conventional tillage ; Irrigation scheduling ; Farmers ; Irrigation practices ; Water use efficiency ; Irrigated farming ; Crop yield ; Onions ; Garlic ; Farmer-led irrigation ; Soil moisture / Ethiopia / Dengeshita
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049377)
(1.45 MB) (1.45 MB)
Water resources in sub-Saharan Africa are more overstressed than in many other regions of the world. Experiments on commercial farms have shown that conservation agriculture (CA) can save water and improve the soil. Nevertheless, its benefits on smallholder irrigated farms have not been adequately investigated, particularly in dry monsoon phase in the Ethiopian highlands. We investigated the effect of conservation agriculture (grass mulch cover and no-tillage) on water-saving on smallholder farms in the Ethiopian highlands. Irrigated onion and garlic were grown on local farms. Two main factors were considered: the first factor was conservation agriculture versus conventional tillage, and the second factor was irrigation scheduling using reference evapotranspiration (ETo) versus irrigation scheduling managed by farmers. Results showed that for both onion and garlic, the yield and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) was over 40% greater for CA than conventional tillage (CT). The soil moisture after irrigation was higher in CA compared with CT treatment while CA used 49 mm less irrigation water. In addition, we found that ETo-based irrigation was superior to the farmers’ irrigation practices for both crops. IWUE was lower in farmers irrigation practices due to lower onion and garlic yield responses to overirrigation and greater water application variability.
9 Mutenje, M. J.; Farnworth, C. R.; Stirling, C.; Thierfelder, C.; Mupangwa, W.; Nyagumbo, I. 2019. A cost-benefit analysis of climate-smart agriculture options in Southern Africa: balancing gender and technology. Ecological Economics, 163:126-137. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.05.013]
Climate-smart agriculture ; Cost benefit analysis ; Gender ; Women's participation ; Households ; Decision making ; Technology transfer ; Climate change adaptation ; Conservation agriculture ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Agroecological zones ; Models / Southern Africa / Malawi / Mozambique / Zambia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049486)
(0.72 MB)
Climate change and extreme weather events undermine smallholder household food and income security in southern Africa. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies comprise a suite of interventions that aim to sustainably increase productivity whilst helping farmers adapt their farming systems to climate change and to manage risk more effectively. Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and a mixed methods approach were used to assess the likelihood of investment in various CSA technology combinations. The data were drawn respectively from 1440, 696, and 1448 sample households in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, covering 3622, 2106 and 5212 maize-legume plots in these countries over two years. The cost-benefit analysis and stochastic dominance results showed that CSA options that combined soil and water conservation management practices based on the principles of conservation agriculture (CA), improved varieties, and associations of cereal-legume crop species were economically viable and worth implementing for risk averse smallholder farmers. A dynamic mixed multinomial logit demonstrated that women's bargaining power, drought shock, and access to CSA technology information positively influenced the probability of investing in CSA technology combinations. This study provides evidence of the importance of cultural context, social relevance and intra-household decision-making in tailoring suitable combinations of CSA for smallholder farmers in southern Africa.
10 Campanhola, C.; Pandey, S. (Eds.) 2019. Sustainable food and agriculture: an integrated approach. London, UK: Academic Press; Rome, Italy: FAO: 585p. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/C2016-0-01212-3]
Sustainable agriculture ; Food security ; Food production ; Agricultural production ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Agroecosystems ; Food supply ; Agroecology ; Agroforestry ; Intercropping ; Agricultural landscape ; Agrifood systems ; Climate-smart agriculture ; Conservation agriculture ; Climate change ; Forecasting ; Soil management ; Nitrogen ; Land use ; Biodiversity ; Ecosystem services ; Sustainable forest management ; Urbanization ; Nutrition ; Economic growth ; Investments ; Innovation ; Water use ; Water scarcity ; Technology ; Plant genetic resources ; System of Rice Intensification ; Carbon sequestration ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Natural resources ; Risk management ; Water governance ; Institutions ; Policies ; Pest management ; Livestock ; Aquaculture ; Stakeholders ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Living standards ; Rural poverty ; Social capital ; Socioeconomic environment / Africa South of Sahara / Asia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 338.19 G000 CAM, e-copy SF Record No: H049449)
(0.30 MB)
11 Assefa, T.; Jha, M.; Reyes, M.; Worqlul, A. W.; Doro, L.; Tilahun, S. 2020. Conservation agriculture with drip irrigation: effects on soil quality and crop yield in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 75(2):209-217. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.75.2.209]
Conservation agriculture ; Drip irrigation ; Soil quality ; Crop yield ; Forecasting ; Agricultural policy ; Conventional tillage ; Crop production ; Environmental modelling / Africa South of Sahara / United Republic of Tanzania / Ghana / Ethiopia / Dangishita / Robit / Yemu / Mkindo
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049628)
(0.66 MB)
The traditional agriculture production system in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) caused significant soil erosion and degradation of soil quality. In addition, dependability of rainfall for irrigation needs limits the crop production. Advanced agricultural practices are thus needed at the local level to sustain the livelihood of smallholder farmers in the region. In this study, conservation agriculture (CA) practice with drip irrigation technology was compared (using field experiments and watershed modeling) with the traditional conventional tillage (CT) practice for its potential in improving soil quality and crop productivity in the region. Biophysical data were collected (2015 to 2017) from a total of 43 paired plots (CA and CT) at four study sites in SSA: Dangishita and Robit in Ethiopia, Yemu in Ghana, and Mkindo in Tanzania. The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model was calibrated and validated with reasonable efficiency in simulating crop yields for both CA and CT practices; average PBIAS =±12% and =±11%, for CA and CT. The impact of the CA system on soil quality (soil carbon [C] and nitrogen [N]) was analyzed based on the well-tested model prediction results. The total C and N were increased under CA across the study sites on average by 6% and 4.1%, when compared to CT over the study period. Both the experiment and model prediction showed that crop yield was significantly improved by CA—on average 37.4% increases across the sites when compared to CT. Conservation agriculture with drip irrigation was an efficient local strategy to improve crop production in the region while enhancing the ecosystem.
12 Belay, S. A.; Assefa, T. T.; Prasad, P. V. V.; Schmitter, Petra; Worqlul, A. W.; Steenhuis, T. S.; Reyes, M. R.; Tilahun, S. A. 2020. The response of water and nutrient dynamics and of crop yield to conservation agriculture in the Ethiopian highlands. Sustainability, 12(15):5989. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12155989]
Conservation agriculture ; Water use ; Nutrient availability ; Crop yield ; Highlands ; Supplemental irrigation ; Conventional tillage ; Irrigation water ; Water management ; Crop management ; Pepper ; Growth period ; Fertilizers ; Phosphorus ; Nitrogen ; Leachates ; Rain ; Runoff ; Evapotranspiration / Ethiopia / Dengeshita
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049873)
(2.48 MB) (2.48 MB)
Smallholder agriculture constitutes the main source of livelihood for the Ethiopian rural community. However, soil degradation and uneven distribution of rainfall have threatened agriculture at present. This study is aimed at investigating the impacts of conservation agriculture on irrigation water use, nutrient availability in the root zone, and crop yield under supplementary irrigation. In this study, conservation agriculture (CA), which includes minimum soil disturbance, grass mulch cover, and crop rotation, was practiced and compared with conventional tillage (CT). We used two years’ (2018 and 2019) experimental data under paired-t design in the production of a local variety green pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The results showed that CA practices significantly (a = 0.05) reduced irrigation water use (13% to 29%) and runoff (29% to 51%) while it increased percolated water in the root zone (27% to 50%) when compared with CT practices under the supplementary irrigation phase. In addition, CA significantly decreased NO3-N in the leachate (14% to 44%) and in the runoff (about 100%), while PO4-P significantly decreased in the leachate (33% to 50%) and in the runoff (16%) when compared with CT. Similarly, CA decreased the NO3-N load in the leachate and in the runoff, while the PO4-P load increased in the leachate but decreased in the runoff. The yield return that was achieved under CA treatment was 30% higher in 2018 and 10% higher in 2019 when compared with the CT. This research improves our understanding of water and nutrient dynamics in green pepper grown under CA and CT. Use of CA provides opportunities to optimize water use by decreasing irrigation water requirements and optimize nutrient use by decreasing nutrient losses through the runoff and leaching.
13 Kumara, T. M. K.; Kandpal, A.; Pal, S. 2020. A meta-analysis of economic and environmental benefits of conservation agriculture in South Asia. Journal of Environmental Management, 269:110773. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110773]
Conservation agriculture ; Economic value ; Environmental factors ; Climate change ; Cropping systems ; Water use ; Conventional tillage ; Soil texture ; Carbon sequestration ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Emission reduction / South Asia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049916)
(0.68 MB)
Agriculture plays a key role in ensuring food and livelihood security in South Asia. However, this region is vulnerable to climate change which is likely to impact the livelihoods of millions of marginal and small holders. Agriculture is not only impacted by climate change but also one of the major contributor to global warming in South Asia. As compared to the traditional practices, Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices help mitigate the impact of climate change through a reduction in carbon emission and conservation of natural resources. In this article, a meta-analysis of the important studies was done for the impact of CA on carbon sequestration, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and cost and net returns. Carbon sequestration potential was found significantly higher in the CA practices (+16.30%) as compared to the conventional tillage. Inclusion of legumes, clay-rich soils, irrigation and presence of soil cover are the major drivers for higher carbon sequestration potential in the region. Additionally, a significant amount of water was also saved as CA practices led to relatively less consumption of water over the conventional tillage. Further, the adoption of CA based management practices resulted in a substantial reduction of CO2 (-4.28%) and CH4 (-25.67%) emissions both in aerobic and anaerobic soil conditions. However, the emission of NO2 and N2O–N gases were higher under the CA, +14.45 and + 5.20% respectively. Nevertheless, the emission of N2O–N was lesser in CA (-1.78%) under aerobic conditions whereas it is increased under anaerobic soil conditions (+12.15%). The adoption of CA practices resulted in higher returns and lower costs as compared to the conventional system. Although CA has significant environmental benefits, the study suggests judicious use of inorganic inputs under CA for managing the impact of climate change in South Asia. Therefore, CA is a sustainable agricultural practice that deserves outscaling in South Asia for mitigation and adaptation of climate change.
14 Allan, T.; Bromwich, B.; Keulertz, M.; Colman, A. (Eds.) 2019. The Oxford handbook of food, water and society. New York, NY, USA: Oxford University Press. 926p. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190669799.001.0001]
Food systems ; Water systems ; Society ; Food security ; Water security ; Food supply chains ; Value chains ; Water resources ; Water management ; Virtual water ; Water footprint ; Agricultural water use ; Agricultural trade ; Conservation agriculture ; Irrigation management ; Water scarcity ; Natural capital ; Political aspects ; Policies ; Municipal water ; Water demand ; Pollution prevention ; Agricultural production ; Transformation ; Wheat ; Coffee industry ; Rice ; Oil palms ; Meat ; Beef ; Pricing ; Pesticides ; Farmers ; Water user associations ; Gender ; Feminization ; Household consumption ; Diet ; Hunger ; Malnutrition ; Obesity ; Poverty ; Sustainability ; Technology ; Subsidies ; Ecosystem services ; Infrastructure ; Drought ; Flooding ; Soil erosion ; Semiarid zones ; Arid zones ; Drylands ; WTO ; Modelling / Africa / Mediterranean Region / North America / Western Asia / United Kingdom / England / Wales / USA / Brazil / Australia / Jordan / Israel / South Africa / California / Cape Town / Sonoran Desert
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G000 ALL Record No: H049524)
(1.26 MB)
Society’s greatest use of water is in food production; a fact that puts farmers centre stage in global environmental management. Current management of food value chains, however, is not well set up to enable farmers to undertake their dual role of feeding a growing population and stewarding natural resources. This book considers the interconnected issues of real water in the environment and “virtual water” in food value chains and investigates how society influences both fields. This perspective draws out considerable challenges for food security and for environmental stewardship in the context of ongoing global change. The book also discusses these issues by region and with global overviews of selected commodities. Innovation relevant to the kind of change needed for the current food system to meet future challenges is reviewed in light of the findings of the regional and thematic analysis.
15 Nandan, R.; Poonia, S. P.; Singh, S. S.; Nath, C. P.; Kumar, V.; Malik, R. K.; McDonald, A.; Hazra, K. K. 2021. Potential of conservation agriculture modules for energy conservation and sustainability of rice-based production systems of Indo-Gangetic Plain Region. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(1):246-261. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10395-x]
Conservation agriculture ; Energy conservation ; Sustainability ; Rice ; Crop production ; Cropping systems ; Crop management ; Wheat ; Maize ; Energy consumption ; Energy requirements ; Productivity ; Crop residues ; Crop establishment ; Direct sowing ; Economic analysis / South Asia / India / Indo-Gangetic Plain
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050198)
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11356-020-10395-x.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050198.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050198.pdf
(0.53 MB) (544 KB)
Rice-based cropping systems are the most energy-intensive production systems in South Asia. Sustainability of the rice-based cropping systems is nowadays questioned with declining natural resource base, soil degradation, environmental pollution, and declining factor productivity. As a consequence, the search for energy and resource conservation agro-techniques is increasing for sustainable and cleaner production. Conservation agriculture (CA) practices have been recommended for resource conservation, soil health restoration and sustaining crop productivity. The present study aimed to assess the different CA modules in rice-based cropping systems for energy conservation, energy productivity, and to define energy-economic relations. A field experiment consisted of four different tillage-based crop establishment practices (puddled-transplanted rice followed by (fb) conventional-till maize/wheat (CTTPR-CT), non-puddled transplanted rice fb zero-till maize/wheat (NPTPR-ZT), zero-till transplanted rice fb zero-till maize/wheat (ZTTPR-ZT), zero-till direct-seeded rice fb zero-till maize/wheat (ZTDSR-ZT)), with two residue management treatments (residue removal, residue retention) in rice–wheat and rice–maize rotations were evaluated for energy budgeting and energy-economic relations. Conservation-tillage treatments (NPTPR-ZT, ZTTPR-ZT, and ZTDSR-ZT) reduced the energy requirements over conventional tillage treatments, with the greater reduction in ZTTPR-ZT and ZTDSR-ZT treatments. Savings of energy in conservation-tillage treatments were attributed to reduced energy use in land preparation (69–100%) and irrigation (23–27%), which consumed a large amount of fuel energy. Conservation-tillage treatments increased grain and straw/stover yields of crops, eventually increased the output energy (6–16%), net energy (14–26%), energy ratio (25–33%), and energy productivity (23–34%) as compared with CTTPR-CT. For these energy parameters, the treatment order was ZTDSR-ZT = ZTTPR-ZT > NPTPR-ZT > CTTPR-CT (p < 0.05). Crop residue retention reduced net energy, energy ratio, and energy productivity when compared with residue removal. Our results of energy-economic relations favored the “conservative hypothesis,” which envisages that energy and monetary investments are not essentially the determinants of crop productivity. Thus, zero tillage-based crop establishments (ZTTPR-ZT, ZTDSR-ZT) in rice-based production systems could be the sustainable alternative to conventional tillage-based agriculture (CTTPR-CT) as they conserved non-renewable energy sources, reduced water requirement, and increased crop productivity.
16 Thierfelder, C.; Mhlanga, B. 2022. Short-term yield gains or long-term sustainability? – a synthesis of conservation agriculture long-term experiments in southern Africa. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 326:107812. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2021.107812]
Conservation agriculture ; Long-term experiments ; Sustainable intensification ; Climate-smart agriculture ; Cropping systems ; Intercropping ; Diversification ; Productivity ; Trends ; Soil fertility ; Maize ; Cowpeas ; Zero tillage ; Crop yield ; Smallholders ; Rain / Southern Africa / Malawi / Mozambique / Zambia / Zimbabwe
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050779)
(4.95 MB)
Southern Africa is likely to be heavily affected by a changing climate and the brunt will have to be shouldered by smallholder farmers in rural areas. Long-term experiments on climate-smart sustainable intensification practices offer the opportunity to evaluate and assess the potential impact of a more variable climate on crop productivity. Here, we used meta-analytic and meta-regression approaches to assess the response of different Conservation Agriculture (CA) systems across experiments as compared to conventional practices (CP) of varying experimental duration, established in trial locations of Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe under an increasingly variable climate. We assessed how different agro-environmental yield response moderators such as type of crop diversification and amount of rainfall affect maize yield responses. Smallholder farmers, often living below the poverty line, are primarily concerned about short-term gains from agriculture systems accepting loss in longer-term sustainability. We therefore aim to identify cropping systems that may provide both short-term gains and longer-term sustainability. Results show that: a) long-term trends in yield performance are a result of many factors; b) the greatest yield gains between the best performing CA and least performing treatments at each location ranged between + 34% and + 117%; c) the greatest yields were found in direct seeded rotation systems; d) type of crop diversification and type of crop used in the diversification strategy affect yield response, with rotations involving legumes being more responsive than any practice without diversification; e) CA systems gains increase with time of practice as compared to CP and these responses are more pronounced under low to moderate rainfall, and in well drained soils. We therefore conclude that crop yield response under CA is determined by many yield defining agro-environmental factors and benefits of CA become more apparent with time.
17 Chinseu, E. L.; Dougill, A. J.; Stringer, L. C. 2022. Strengthening conservation agriculture innovation systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: lessons from a stakeholder analysis. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 20(1):17-30. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2021.1911511]
Conservation agriculture ; Innovation systems ; Stakeholder analysis ; Climate-smart agriculture ; Farming systems ; Agricultural research for development ; Sustainable intensification ; Land management ; Policies ; Government ; Non-governmental organizations ; Donors ; Collaboration / Africa South of Sahara / Malawi
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050921)
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14735903.2021.1911511
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050921.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050921.pdf
(2.33 MB) (2.33 MB)
Complexity of African agrarian systems necessitates that agricultural research and development transition to agricultural innovation system [AIS] approaches. While AIS perspectives are embraced across sub-Saharan Africa, engagement of stakeholders in agricultural research and development processes as espoused in AIS paradigm remains limited. This paper aims to analyze key stakeholders in the AIS in Malawi using the case of Conservation Agriculture [CA]. We analyze roles, organizational capacity and collaboration of stakeholders in Malawi’s CA innovation system. Although Government has the most extensive role, NGOs dominate the national CA agenda, while smallholder farmers remain passive recipients of CA interventions. Many CA promoters lack technical and financial capacity, and pursue limited collaboration, which diminish prospects of inclusive stakeholder engagement. While insufficient resources lead to inadequate technical support to smallholders, the limited collaboration hinders integration of programmes, multiple sources of innovation and knowledge required to foster social learning and sustainability of CA. Our findings indicate a need to: (1) strengthen understanding of AIS approaches among CA innovation system stakeholders; (2) build stronger partnerships in CA research and development by strengthening stakeholder platforms and social processes; (3) strengthen collaboration advisory mechanisms to facilitate knowledge-sharing, resource mobilization and joint programme implementation with strengthened feedback loops.
18 Sikka, Alok K.; Alam, Mohammad Faiz; Mandave, Vidya. 2022. Agricultural water management practices to improve the climate resilience of irrigated agriculture in India. Irrigation and Drainage, 71(S1):7-26. (Special issue: Achieving Climate Resilience through Improved Irrigation Water Management from Farm to Basin Scale) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.2696]
Climate-smart agriculture ; Water management ; Climate change ; Resilience ; Vulnerability ; Irrigated farming ; Irrigation water ; Irrigation scheduling ; Groundwater depletion ; Water productivity ; Rainwater harvesting ; Water use ; Water balance ; Conservation agriculture ; Stakeholders ; Participatory approaches ; Awareness ; Capacity development ; Extension activities / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051021)
(12.20 MB)
The projected implications of climate change for water and agriculture to meet diverse and competitive water demands requires smart water management solutions. Science- and evidence-based, agricultural water management (AWM) can significantly contribute to reduce unsustainable water use and help enhance water resilience and adaptation to climate change. This paper presents a brief overview of potential AWM practices focusing on enhancing water resilience, increasing yields, and wherever possible, reducing emissions. This is achieved via increased land and water use efficiency, water and energy savings, and improved water productivity with considerable scope to improve agricultural resilience. In this context, the prioritization of a location-specific portfolio of smart AWM practices to make the right investment decisions is very important. We present two distinct and complementary approaches to prioritize AWM practices in this paper: one follows stakeholder analysis to build a prioritized portfolio of climate-smart AWM practices and the other employs a simple water balance-based approach to prioritize interventions. The way forward in mainstreaming and scaling out context-specific climate-smart AWM interventions is also discussed with a focus on capacity building, water management extension services, and the mobilization of resources through the convergence of institutions and co-financing from relevant development schemes.
19 Belay, S. A.; Assefa, T. T.; Worqlul, A. W.; Steenhuis, T. S.; Schmitter, Petra; Reyes, M. R.; Prasad, P. V. V.; Tilahun, S. A. 2022. Conservation and conventional vegetable cultivation increase soil organic matter and nutrients in the Ethiopian highlands. Water, 14(3):476. (Special issue: Hydrology and Sedimentology of Hilly and Mountainous Landscapes) [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w14030476]
Conservation agriculture ; Conventional tillage ; Soil organic matter ; Soil fertility ; Nutrients ; Highlands ; Vegetable crops ; Irrigation water / Africa South of Sahara / Ethiopia / Dengeshita
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051088)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/3/476/pdf?version=1644302965
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051088.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051088.pdf
(1.69 MB) (1.69 MB)
Agriculture in Africa is adversely affected by the loss of soil fertility. Conservation agriculture (CA) was introduced to curb the loss of soil fertility and water shortages and improve crop productivity. However, information on how CA practices enhance soil quality and nutrients is scarce in the sub-Saharan Africa context. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of CA and conventional tillage (CT) on soil organic matter and nutrients under irrigated and rainfed vegetable on-farm production systems. During the dry and wet monsoon phases in the northern Ethiopian Highlands, a four-year experiment with CA and CT was carried out on ten vegetable farms under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Although the increase in concentration of organic matter in CA was generally slightly greater than in CT, the difference was not significant. The average organic matter content in the top 30 cm for both treatments increased significantly by 0.5% a-1 from 3% to almost 5%. The increase was not significant for the 30–60 cm depth. The total nitrogen and available phosphorus concentrations increased proportionally to the organic matter content. Consequently, the extended growing season, applying fertilizers and livestock manure, and not removing the crop residue increased the nutrient content in both CA and CT. The increase in CA was slightly greater because the soil was not tilled, and hay was applied as a surface cover. Although CA increased soil fertility, widespread adoption will depend on socioeconomic factors that determine hay availability as a soil cover relative to other competitive uses.
20 Singh, R.; Kumari, T.; Verma, P.; Singh, B. P.; Raghubanshi, A. S. 2022. Compatible package-based agriculture systems: an urgent need for agro-ecological balance and climate change adaptation. Soil Ecology Letters, 4(3):187-212. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42832-021-0087-1]
Farming systems ; Agroecology ; Climate change adaptation ; Agricultural policies ; Conservation agriculture ; Sustainable agriculture ; Agronomic practices ; Organic agriculture ; Cropping systems ; Rice ; Intensification ; Crop yield ; Soil properties ; Soil fertility ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Biochar ; Bibliometric analysis
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051074)
(1.85 MB)
Besides contributing majorly in the growth of a country, agriculture is one of the severely affected sectors at present. Several modifications and adaptations are being made in agricultural practices to cope-up with the declining soil fertility and changing climate scenarios across the world. However, the development and adoption of a single agricultural practice may not help in the holistic mitigation of the impacts of climate change and may result in economic vulnerability to farmers. Therefore, it is high time to develop and recommend a group of agricultural practices i.e., package-based agriculture system having some compatibility for one another in the long term. In this article, a viewpoint has been given on some emergent agronomic practices adopted in the tropical agro-ecosystems which have potential to be developed as compatible agricultural package in combination. Moreover, we also emphasized on exploring some key indicators/environmental factors to assess the compatibility of different agronomic practices. For identifying the research transition from single to combined agricultural practices, a bibliometric analysis was performed by using conservation agriculture (CA), the system of rice intensification (SRI), organic agriculture and soil (biochar) amendment as the major agronomic practices being used for improving agro-ecological services such as improving nutrient cycling, soil fertility and crop productivity as well as climate change mitigation. The results revealed that scientific communities are now paying attention to exploring the role of combined agricultural practices for agro-ecological balance and climate change adaptation. Moreover, the limitations of the adoption of agronomic packages under different agro-climatic zones have also been highlighted. The recommendations of the study would further help the environmental decision-makers to develop potential measures for climate change mitigation without compromising the agro-ecological balance.
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