the impact of conservation agriculture on food security in two districts of zimbabwe
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The Impact of Conservation Agriculture on Food Security in two districts of Zimbabwe. Paul Wagstaff , Agriculture Advisor, Concern Worldwide Malachy Harty , International Development & Food Policy, UCC. Malachy Harty , Trocaire Development Review , 12/11/10. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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The Impact of The Impact of Conservation Agriculture Conservation Agriculture on Food Security in two on Food Security in two districts of Zimbabwedistricts of Zimbabwe
Paul Wagstaff,Agriculture Advisor, Concern Worldwide
Malachy Harty, International Development & Food Policy, UCC
Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10
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Problems with Conventional Agriculture
• Reduction of soil fertility and physical structure
Increased erosion
• High labour/ energy requirement - barrier to
participation for poor, sick or elderly farmers
Delayed planting
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The Principles of Conservation Agriculture (CA)
• 1. Avoid Soil Disturbance– Planting basins– direct seed drills– rippers– jab planters
• 2. Soil Cover– Mulching with crop
residues– Cover crops
• 3. Crop Rotation Planting pits in Zimbabwe
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Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10
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Resiliance to Climate Change
Conservation
Improved soil structure – reduced erosion
Water retained in soil
Low impact - avoids problems of conventional agriculture
Low carbon system of food production
Potential value as a carbon sink, but results unclear
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Challenges and Limitations of CA
• Retention of residues for mulch cover
• Different spacings for rotation crops
• Labour in first years
• Change of mindset
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Gokwe North
Gokwe South
Nyanga
Zimbabwe
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Comparison of maize yields grown in CA planting basins, Zimbabwe
(CIMMYT)
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Value of Conservation Agriculture even if simply to plant on time!
Where do the yield benefits of Conservation Farming come from? (GART, Zambia)
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Conservation Farming in Zimbabwe
• No draught animals so system based on preparing
planting basins during the dry season
• Intensive extension support
• 50 x 50m Conservation Farming plots (1/4 ha) per
household
• ½ maize, ¼ sorghum, ¼ groundnuts/ cowpeas
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Overview of Household Economy Approach (HEA)
How people in different social and economic circumstances
get the food and cash they need
Hyper inflationary situation – cash values irrelevant
Crop production and income converted into kilo calorie
equivalents
2,100 kcal per person per day survival threshold
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FIGURE 4: Crop Production (GKN)
0
200
400
600
800
1000
CF V. PoorGKN
V. PoorGKN
CF PoorGKN
Poor GKN
KGs p
rodu
ced millet
cowpeas
groundnuts
sorghum
maize
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FIGURE 6: Sources of Food
0%20%40%60%80%
100%120%140%
CF V. PoorGKN
V. Poor GKN CF Poor GKN Poor GKN
% o
f ann
ual f
ood
need
sbarter
wild food
food aid
purchase
payment in kind
l'stock products
crops
Difficult political and economic situation, poor rains - all groups received food aid
Poor Conservation Farmers would have needed 50% less food aid than the control group.
The very poor control group had to undertake much more casual labour for food which may have resulted in taking children out of school, less time available to prepare food, take children to health centres, etc
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Results
CF farmers do not require food aid and are producing larger surpluses than conventional farmers
2010: INGOs will buy maize surpluses from the CF farmers to distribute to food deficit areas of Zimbabwe!
Concern currently expanding CA to Tanzania (EU), Zambia & Malawi (Accenture), Liberia
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No magic bullets
Water Markets, trade, infrastructure Research Extension and education Health Financial services and insurance Inputs Land tenure Environment
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