transforming farmers lives through …conservation agriculture implements including jab planters,...

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TRANSFORMING FARMERS LIVES THROUGH CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE-BASED SUSTAINABLE INTENSIFICATION (CASI)Why is CASI important?Conservation Agriculture-based Sustainable Intensification (CASI) is a farming practice involv-ing disturbing the soil as little as possible prior to planting as opposed to the conventional practice of intensive tillage; keeping the soil covered with crop residue as much as possible and intercropping or rotating crops. These measures together with optimal use of complementary agro-inputs and proper agronomy, reverse land degradation, contribute to higher and more sta-ble yields, and reduce production costs while enhancing the resilience of smallholder farming systems to climate change. Reversing land degradation and improving crop productivity in the face of climate change are sector priorities necessary to assure food security for our growing population and agricultural-led growth in our country.

INCENTIVESMARKETS

POLICIES

Natural Resource

Management

Natural Resource Management

Seeds

Agronomy

Agronomy

FertilizersFertilizers

Seeds

INSTITUTIONS

What is the evidence from SIMLESA sites?

1. Ethiopia

FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA

Conservation Agriculture-based Sustainable

Intensification (CASI)

SIMLESA leveraged Ethiopia’s extension networks and collaboration with other

stakeholders to promote CASI

This led to significant increases in farmer awareness and adoption of CASI

210,289

23%

375,557

Farmers reached with information on CASI by 2015

through mass media messages

Percentage of farmers that have at least adopted one CASI technology in the project sites

Farmers reached by 2017







210,289

23%

375,557











210,289

23%

375,557







Intensification (CASI)The soil improving effects of

conservation tillage lead to greater yields and lower the costs

28 & 29%MORE

Impact of maize-legume intercropping

41%LOWER

UP TO

5.76 t/haYields in the central rift

valley

7.0 t/ha Yields in the sub

humid zone

Labour for ploughing

Yields

Compared to conventional tillage

REPUBLIC OF MALAWI

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Water Development

Conservation Agriculture-based Sustainable Intensification

Shifting from conventional tillage and cropping systems to conservation agriculture improves soils stability; helping to reduce the high runoff and soil loss responsible for soil

degradation in Malawi

Soil organic carbon under CA based rotation compared to soils under

conventional tillage

Increase in water infiltration rates in CA systems relative to the

conventional ridge and furrow system

Water retention rate recorded in soils under CA systems

30% More

60-90%

30% More

2. Kenya

Linkages to diverse stakeholders in AIPs helped farmers acquire information, procure competitively

priced inputs and sell profitably

Amount of seed distributed by the Kyeni innovation platform in Eastern Kenya

OPV maize seed field beans2.5 t 4.2 t

REPUBLIC OF KENYA


Intensification (CASI)Agricultural Innovation platforms (AIPs) foster networks for mutual support and

collective action

AIPs led to greater participation of farmers in better paying markets and at less cost

Agricultural Innovation platforms

Researchers

Farmer Groups

Lead firms

Government & Extension workersAgri-dealers

Policy makers





REPUBLIC OF KENYA



collective action



Researchers

Farmer Groups

Lead firms


Policy makers





REPUBLIC OF KENYA



collective action



Researchers

Farmer Groups

Lead firms


Policy makers

3. Malawi

Agricultural Innovation Platforms increase technology adoption and

returns on investment. Key drivers include;

Farmers training on CASI, Organizing farmers for collective action,

Value chain integration.

Because of AIP facilitation

20%

2%-35%2%

35%

Percentage increase of Farmers using CASI technologies since 2011

2011 2017/18

44%In maize selling price due to bulk storage and marketing

Increase

REPUBLIC OF MALAWI



Intensification (CASI)Farmers who adopt CASI maximize

limited resources and get higher yields, hence improving their resilience to

shocks in the face of climate change

In mid altitude areas In low altitude area

17%

3 16%

37%Yields gained by adopting CASI practices

Additional months that farm families were food secure

as a result of the increased yields from adopting CASI

In the risk of total crop failure when CASI

practices are implemented.

ReductionMonths

REPUBLIC OF MALAWI



Shifting from conventional tillage and cropping systems to conservation agriculture improves soils stability; helping to reduce the high runoff and soil loss responsible for soil

degradation in Malawi

Soil organic carbon under CA based rotation compared to soils under

conventional tillage

Increase in water infiltration rates in CA systems relative to the

conventional ridge and furrow system

Water retention rate recorded in soils under CA systems

30% More

60-90%

30% More

4. Mozambique

Conservation agriculture implements including jab planters, seeders and

rippers driven by machinery or draught power, enable farmers to reap the

triple benefits of improved yields from timely operations, save time for other productive uses and reduce drudgery

On fertilizer prices due to volume purchases through AIPs

CASI is versatile and inclusive

SIMLESA has generated a basket of CASI options. Farmers can choose from this basket depending on their social and environmental context.

Better yields and improved soil health have been recorded

Maize yields (kg/ha) by cropping system in the low potential areas of Mozambique [Sussundenga

and Gorongosa] (six-year averages)

2,063CA basins maize-cowpea rotation

1,802CA basins maize-cowpea intercrop

1,497 Conventional

practice sole crop

1,784CA jab planter

sole crop

1,789CA basins sole

crop

kg/ha kg/ha kg/ha

Multi-stakeholder approaches to providing farmers with reliable

and timely information accelerate technology diffusion and adoption.

How change in scaling approaches has increased number of farmers made aware of CASI

2010

2014

36 farmers Approaches - Onfarm and on-station trials and

demonstration plots

38,170 farmers Approaches - Multi-stakeholder innovation platforms + on-farm demonstration trials, field days, exchange

visits, multi-media and extension materials, awareness meetings and training

191,757 farmers Approaches –Partnerships with the private sector and NGOs + Agricultural Innovation Platforms + on-farm demonstration trials, training of trainers, field days, exchange visits, multi-media, extension materials,

awareness meetings, and training

2016

5. Rwanda

Triple 7,500Membership in successful AIPs tripled farmers’ incomes within

three years

The two main AIPs reached 7,500 households by 2016

households

Drivers of AIP success

Infrastructure, and equipment

subsidies

Income

Skills improvement

Collective business models

Diverse membership

Access to financial services

Product upgrading

Links to better paying markets

Gender parity

Brokering partnerships

REPUBLIC OF RWANDA


Functional Agricultural Innovation Platforms facilitate information flow, value chain upgrading and access to

better paying markets.

YEAR 0 YEAR 3

There was strong yield response to nutrient application in both traditional tillage (TA) and conservation agriculture (CA) trials was observed. Sites were nutrient-deficient

Yield Impacts

Scientific Considerations

Soil health impacts

The yield difference between tillage agriculture and conservation tillage was insignificant in the initial season

Yields from the second season trials were higher than those of the first season trials for both maize and beans across sites

The environmental benefits of CASI can be achieved without statistically significant yield penalties

1.53 1.55

1.3

1.8 1.71.9

2.83.2 3.2

2.75

2.62.6

2017A 2017B

T1 T2 T3 T1 T2 T3

Bean yield (grain) in Bugesera. with: T1=manure only; T2= manure + fertilizers; T3= Manure + fertilizers + bio-fertilizers.

Bean yield (grain) in Musanze. with: T1=manure only; T2= manure + fertilizers; T3= Manure + fertilizers + bio-fertilizers.

Maize yield (cobs and grains) in Cyuve with: T1=manure only; T2= manure + fertilizers; T3= Manure + fertilizers + bio-fertilizers.

T1 T2 T3

11.8

14.8 13.8 14

12

16.2

2.3

3.3

2.6

3.5

2.6

3.5 3.4

3.12.9

3.4

2.5

3.3

2017A 2017B

T1 T2 T3 T1 T2 T3

CATA

Implications

REPUBLIC OF RWANDA

Conservation agriculture + Crop Intensification =

Soil health

Transforming Agriculture


Intensification (CASI)Functional Agricultural Innovation

Platforms (AIPs) facilitate information exchange, collective action and market participation: Driving the

scaling out of CASI beyond project communities.

8/10

3,000

farmers

Farming families received market information via SMS

message system.

Use of AIPs increased the number of farmers using improved seed in maize legume intercrops from 3 in 10 to 8 in 10 farmers



Intensification (CASI) CASI is versatile and inclusive

SIMLESA has generated “a basket” of CASI options. Farmers can choose from this basket depending on their social and

environmental context.

65% Improvement in soil

organic carbon

2.5 - 3.0 2.5 - 6.5Increase in maize

yields in drier areasIncrease in maize yields in higher rainfall areas

tons/ha tons/ha

Better yields, improved soil health and reduced cost of labour compared to

conventional practices have been recorded.




The use of smallholder appropriate machinery enables cost effective

implementation of CASI practices.

160

3

person hours

Machine hours

Time spent on planting one hectare of a maize field

using a handhoe

Time spent on planting one hectare of a maize field using a two wheel

tractor

Implements such as rippers, seeders and jab planters, led to timely operations,

time savings and better incomes.

160

3

person hours

Machine hours

Time spent on planting one hectare of a maize field using

a handhoe

Time spent on planting one hectare of a maize field

using a two wheel tractor

Conservation agriculture implements such as rippers, seeders and jab planters driven by machinery or draught power enable farmers reap the triple benefit of improved yields from timely operations; time saved for other productive uses and reduced drudgery.

62% 44% 50% Percentage reduction in labour requirements

when using an ox-drawn ripper

Percentage increase in bean

yields due to timely operations

Percentage increase in maize grain yields due to timely operations

6. Tanzania

7. Uganda

Acknowledgements

Financed by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the SIMLESA program which generated this evidence was led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in collaboration with the Department for Agricultural Research Services (DARS), numerous partners, including national agricultural research institutes in Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda in collaboration with other Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centers. Other regional and international partners include Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) of the University of Queensland, Australia and the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), among others.

What policy actions are needed to make CASI up-take feasible for smallholder farmers?

■ Mainstream CASI as a strategy in the formal extension system

■ Invest in private sector-led business models for the supply of machinery and custom hire services

■ Support local research, extension and education insti-tutions to build capacity for all aspects of CASI.

■ Invest in further research and community level demon-

strations of optimal CASI packages. ■ Institute interventions to manage crop-residue trade-offs in CASI systems

■ Invest in developing and strengthening institutions for collective action

■ Foster public private partnerships with agribusinesses willing to invest in scaling CASI

■ Enable the national extension system to support the establishment of agricultural innovation platforms

Optimal patterns of maize and bean intercropping are easy to establish and increase farmers’ income per unit of land and labour allocated

UGX 5,857,100

UGX 6,896,800

UGX 6,611,900

Sole maize crop

2 Maize rows,1 Bean row between

1 Maize row,1 Bean row

(within maize row)

Maize yield: 5,702 Kg/ha

Maize yield: 5,942 kg/haBean yield: 257 kg/ha

Maize yield: 5,601 kg/haBean yield: 277 kg/ha

Grain yield and revenue by cropping pattern Agriculture Extension services

Functional Agricultural Innovation Platforms (AIPs) facilitate information exchange, collective action and market participation.

8/10

1/10

9/10

Farmers had no access to extension services

Farmers engaged in cost-reducing collective marketing.

Farmers regularly access extension services

Before AIPs

Before AIPs

With AIPs

With AIPs

5/109/10Farmers are actively engaged in bulk input

procurement

Farmers engage in bulk produce marketing.

Marketing

transforming farmers lives through …conservation agriculture implements including jab planters,...

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