lessons from long-term conservation agriculture research in southern africa: examples from malawi...
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Lessons from long-term Conservation Lessons from long-term Conservation Agriculture Research in Southern Africa: Agriculture Research in Southern Africa:
Examples from Malawi and ZimbabweExamples from Malawi and ZimbabweBy: Christian Thierfelder, Trent W. Bunderson and Walter MupangwaBy: Christian Thierfelder, Trent W. Bunderson and Walter Mupangwa
● Ongoing research since 2004
● Major target countries, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe
● Adaptive research on CA systems in 53 target communities
● Strategic research on 11 research locations and 9 long-term trials
CIMMYT‘s CA work in Southern AfricaCIMMYT‘s CA work in Southern Africa
•Magoye ripper•Basin planting
•Jab-planter •AT Direct seeder
•Dibble stick
•Hoe-planter
Case studies in two contrasting communities Case studies in two contrasting communities of southern Africaof southern Africa● Zidyana, Nkhotakota District, Central Malawi,
high rainfall area (1375mm a-1), sandy clay loams, extension of CA systems mainly by Total LandCare
● Zimuto, Masvingo Province, Southern Zimbabwe, low potential and low rainfall area (620mm a-1), sandy soils, extension by Governmental Extension services
Mrs. Agnes Mankwazi, Zidyana EPA, Malawi
Zidyana, Nkhotakota Zidyana, Nkhotakota District, Malawi District, Malawi
Harvest year
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Ma
ize
gra
in y
ield
(k
g h
a-1)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000Conventional control, maize (CRF)
CA, maize (CAM)
CA, maize/legume intercropping (CAML)
c
a
a
a a
b
b
b
a
a a
a
ab a
a
a
a
a
b
b
a
a
a
b
Development of maize grain yields at Zidyana, Development of maize grain yields at Zidyana, Malawi, 2006-2013Malawi, 2006-2013
Gross margin analysis Zidyana, MalawiGross margin analysis Zidyana, Malawi
Conventional control, maize
CA, maize CA, maize legume
intercropping Gross receipts 1047.2 1309.5 1293.7 Variable costs
Inputs 221.7 323.7 346.1 Labour days 61.7 39.9 49.4 Labour costs 155.6 100.7 124.7 Sprayer costs 1.7 1.2
Total Variable costs 377.3 426.1 472.1 Gross margin (US$/ha) 669.9 883.3 821.9 Returns to Labour (US$/day) 5.4 9.8 7.6
Source: Ngwira, A.R., Thierfelder, C., Lambert, D.M., 2012. Conservation agriculture systems for Malawian smallholder farmers: long-term effects on crop productivity, profitability and soil quality. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems FirstView, 1-14
Success case Malawi:Success case Malawi: Strong extension support (MoA, TLC) Soft loan facility for herbicide and seed Functional innovation systems approach Biophysical constraints limited (e.g. low crop-
livestock interaction, few droughts etc.) Input and output market fairly functional Farmers in need for sustainable
intensification Successful maize-groundnut rotations
implemented
Farmer exposure and CA adoption inFarmer exposure and CA adoption inTotal LandCare programs in MalawiTotal LandCare programs in Malawi
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
# F
arm
ers
Tra
ine
d a
nd
Pra
cti
cin
g C
A
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
Ha
un
de
r C
A
Farmers Trained in CA 321 585 799 2,879 5,827 23,706 27,000 35,197
Farmers Practicing CA 46 114 591 2,067 3,924 6,634 10,645 17,797
Ha under CA 14 34 236 499 1,275 2,704 5,461 5,865
2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13
Source: Total LandCare, 2014
Zimuto Communal Area, Zimbabwe Zimuto Communal Area, Zimbabwe
Days after maize planting in each cropping season
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220
Cum
mulative rainfall (m
m d
-1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
950
1000
1050
1100
2004/2005
2006/2007
2012/2013
2011/2012
2008/2009
2010/2011
2009/2010
2005/2006
2007/2008
Rainfall variability at Rainfall variability at Zimuto Communal Zimuto Communal Area, 2004-2013Area, 2004-2013
Harvest year
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Mai
ze g
rain
yie
ld (
kg h
a-1
)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
Conventional ploughing, maize (CP)
CA - Ripline seeding, maize (RI)
CA - Direct seeding, maize (DS)
a
a
NS
a a
b
b
b b
a
b
ab
a
a
ab
b aa
b
a
ab
b
aa
b
Development of maize grain yields at Development of maize grain yields at Zimuto, Zimbabwe, 2006-2013Zimuto, Zimbabwe, 2006-2013
2011/12
2012/13
CN Ripper DSeeder CP Ripper DSeeder
Gross receipts (US$) 376.58 562.28 751.27 271.00 680.85 770.80 Variable costs (VC) (US$)
Seed 60.00 60.00 60.00 76.00 76.00 76.00 Fertilizer 215.00 215.00 215.00 216.40 216.40 216.40 Labour 178.93 195.32 158.62 136.40 166.40 154.80 Total VC (US$) 453.93 470.32 433.62 428.80 458.80 447.20 Gross Margin (US$) -77.36 91.96 317.65 -157.80 222.05 323.60 Returns to Labour (US$) 0.57 1.47 3.00 -0.16 2.33 3.09 Return to TVC (%) -17 20 73 -37 48 72
Gross margin analysis Zimuto, ZimbabweGross margin analysis Zimuto, Zimbabwe
Source: Thierfelder, C., Mutenje, M., Mujeyi, A., Mupangwa, W. 2014. Where is the limit? Lessons learned from long-term conservation agriculture research in Zimuto Communal Area, Zimbabwe. Food Security under review
Pe
rcen
tage
of
farm
ers
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100Non-adopters
Dis-adopters
Partial Adopters
Lack of information and technical
assistance
Herbicide incompatibility
Risk aversion
Conflicting with other economic
activities
Unavailability of equipment
Perceptions about constraints to adoption by Perceptions about constraints to adoption by different farmer groups in Zimuto, Zimbabwe, 2011different farmer groups in Zimuto, Zimbabwe, 2011
Limited adoption in Zimuto:Limited adoption in Zimuto: Biophysical environment is challenging Drought stress and low fertility – farmers are
risk averse and cash constraint Farmers are dependent on remittances Poor extension services Access to critical inputs is limited
(accessibility – affordability) Farmland unsuitable for maize-based farming
systems – extensive cattle holding maybe more appropriate
ConclusionConclusion● Biophysical and economic benefits of CA are
evident in both target areas● Quality of extension services, access to
critical inputs (inputs, herbicides, machinery) and an enabling institutional environment is very important
● CA should be better targeted to suitable farmers and environments
● Large scale adoption is possible when key constraints are minimized
Thank you very much…!