adaptation of ca by smallholder farmers in malawi: drivers, intensity, benefits and problems for...
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A presentation made at the WCCA 2011 event in Brisbane, Australia.TRANSCRIPT
21112005
http://www.umb.no/noragric/
Amos Ngwira, Mulugetta Mekuria, Christian Thierfelder and Jens Aune
Adaptation of conservation agriculture by smallholder farmers in Malawi: drivers,
intensity, benefits and problems for up scaling
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Introduction
Food security is a major concern in southern Africa region
Maize - main staple
Drought, low soil fertility and weak value chains
Low adoption and limited capabilities in responding to stress factors
More sustainable production practices - CA
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Introduction Wide CA adoption in the
Americas and Australia
Major reasons :– Limited research to adapt
principles of CA
– Knowledge intensive nature of CA
– Long periods to realize benefits
Farmer experimenting with CA
Assess major drivers of CA experimentation among smallholder farmers as well as intensity of farmer adapatation of CA practices
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Study Methodology
Data collection – using sturctured questionnaire
– A total of 300 farmers were interviewed as follows
– Key informant interviews
– Field observations
Categories of farmers– 150 adopters
– 50 farmers who tried CA but later abandoned
– 50 farmers who have never tried CA before
Study period– May to June 2010
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Nkhotakota
Balaka
5230
3056
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Drivers of farmer experimentation with CA
Herbicide use is one of the principal factors– Major reasons provoking farmers’ interest CA:
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Labor s
avin
g
Higher
yields
Soil m
oisture
reten
tion
Soil ero
sion co
ntrol
Enhance
d soil
fertil
ityOth
er0
10
20
30
40
50
60
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80
90
Motivations for CA
Per
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Drivers of farmer experimentation with CA
Other principal factors include:– Establishment of local
innovation system
– Motivation of extension worker
– Existence of a strong social network
– Farmer to farmer exchange visits and farmer field days
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Intensity of CA adoption
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Intensity of CA adoption
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Adoption of Specific Components of the CA Package
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Farmers’ scenarios and experiences with CA
Limited use of CA equipment
Some trade-offs on use of crop residues – rodents hunting
Limited widespread use of crop rotation due to:– Pritoritizing food security
concerns
– General shortage of legume seed
– Inadequate knowledge of rotation systems
– Undeveloped produce markets
10 Maize intercropped with Pigeon pea, Chipeni, Malawi
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Major breakthroughs of CA into maize based systems
and modifications by farmers
Monocropping to intercropping
Crop rotations
Extending CA principles to other crops such as cassava, paprika, soybean
Experimenting with low doses of herbicides to control weeds
Planting of relay crops such as cowpea and tomato
Long duration pigeon pea varieties to shorter duration varieties
Planting pigeonpea between rows of companion crops other than within rows
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Cassava planted in basins under CA, Balaka, Malawi
Red chili in rotation with maize
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CA Impacts
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Reasons for disadoption and non adoption of CA
Limited access to inputs (54%)
Lack of information (70%9
Discontinued donor support (43%)
Perception that herbicides destroy soils (23%)
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Conclusion
Major drivers of farmer experimentation with CA included herbicides, extension support, social capital, farmer exchange visits, field days, etc
Benefits of CA include labour saving, soil fertility improvement, higher yields, increased soil moisture retention, etc
Farmers allocate small area under CA compared to conventional practice due largely to limited inputs
Limited access to inputs and technical information on CA were major reasons for non adoption
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THANK YOU
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