Conservation Agriculture in Africa:

Experiences of the African Conservation

Tillage Network (ACT)

Eastern Africa Sub-regional Workshop on Climate- Smart Agriculture

29th September – 1st October 2014

Jacaranda Hotel

Nairobi- Kenya

By

Janet Cox Achora

Knowledge, Communication and Information Manager

ACT

Why Conservation Agriculture?

To feed the

undernourished?

Improve Crop

Yields?

Adaptation &

Mitigation?

World Wide-890M by 2012 (World Hunger facts,2012)

SSA- 239M by 2010 ( FAO, 2012)

Rising Population Projected to increase by

150% (2 Billion by 2020)

Have coping technologies?

Can we stabilize the Yields?

Reduce Production costs

Cover Labour shortages

Why is AFRICA hunger?

The CA TechnologyThe Three principles

Minimum Soil disturbance or direct

seeding if possible

Permanent soil cover

Crop & cover crop associations &

rotations

Global Overview of CA

Area under CA estimated at 155 M ha. CA adoption expanding at the rate of 7 million ha annually About 1 M ha in Africa. 98% are large scale commercial.

What is the hold up to adoption?

Poor access to CA services for direct seeding weed management (herbicides

selection &application) soil de-compaction (ripping)

Poor linkages to production inputs and produce markets

Poor access to financial services

Limited access to information and skills on CA

What equipment for minimum soil

disturbance

Start with what the farmers have

Oxen ripping Oxen direct seedingJab Planter

Hand hoe for Basin making The Dibble Stick Tractor mounted seeder

Why Conservation Agriculture

Some Conservation Agriculture Secrets

Proven benefits of CA….. For Africa

Research findings: CA works, productivity is higher betterresilience to CC; Saves labour (youths and elderly)

CA empowers smallholders – without irrigation, externalinputs - to produce a surplus food (and hence entercommercial markets) Planting basins, Dibble sticks, Jabs planters -mulched

Animal traction farmers can do operations timely andprovide services to neighboursHire service provision as a business. Herbicide

application. Ripping. Direct seeding Medium scale farmers with tractors can even do better

with tractor rippers and seeders

Some challenges in Implementation of CA

Key Lessons learnt for Scaling up

Linking Farmers to reliable Markets is key

Availability of CA Implements through commercial outlets is required

Accessibility to knowledge and information of CA will create more demand(Networking)

The Need for Government led up-scaling of CA pilots into National programmes for improved food security and agri-business

More Private – Public Partnership Projects required

How ACT promotes CA: Projects &

Partnerships

Projects ABACO – supported by

EU

CA4CC - Support from

COMESA CA4FS – AGRA

FACASI- CIMMY

Sustainable Market led

Agriculture &

Resource Management

(SMART)

PAMOJA – World Vision CAWT

CA SARD

SCAP

CA2AFRICA

Partners and collaborators

Success/Achievements

Capacity building on CA – mainly to small holders 1000 research and extension officers

100,000 smallholder farmers - directly

Support to 22 CA equipment manufacturers/workshops

Knowledge and Information Management Case studies documentation &sharing; Documentaries;

Posters/Banners; Website www.act-africa.org

Experience sharing events: Field days; Workshops; CoPs; IIIWCCA; represent Africa in World Congresses; First Africa Congress -2014

Centres of excellence – Gwebi college, ARI Uyole, Yei

Model farmers – also CA service providers

CA Research With African soil fertility networks (SOFESCA, FOFIFA, CIRDES),

Universities and research institutions (EMBRAPA, CIRAD, WUR, KARI, ICRAF) under ABACO, CA2Africa, CAWT and INCAA projects.

Initiatives: The Lusaka

Declaration 25 by 25

The Organization-The African Conservation Tillage Network

“ Not for Profit”, Voluntary membership NGO, Nairobi

Built with Support from GTZ, EU, FAO, IFAD, National Governments.

Common vision developed in Harare in 1998

The Secretariat & HQs is in Nairobi, Sub – regional offices-Dar Es Salaam, Harare & Ouagadougou

Board Members – 11 Directors, Country Focal Persons/Institutions

Core Thrust / Themes

Awareness Creation – Evidence Based Advocacy

Capacity Building through Trainings, demonstrations and Exchange visits

Networking & Partnerships- dissemination, value chain linkages, linking farmers

Research and Development- including Climate change

Thank you for listening