Overview on “Adapting conservation agriculture for rapid

adoption by smallholder farmers in North Africa - CSE-2011-025”North Africa - CSE-2011-025”

Regional Inception Workhop

28-30 Sept., 2012. Hammamet, Tunisia

Mohammed El MouridICARDA/NARP Regional Coordinator

m.elmourid@cgiar.org

• Duration: 5 years (2012-2016)

• Partners: ACIAR, RSSA, ICARDA, NARES of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia + Libya and Mauritania

• Linkages:

– CRP1.1

– IFAD-ICARDA “Integrated Crop-Livestock Conservation Agriculture for Sustainable Intensification of Cereal-based Systems in North Africa and Central Asia

– ACIAR project “Development of conservation cropping systems in the drylands of Northern Iraqdrylands of Northern Iraq

– The SIMLESA Program: CIMMYT-ACIAR Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Systems for Food Security in Eastern and Southern Africa

– In Tunisia: AFD (Agence Française de Développement)-funded project to support the development of CA

– In Morocco: INRA-ICARDA integrated natural resources management project

– In Morocco and Tunisia, CIRAD-led EU-funded project (CA2Africa)

– RMSD/ Rencontres Méditerranéennes sur le semi direct

Aims & ObjectivesAims: Promote adoption of conservation agriculture practices to reduce natural resource degradation, and to increase productivity, profitability and sustainability of the crop/livestock systems in North AfricaObjectives:1. To identify constraints to adoption of CA by 1. To identify constraints to adoption of CA by

smallholder farmers and ways of enhancing adoption, most importantly identifying and testing socioeconomic options

2. To identify and test improvements in seeding machinery, and in weed and biomass management of CA systems

3. To enhance the capacity of NARES staff and other stakeholders to practice and promote CA

Research questions

The project will address 3 major research questions to bridge the knowledge gap:

Question 1: How is CA adoption driven by farmer and institutional behaviour and incentives (e.g. markets, research linkages)? For example:

- How is CA adoption influenced by farm size and - How is CA adoption influenced by farm size and crop/livestock balance?

- How is CA adoption influenced by specific local organisational and institutional support?

- How is CA adoption influenced by the degree of availability and cost of appropriate equipment (including seeding equipment) and inputs?

Research questions

Question 2: To what extent do CA systems have household, livelihood and environmental benefits? For example:

- Noting that CA systems change weed and pest profiles, what changes in the management of weeds and pests will reduce biotic pressure?

- How will CA systems characterized by crop rotations and varying agronomic practices spread farmers’ production risk?

Question 3: What are the biomass management trade-offs of CA? For example

- Noting the demand from livestock for crop residues, will CA remain beneficial even with low residue retention?

- What are alternative feeds and forages that might be incorporated into CA systems?

Platforms: 3 different agro-ecosystems

• High potential crop/livestock: Fernana (Jendouba),

North West Tunisia: Characterised by subhumid, high rainfall (≥600mm); deep soils with relatively good fertility; the farming system is mainly based on cereals (wheat & barley) and legumes associated with livestock.

• Semiarid crop/livestock: • Semiarid crop/livestock: Chaouia/Ouardigha, Central

Morocco: Characterised by low and variable rainfall (300-350 mm); silty-loamy-calcareous soils with medium fertility; the farming system is based on the integration of crop and livestock (sheep & goats).

• Semiarid arid highland crop/livestock: Setif,

North Eastern Algeria: Characterised by highly variable rainfall (330-400 mm); high plateaus, calcarous soils, medium-low fertility, prone to erosion; the farming system is based on cereals with important livestock component (sheep).

Conservation agriculture (CA) innovation system framework

A schematic representation of the CA of the CA innovation platform for North Africa

Outcomes

1. Wider adoption of conservation agriculture among small

and medium-scale farmers in North Africa

2. Affordable ZT seeding machinery available through

local manufacturing

3. Improved productivity, profitability and sustainability of

cereal crop-livestock systems in North Africa

4. Improved capacity of NARES, farmers, NGOs,

machinery manufacturers, and agricultural institutions to

plan and implement natural resources conserving

practices in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco and 3

neighbouring countries (Libya, Mauritania and Sudan)

Objectives/expected results

1. To identify constraints to adoption of CA by small holder farmers and ways of enhancing adoption, most importantly identifying and testing socio-economic options

2. To identify and test improvements in seeding machinery, and in weed and biomass management of CA systems :

2.1. Develop and test affordable ZT seeding machinery and crop establishment systems for small to medium-sized farms;2.2. Fine-tune weed management and crop sequences for sustainable land and water management;2.3. Optimize crop residue management and test alternative livestock feeding systems under CA

3. To enhance the capacity of NARES staff and other stakeholders to practice and promote CA

Budget (part 1: ACIAR funds)

Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Total

ICARDA 129.803 322.688 307.917 297.798 354.964 1413.170

RSSA 48.615 122.850 219.240 221.340 115.553 727.598

Countries

Algeria 74.578 96.747 85.564 71.563 31.475 359.927

Morocco 74.578 96.747 85.564 71.563 31.475 359.927

Tunisia 74.578 96.747 85.564 71.563 31.475 359.927

Total countries 223.734 290.241 256.692 214.689 94.425 1079.781

ACIAR funds total 402.152 735.779 783.849 733.827 564.942 3220.549

CGIAR System costs (2 %) 8.043 14.716 15.677 14.677 11.299 64.411

Total ACIAR funds 410.195 750.495 799.526 748.504 576.241 3284.960

Budget (part 2: non-ACIAR funds)

Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Total

ICARDA 39.520 86.466 86.466 86.466 86.466 385.384

RSSA 0.000 56.385 37.590 37.590 37.590 169.155

Countries

Morocco-INRA 136.960 741.740 469.800 469.800 257.860 2076.160

Tunisia-IRESA INGC 114.000 695.820 423.880 423.880 211.940 1869.520

Algeria-ITGC 119.500 706.820 434.880 434.880 222.940 1919.020

Total countries 370.460 2144.380 1328.560 1328.560 692.740 5864.700

Total non-ACIAR funds 370.460 2200.765 1366.150 1366.150 730.330 6033.855

Budget (part 3: All resources)

Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Total

ICARDA 169.323 409.154 394.383 384.264 441.430 1798.554

RSSA 48.615 179.235 256.830 258.930 153.143 896.753

Countries

Morocco 211.538 838.487 555.364 541.363 289.335 2436.087Morocco 211.538 838.487 555.364 541.363 289.335 2436.087

Tunisia 188.578 792.567 509.444 495.443 243.415 2229.447

Algeria 194.078 803.567 520.444 506.443 254.415 2278.947

Total countries 594.194 2434.621 1585.252 1543.249 787.165 6944.481

CGIAR system costs 8.043 14.716 15.677 14.677 11.299 64.411

Total all resources 650.852 2628.572 1857.759 1816.856 951.607 7905.645

Grand total 820.175 3037.726 2252.142 2201.120 1393.037 9704.199

What is expected from the RIW?

• Build up a team spirit and share experiences

• Review and fine-tune the POWB

• Agree on implementation procedures and mechanisms (governance)mechanisms (governance)

• Reporting and publication

• Prepare the steering committee meeting (SCM) (October 1)

• Plenary sessions + 5 WGs