Conservation Agriculture Extension among Smallholder Farmers in Madagascar: Strategies, Lessons Learned and Constraints

Transcription

1 Conservation Agriculture Extension among Smallholder Farmers in Madagascar: Strategies, Lessons Learned and Constraints RAHARISON Tahina RAKOTONDRAMANANA ENJALRIC Frank 1

2 Groupement Semis Direct de Madagascar Outline Introduction and CA principles GSDM and CA stakeholders in Madagascar CA issues in Madagascar Some context of ecosystem degradation Orientation of Project CA extension Farmers motivations for CA adoption Main constraints for CA scaling up CA challenges in Madagascar 2

3 Conservation Agriculture as defined by FAO and practised in Madagascar This refers to Direct seeding Mulch based Cropping systems (DMC) or SCV in French (CIRAD) according to these three following principles : 1. Permanent soil cover all year around 2. No tillage or minimum soil disturbance 3. Crop Rotations and associations to improve biodiversity and soil fertility Models: Reproduction of the forest ecosystem which is in equilibrium Re-introduction of soil biology through biomass production and accumulation Enhance mineralisation and humification of Soil Organic Matter 3

4 GSDM is a national structure of CA support including research organisations and extension organisms. Funders AFD Ministry of Agriculture Ministry of Environnement Research institutions Cirad, FOFIFA FAO / CARWG Focal point of CA National Task Force Rural development projects Private sector (seeds producers ) Extension organisms Partnerships 4

5 Main objectives are to coordinate different stakeholders, to assess CA operations, to enhance partnerships between stakeholders, to support, to structure training, to capitalise This presentation is based on extension organisms results, on research activities results, on field trips and workshops reports and data provided by these different CA stakeholders. Data analysis allowed us to identify and to analyze the main favourable factors as well as the main constraints of CA extension 5

6 CA extension organisms / agroecological areas 6

7 In forest areas, repeated bush firing end up with a low fertility soils with low quality vegetation (Aristida sp) National Parks are threatened by slash and burn Fallow duration becomes shorter and shorter, and inefficient due to population growth Gully erosion (lavaka) on hillsides (tanety) a representative form of erosion in many watersheds in Madagascar Irrigated areas (paddy fields) are permanently threatened by high sedimentation 7

8 Within 4-5 years, these degraded soils can be restored by Agroecological practice CA, Agroforestry, Afforestation Erosion measured as loss of soils (URP/SRID, 2009): - under tillage: 12 t/ha/year - under CA: 0,14 t/ha/year CA is implemented in Madagascar by development projects to protect soil, to cultivate hillside (tanety) and to enhance crops production. All CA extension has been donor oriented and targeted at watershed and irrigation infrastructures protection. 8

9 1 Availability of rice cultivation Farmers are mainly interested in rice based cropping systems, for instance : Rice under CA systems based on Stylosanthes guianensis, Maize with legumes folowed by Rice, rotation of Rice and Vicia vilosa) CA becomes a major driving-force of dissemination (> 90% of CA cropping systems area) when it resolves the main constraint of upland rice cultivation in the Middle west of Madagascar (Striga asiatica), More than 80% of area under CA are oriented for rice cultivation especially in the Middle West of Magadascar and in Lake Alaotra CA surfaces extension and number of farmers in

10 2 Forage for livestock Livestock is a large and cultural activity in Madagascar. Improving livestock is an important aim followed by CA farmers as cover crops used are mainly forage or pasture crops. The main issue is to assess and determine the trade-off betwen biomass for CA functionning and biomass for cattle feeding (Naudin et al. 2012) Example of Vicia vilosa in the Lake Alaotra % of soil cover V. villosa median Aboveground biomass removal t ha -1 However, in some specific areas of cattle breeding and milk production (Highlands of Vakinankaratra), high demand of forage induce high pressure on available biomass CA functionning and CA extension are seriously limited 10

11 3 - Soil restoration and fertility management Most of soils in Madagascar are oxisoils derived from acid parental materials with low organic matter content and low quality of clay. They are particularly fragile regarding fertility and structure. Soil restoration and fertility management is a strategic issue for almost all farmers in Madagascar. CA practices with rotations and association of legumes cover crop is an opportunity to improve soil fertility, or maintain sustainable and acceptable yields (without mineral fertilization) which is not possible with conventional practices Main crops yields evolution along years of CA practice (W : conventional tillage) BRL Lake Alaotra

12 CA is a relatively long process of learning by doing, difficult to high vulnerable small farmers. Poor farmers have a very low investment capacity and are unable to invest in inputs lack of transfert knowledge Small size of farms (less than 1,5 ha) requires a long and costly extension system : 1 extension staff = 100 farmers = 300 plots = 50 ha Land tenure : numerous small farmers are settled on rented land or none titled land Limit of the approach watershed and irrigated area : farmers with irrigated paddy fields are not the most interested in upland cultivation working force and resources are used for irrigated plots 12

13 In Madagascar, the challenges are: to streamline CA into national and local policy for rural development and environmental protection through CA evidence shared analyzed and applied in CA advocacy. The contribution of CA on Climate Change adaptation should be considered by goverment and NGO policies To include CA in broader adapted development systems including food security, poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability. to built a higher capacity in training at different levels; the priority is to establish a relevant and efficient training program in CA through implementing an official professional training for extension staff and government officers, 13

14 to develop an integrative approach which involves farming systems and all stakeholders at different levels, To enhance farmers access to appropriate input supply and output value chains Governments are encouraged to develop and to implement policies to support the CA up-scaling, Recovering fertility needs time, work and funds to increase biomass production Minimum of 5 years for CA projects to enhance capacities building for all involved stakeholders CA should be considered as an investment in Environment protection Efficiency of CA is linked with agricultural production environment 14

15 Thank you for your attention Merci de votre attention 15