Conservation Agriculture: A precision farming tool for smallholders

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1 Conservation Agriculture: A precision farming tool for smallholders Josef Kienzle Plant Production and Protection Division Amir Kassam, Brian G. Sims, Theodor Friedrich

2 Conservation Agriculture Outline Background, context and trends The role of smallholders Soils and the impact of tillage and machinery The FAO Save and Grow concept Conservation Agriculture The use of herbicide and weed management More efficient N fertilizer application Conclusions 6 th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture; Winnipeg, Canada, June, 2014

3 Trends World population > 9 billion in 2050 Changing food habits Undernourished people over 900 million 75% in rural areas in developing countries Declining yield growth rates 1960: 3.2% a year Current: 1.5% 2050: 0.8% Urbanization Today: 50% 2050: 70%

4 Trends Demand for crops for food, feed and fuel is predicted to rise by 60% over the next 40 years Impacts of climate change Reduced resilience of cropping systems Increasing competition for land and water Rising prices of fuel and fertilizer

5 The role of smallholder farmers Globally the majority of farmers are smallholders They produce 80% of the food in developing countries Most of these farmers struggle with little access to farm power and with basic hand tools Application of inputs such as seeds and rarely available fertilizer is often imprecise and untimely

6 Precision agriculture An approach to better application of inputs at the right place and rate in the field, and as close as possible to the optimum crop growth stage Such practices can reduce the amount of nutrients and other crop inputs used, whilst boosting yields Farm power (energy) is the scarcest input for smallholders Hence PA for smallholders needs to aim at more precise technologies in order to save energy

7 Farm power is a scarce resource often poorly applied in Africa Farm Power (energy for farming)

8 Conventional land preparation Effects: Loss of organic matter Loss of structure leading to soil compaction Destruction of biological life & processes

9 Plough pans Crusting with no mulch Plough-layers / hard pans Soil compaction at depth of cultivation Waterlogging as a result of compaction

10 Conservation Agriculture Sustainable Crop Production Intensification Take a holistic approach Highest possible production Saves use of inputs Environmental footprint < recovery capacities Sustainable Crop Production Intensification

11 Conservation Agriculture Conservation Agriculture The Concept: CA involves core components, which are necessary, to make no-till sustainable. CA in practice is characterized by three linked principles, namely: 1. Continuous minimum mechanical soil disturbance. 2. Permanent organic soil cover. 3. Diversification of crop species grown in sequences or associations.

12 Conservation Agriculture This translates into following practices: Permanent No-till or Strip-till (disturbance <15cm/25%) Mulch cover or Cover-crops/crops (soil cover >100%, min. 30%) Crop rotations, associations (>3 different species)

13 The jab-planter / matraca Seed Fertilizer Innovations Rolf Derpsch

14 Manual precision planting and fertilizing for smallholders The jab-planter has sharpened beaks which close completely to penetrate the soil cover. They open in the soil to deposit seed and fertilizer at the desired depth. Precise planting and fertilizing at the same time

15 Precision Agriculture The suppression of tillage / ploughing reduces power requirements by 50% allowing the use of smaller machines F. Baudron; CIMMYT

16 Precision Agriculture Use of herbicide for weed management Issues (I) In the context of smallholder farmers, the use of herbicide for weed management is a hotly debated topic Hand weeding is the second-most arduous task after hand digging for land preparation, and is mostly carried out by women and children Timely weed management is absolutely crucial for crop development and production, especially during the early stages of the cropping cycle

17 Precision Agriculture Use of herbicide for weed management Issues (II) The knapsack sprayer is the most common tool used by smallholder farmers for applying herbicide Application requires knowledge and the correct calibration and use of sprayer Operator should walk at a steady speed with constant spray height and constant pressure For blanket coverage with a total herbicide, it is especially useful to adapt a spray boom to the knapsack sprayer and use a wheeled chassis for more precise application and operator protection

18 Precision Agriculture Use of herbicide for weed management It is the precise and timely application that matters

19 Field mapping and precision N application Crop reflectance meters with GPS can be used to map field requirements. Precision applications result in more efficient fertilizer use. Weedseeker technology for selective spot spraying Vegetative Indices. Showing weed patches 0.02 to to to to to to

20 Precision Agriculture / Conservation Agriculture Conclusions: Global trends are obliging all stakeholders to combine forces to find efficient, lean, sustainable solutions to global challenges of food production and food security Smallholder farmers are an integral part of the challenge and the solution CA shows similar positive results across regions increased yields, decreased production cost; Higher profits, better livelihoods for farmers; More secure harvests even in extreme climate Agricultural machinery innovations are the driving force towards achieving more sustainable, energy-efficient, lean, affordable, precise and cost-effective solutions

21 Precision Agriculture / Conservation Agriculture CA, the Agriculture of the Future the Future of Agriculture More information: josef.kienzle@fao.org Join the CA-CoP!