Increasing conservation agriculture (CA) Increasing conservation agriculture (CA) options for smallholder farmers in different options for smallholder farmers in different

agro-ecological regions of Zimbabweagro-ecological regions of Zimbabwe

Walter Mupangwa, Christian Thierfelder & Munyaradzi MutenjeWalter Mupangwa, Christian Thierfelder & Munyaradzi Mutenje

Africa Congress on Conservation Agriculture Africa Congress on Conservation Agriculture

18–21 March 2014 18–21 March 2014

Lusaka, ZambiaLusaka, Zambia

Farming Systems at Study SitesFarming Systems at Study Sites

Mixed crop/livestockMixed crop/livestock Conventional agricultureConventional agriculture

• Food crops: Maize, sorghum, pearl millet, Food crops: Maize, sorghum, pearl millet, groundnuts, bambaranuts, cowpeagroundnuts, bambaranuts, cowpea

• Cash crops: Cotton, tobacco, soybeansCash crops: Cotton, tobacco, soybeans

• Crop associations: Full rotations of Crop associations: Full rotations of cereal/legumes rare, intercrops commoncereal/legumes rare, intercrops common

Dry spells, low soil fertilityDry spells, low soil fertility

CA options introducedCA options introduced

Hand dug planting basinsHand dug planting basins

Animal traction direct seedingAnimal traction direct seeding

Animal traction ripline seedingAnimal traction ripline seeding

• Study districts: Gokwe, Study districts: Gokwe, Kariba and ZakaKariba and Zaka

… … CA options introducedCA options introduced• Crops grown: maize (SC513), soybean (Safari) and cowpea Crops grown: maize (SC513), soybean (Safari) and cowpea (CBC 2)(CBC 2)

• Maize rotated with cowpea (NR 4) and soybean (NR 3) in each Maize rotated with cowpea (NR 4) and soybean (NR 3) in each cropping system cropping system

• Equal fertilization: basal (7N:14PEqual fertilization: basal (7N:14P22OO55:7K:7K22O) @ 150 kghaO) @ 150 kgha-1-1

compound D & topdressing (34.5% N) @ 200 kghacompound D & topdressing (34.5% N) @ 200 kgha-1 -1 ammonium ammonium nitratenitrate

• Soybean inoculated, fertilized with soya-blend Soybean inoculated, fertilized with soya-blend (6N:27P(6N:27P22OO55:20K:20K22O) at seeding @ 165 kghaO) at seeding @ 165 kgha-1-1

• Weed control: Glyphosate at seeding (2.5 l haWeed control: Glyphosate at seeding (2.5 l ha-1-1) in CA, manual ) in CA, manual weeding when necessary weeding when necessary

Results from 2010/11-2012/13 seasonsResults from 2010/11-2012/13 seasons

Seasonal rainfallSeasonal rainfall

• No significant differences in first season-NR 3No significant differences in first season-NR 3• Higher yields in DS in subsequent seasons-NR 3Higher yields in DS in subsequent seasons-NR 3

• Yield responses variable – NR 4Yield responses variable – NR 4• Higher yields in basins – NR 4 Higher yields in basins – NR 4

• Higher yield in AT CA options – NR 3Higher yield in AT CA options – NR 3• Low yield in basins – low crop stand – NR 3Low yield in basins – low crop stand – NR 3

• No significant yield differences in first season - NR 4No significant yield differences in first season - NR 4• Higher yields in AT CA with time - NR 4Higher yields in AT CA with time - NR 4

Conv.-Conv.-MaizeMaize

Basins-Basins-MaizeMaize

Ripper-Ripper-MaizeMaize

DS-DS-MaizeMaize

Conv.-Conv.-soyasoya

Basins-Basins-soyasoya

Ripper-Ripper-soyasoya

DS-DS-soyasoya

TOTAL TOTAL BENEFITS BENEFITS ($/ha)($/ha)

16151615 14141414 13741374 18031803 11061106 10131013 16851685 18581858

COSTS ($/ha)COSTS ($/ha)

LABOURLABOUR 237237 257257 191191 136136 236236 157157 191191 136136

INPUTSINPUTS 359359 359359 359359 359359 281281 281281 281281 281281

TOTAL TOTAL VARIABLE VARIABLE COSTS ($/ha)COSTS ($/ha)

596596 616616 550550 495495 517517 438438 472472 417417

GROSSGROSSBENEFITS BENEFITS ($/ha)($/ha)

16151615 14141414 13741374 18031803 11061106 10131013 16851685 18581858

NET NET BENEFITS BENEFITS ($/ha)($/ha)

10191019 798798 824824 13081308 589589 575575 12131213 14411441

Net benefits of cropping systems- NR 3 (2013)Net benefits of cropping systems- NR 3 (2013)

Conv.-Conv.-MaizeMaize

Basins-Basins-MaizeMaize

Ripper-Ripper-MaizeMaize

DS-DS-MaizeMaize

Conv.-Conv.-cowpeacowpea

Basins-Basins-cowpeacowpea

Ripper-Ripper-cowpeacowpea

DS-DS-cowpeacowpea

TOTAL TOTAL BENEFITS BENEFITS ($/ha)($/ha)

12411241 12601260 12851285 13431343 993993 884884 14171417 13271327

COSTS ($/ha)COSTS ($/ha)

LABOURLABOUR 186186 233233 211211 3333 182182 230230 208208 8181

INPUTSINPUTS 305305 305305 305305 305305 125125 125125 125125 125125

TOTAL TOTAL VARIABLE VARIABLE COSTS ($)COSTS ($)

491491 538538 516516 338338 307307 355355 333333 206206

GROSSGROSSBENEFITS BENEFITS ($/ha)($/ha)

12411241 12601260 12851285 13431343 993993 884884 14171417 13271327

NET NET BENEFITS BENEFITS ($/ha)($/ha)

750750 722722 769769 10051005 686686 529529 10841084 11211121

Net benefits of cropping systems- NR 4 (2013)Net benefits of cropping systems- NR 4 (2013)

Lessons learntLessons learnt• Socio-economic benefits (e.g. reduced Socio-economic benefits (e.g. reduced time and labor) increase farmer time and labor) increase farmer acceptance in the short termacceptance in the short term

• Farmer-to-farmer exchange visits are Farmer-to-farmer exchange visits are effective for better understanding of new effective for better understanding of new technologiestechnologies

• More training on CA equipment and More training on CA equipment and herbicides – herbicides – bad experiences with bad experiences with equipment/herbicides discourage farmersequipment/herbicides discourage farmers

Farmer discussion during Farmer discussion during exchange visitexchange visit

• CA equipment development: extensive CA equipment development: extensive participatory process – requires time to participatory process – requires time to perfect equipmentperfect equipment

• CA equipment manufacturers require pre-CA equipment manufacturers require pre-financingfinancing

• CA equipment still not widely availableCA equipment still not widely available

• Credit facility increases accessibility of Credit facility increases accessibility of equipment and adoption CA technologyequipment and adoption CA technology

Lessons learntLessons learnt

Prototype 2Prototype 2

Prototype 1Prototype 1

Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks• AT CA options offer alternative to increase crop productivity in AT CA options offer alternative to increase crop productivity in different NRsdifferent NRs

• DS CA system gives the highest net benefits – reduced DS CA system gives the highest net benefits – reduced production costs + higher crop yieldsproduction costs + higher crop yields

• Basin CA system gives the lowest benefits - higher production Basin CA system gives the lowest benefits - higher production costscosts

• Higher maize yields in basin system in NR 4 – rainwater Higher maize yields in basin system in NR 4 – rainwater harvestingharvesting

• More investments in CA equipment developmentMore investments in CA equipment development

• Credit facility to encourage adoption of CA technologiesCredit facility to encourage adoption of CA technologies

Thank YouThank You