The Impact of Conservation Agriculture on Food Security

The Impact of Conservation Agriculture on Food Security in two districts of Zimbabwe Paul Wagstaff, Agriculture Advisor, Concern Worldwide Malachy Harty, International Development & Food Policy, UCC Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10

2 Problems with Conventional Agriculture • Reduction of soil fertility and physical structure Ø Increased erosion • High labour/ energy requirement - barrier to participation for poor, sick or elderly farmers Ø Delayed planting Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10

3 The Principles of Conservation Agriculture (CA) • 1. Avoid Soil Disturbance – – Planting basins direct seed drills rippers jab planters • 2. Soil Cover – Mulching with crop residues – Cover crops • 3. Crop Rotation Planting pits in Zimbabwe Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10

4 Resiliance to Climate Change § Improved soil structure – reduced erosion § Water retained in soil Conservation § Low impact - avoids problems of conventional agriculture § Low carbon system of food production § Potential value as a carbon sink, but results unclear Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10

5 Challenges and Limitations of CA • Retention of residues for mulch cover • Different spacings for rotation crops • Labour in first years • Change of mindset Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10

6 Zimbabwe § Gokwe North § Gokwe South § Nyanga

7 Comparison of maize yields grown in CA planting basins, Zimbabwe (CIMMYT)

8 Where do the yield benefits of Conservation Farming come from? (GART, Zambia) Value of Conservation Agriculture even if simply to plant on time! Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10

9 Conservation Farming in Zimbabwe • No draught animals so system based on preparing planting basins during the dry season • Intensive extension support • 50 x 50 m Conservation Farming plots (1/4 ha) per household • ½ maize, ¼ sorghum, ¼ groundnuts/ cowpeas Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10

10 Overview of Household Economy Approach (HEA) § How people in different social and economic circumstances get the food and cash they need § Hyper inflationary situation – cash values irrelevant § Crop production and income converted into kilo calorie equivalents § 2, 100 kcal person per day survival threshold Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10

11 Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10

12 Ø Difficult political and economic situation, poor rains - all groups received food aid Ø Poor Conservation Farmers would have needed 50% less food aid than the control group. Ø The very poor control group had to undertake much more casual labour food which may have resulted in taking children out of school, less time available to prepare food, take children to health centres, etc

13 Results ü CF farmers do not require food aid and are producing larger surpluses than conventional farmers ü 2010: INGOs will buy maize surpluses from the CF farmers to distribute to food deficit areas of Zimbabwe! ü Concern currently expanding CA to Tanzania (EU), Zambia & Malawi (Accenture), Liberia Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10

14 No magic bullets § § § § § Water Markets, trade, infrastructure Research Extension and education Health Financial services and insurance Inputs Land tenure Environment Malachy Harty, Trocaire Development Review, 12/11/10