ca concepts, principles and practices kitui
TRANSCRIPT
Conservation Agriculture Concepts, Principles and Practices
By
Peter Kuria
Presented at
Kitui CA training for Farmers (Ox Ripping technologies) on
12th August 2014
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Why do we plough?
A destroyed land – the wonderful plough!
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Increased water infiltration!
Loose soil after continuous tilling becomes prone to water erosion
Ploughing up of the virgin lands led to the “Dust Bowls”
in the United States in the 1930
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How many tons of soil do we loose if 1mm of soil per hectare is lost - 1 mm/hectare = 15 Tons
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Gullies are formed every year and not
sufficient efforts are done to arrest them
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Increase cereal yields by one ton/ha in Africa –
low external inputs and intensification.
Doubling of current cereal production with less
environmental and economic costs is
achievable!
It will lift millions of people out of poverty – at
least the 1 out of the 4.
Transformation based on agroecological low-
external input resource conserving CA systems
For Kenya to feed itself and others
change anchored on soil health is imperative!
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What is Conservation Agriculture?
Three principles
Minimum soil disturbance
Permanent soil cover
Crop & cover crop rotations and associations
Maximum and sustainable benefits derived when the 3 principles overlap
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How minimum tillage?
Conventional Under CA
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How does CA work for hand hoe
farmers?
In Hand hoe Farming Systems
Dibble stick
Basins
Jab planter ACT 2014
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Planting CA: direct seeding into
mulch and moist soil
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No-till animal drawn planters
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Mechanical weed management
equipment options
Hand operated weeders
Animal drawn light weight weeder Knife roller
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CA for challenging situations
Ameliorate plough pans and soil compaction
Support developing physical structures for erosion control
Consider Agroforestry
Amend soil degradation
Others?
Pre-conditions to implementation of CA
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Rippers or
chisels
●Poor weed control
● Clogging
● Needs proper soil
moisture (crumbling
or dryer)
● Lifting stones/clods
● Needs lots of power
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Chemical weed control equipment
options
Pedestrian-pulled4-nozzle sprayer Zamwipe herbicide applicator
Draft animal pulled sprayer with
an 80 litre tank and a 5 m boom Zamwipe
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Ameliorate plough pans and soil
compaction
Sub-soiling
Planting basins
Biological tillage using cover crops with tap roots: Cajanus cajan, Dolichos lablab,
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Complimentary CA enhancers …
Good agronomic practices Timely planting
Proper plant spacing
Effective weed control (with and without herbicides)
Use of improved external inputs improved seeds
Judicious use of Fertilisers
Judicious use of pesticides
Agro-forestry – Fertiliser trees, fodder, live fences, wind breakers. Faidherbia Albida; Baobab; Grevillea; shrubs (e.g. Pillostigma)
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SOIL COVER
- the most important principle -
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Do weeds grow on ploughed land?
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Let the roots and soil flora and
fauna do the work ACT 2014
Develop physical structures for erosion
control
Stone bunds
Contour bunds
Cut off drains
Permanent ridges
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Consider Agroforestry
Fertiliser trees (Faidherbia albida, )
Multi-purpose trees for fruits, fuel wood, building materials
Live fences
Wind breakers
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Faidherbia Fertilizer Trees at 100 trees per ha
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Potato growing under no till cover
condition at Yaksu farm - Korea
2m wide ridge
Put potato seed
under rice stubble
covered with no-till
Harvesting potato
Left rice and potato
stubble evenly on field
Rice transplanting
on mid of June ACT 2014
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Benefits of CA
50-70% labour saving
Less drudgery
Stable yields, food security
Reduced production costs
Less wear and tear on machinery
BETTER LIVELIHOOD AND INCOMES
To farmers
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Another opportunity ... ...
Diversification to livestock and other income generating activities
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THANK YOU
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