Conservation Agriculture progress Report for Malawi Key achievements and challenges

1. Conservation Agriculture
Progress Report for Malawi
Key achievements and Challenges for
2014-15 Period

2. Presentation
• Background
• Conservation Agriculture Trust
• Biennial Symposium
• National CA Guidelines
• CA curriculum
• Challenges

3. Background
• NCATF re- established in 2007
• Chaired by the FUM
• LRCD is Secretariat
• Members:
– Extension providers
– Researchers
– Farmer Associations
– Input suppliers
– Training institutions
• MoA 2014/15 Achievement
– Target : 85,599 ha
– Acv.: 23631 ha

4. Conservation Agriculture Trust
• Review of NCATF TORs:
– Lack of dedicated secretariat personnel
– Absence of mechanism to ensure stakeholder
compliance to CA standard and approaches
– Weak research focus
– Weak M&E that can raise evidence and promote
CA adoption
– Lack of legal status to attract external funding
• Recommended: TF Trust

5. CAT process
• Small team of NCATF members
– Govt. department (LRCD, DARS, DAES)
– Farmer association (NASFAM)
– Academia (Bunda College)
• Draft constitution
• Proposed trustees
• Legal system review of the draft constitution
stalled due to FAO procurement procedures
• Financial resources required to finalize the CAT
constitution.

6. Biennial symposium
• Aim: platform for researchers and developers to share data,
experiences, challenges and recommendations for up-
scaling CA adoption
• 2015 symposium
– Theme: Scaling up CA for resilient agricultural systems
– Participants
• Total: 117
• Male: 92
• Female: 25
– Presentations:
• 20 technical papers
• 3 posters
– Facilitated by a independent consultant
– Production of proceedings in progress

7. 3rd Biennial symposium
recommendations
• 14 recommendations focusing on:
– Strengthen capacity of NCATF
– Improve generation and dissemination of CA
practices
– Develop communication strategy for CA
– Strengthen policy dialogue
– Review school curriculum
– Introduce appropriate farm machinery
– Improve financial resource mobilization

8. National CA Guidelines
• Purpose: clarify definition and recommended
practices for CA
• Objective:
– Provide a step-by-step guidelines
– Harmonize extension messages
• Content:
– Step-by-step guidelines
• Entry point for practicing CA
• Critical needs for scaling up CA
• Calendar of activities

9. Guidelines
• Contents
– Complementary practices
• Use of chemical fertilizer & improved seed
• Organic manure
• Rainwater harvesting
• Agro-forestry
• Weed management
– Annex:
• Evidence based results of CA
• Use of crop residues
• Drivers & barriers to CA adoption
• Expected launching ceremony: Mid December 2015

10. CA curricula development
• Sustainable Agricultural Production Programme
(SAPP)
– Duration: 9 yr.
– Donor: IFAD
– Coverage: 7 Districts
– Goal: contribute to poverty reduction and improved
food security among the rural population
– Objective: Have a viable and sustainable smallholder
agricultural sector that is using Good Agricultural
Practices (GAP)

11. SAPP
• SAPP Outcomes
– Development of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
through research
– Increase farmer adoption of the GAPs
• MOU: GoM & LUANAR
– Aim: development a Curriculum for Conservation
Agriculture

12. MOU Expectations
• CA curricula developed and approved by the
University senate
• Train 387 agricultural staff on CA
– 350 field staff (gov, & NGOs) in-service training
– 28 at Diploma level
– 7 BSc level
– 2 MSc
• Appropriate CA equipment procured and
demonstrated

13. Challenges
Challenge Recommendation
Transfer of maize stalks from one field to
the other
•Start with minimum tillage to generate
adequate crop residues
•Practice intercropping to generate good
soil cover
Yellowing of young maize associated to
nitrogen mineralization
•Encourage spreading of crop residue
soon after planting to promote early
decomposition
•Apply adequate basal dressing fertilizers
and or manure
Bush fires •Encourage Traditional Leaders to
institute by-laws against bush fires
•Live fencing with jatropha
Perception that maize stalk are carriers of
pests and diseases
•Use of improved varieties that are
resistant
•Research to generate evidence
•??? Crop rotation

14. challenges
Challenge Recommendation
Competition with livestock on crop
residues
Research to provide data on “adequate
soil cover”
Use of maize stalks to sterilize tobacco
nurseries
Collaborate with ARET on improved
methods of raising tobacco seedlings

15. Conclusion