A presentation at the WCCA 2011 event in Brisbane.

1. Lin S.J, Friedrich T., Hansmann B, Kassam A.
Presenter: Shang-Jung, Lin
(MSc Organic Agriculture, Wageningen University)
Date: 29 Sep 2011

2. Outline
 Introduction
 Purpose
 International Standard for Conservation Agriculture
 General introduction
 Structure
 Example of content
 Application
 Challenges and further development

3. Introduction
 FAO strategic objective A 2010-2019 :
sustainable intensification of crop production
 Population Growth
 Higher life expectancy, better nutrition demand
 Pressures on nature resources
 Demand on multiple agricultural outputs
 Agricultural Production
 Comes along with depletion of nature resources

4. Introduction
Goods
Food Feed Fiber Fuel
+ + + +
Environmental
- - - - Services
Climate
Flood and Biodiversity Ground Water
Change
Erosion Control Conservation Recharge
Mitigation

5. Introduction
Free or Public Services
Income
Environmental
Sources Services
Goods
balance
Conservation Agriculture
Sustainable Crop
Intensification via Agro-
ecological Approches

6. Purposes
 Promote CA application by providing extended benefits
to farmers who practice this concept
 Reward farmers with more tangible forms
 Assure the integrity of CA practices by setting up Good
Agriculture Practices specifically for CA
 Follow three pillars in order to receive the real effects of
CA farming
 Mitigate the gap between different initiatives regarding
certification schemes
 Definition of level of tillage and soil cover etc.

7. International Standard for Conservation Agriculture
 Scope
 Any crop including annual crops and perennial crops grown
worldwide
 Potential Users
 Farmers
 CA Communities of Practices (CoPs)
 Stewardship owners
 Governments
 Growth Potential
 124 M ha of no-tillage area worldwide currently
 Expanding at the rate of 6 M ha per annum

8. International Standard for Conservation Agriculture
 Structure of the Standard:
Fodder Production
 Major practices
Forward Planning Precise Operation
Economically Feasible Reduce Usage of Pesticide
and Herbicide

9. International Standard for Conservation Agriculture
Structure of the Standard:
1. Soil Management 2. Water Management
- Avoid mechanical soil - Build up soil organic matter and
disturbance implement soil restoration
- Avoid soil compaction - Maximum water infiltration and
- Maintain soil cover reduce evaporation losses
- Avoid soil from contamination - Impact assessment of water
with agrochemicals management
3. Crop and Fodder 4. Inputs Management
Production - Seeds
- Implement crop rotation - Agrochemicals
- Conduct crop protection - Fertilizer and nutrient management
- Close Nutrient cycle by - Energy management
integrating system

10. International Standard for Conservation Agriculture
•Content of the Standard

11. International Standard for Conservation Agriculture
Application of Standard
To be certified for To be operated as a
Stewardship policy incentives
Agricultura Certificada (AC) National CA Program (India)

12. - Stewardship for Sustainable Agriculture
• To Create a Module as “CA Module” following the Standard
• Farms comply with CA module are equally qualified for getting
certification
Certification Target Mentioning about CA practice
Proliferations
Round Table on All kinds of Three pillars of CA are mentioned as methods
Responsible Soy Soy of soil erosion control and prevention
Association production practices in RTRS standard.
Rain Forest Alliance Agricultural Three pillars of CA are described as criteria in
products, climate module comprised in Sustainable
forest Agriculture Standard.
Unilever Sustainable Agricultural The principles of CA are covered through the
agriculture products content in Crop Growing Guidelines ex: to
keep soil covered, economical viably crop
rotation, minimum tillage

13. - Payment for Environmental Services
 How CA standard fit in PES scheme?
 Conservation effects of CA should be recognized by PES projects
 Farmers comply with CA standard are rewarded with PES benefits.
 Steps
 Map depiction (Soil, Watershed, Biodiversity, tillage level)
 Define Baseline
 Incorporate with point system or scoring system
 Examples for PES
 Carbon Offsets
 Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX)
 Alberta Offset System (AOS)
 Water Management
 RUPES Project: Eco-friendly land use management
 Itaipu with FEBRAPDP: Eco-friendly farming

14. - Policy Incentives
 How CA standard fit in policy support scheme
 Governments recognize CA as one of the agri-environmental
measures
 Point CA faming as one of the desired conditions in rural
area
 Steps
 Mapping
 Describe desired conditions
 Identify indicators
 Potential for Policy Support
 Low Carbon Emission Agricultural Program (Brazil)
 ECAF

15. International Standard for Conservation Agriculture
Challenges
 How the standard be adopted in various local
condition?
 How the standard well applies to smallholders?
 How to distinguish the level of performance?
Further Development
 Waste management
 Define Mandatory practices and adjustable practices
 Identify sustainability indicators
 Combine with measurement tools
 Develop scoring system

16. Acknowledgement
Delta Foundation (Taiwan )
Dr. Theodore Freidrich (FAO)
Dr. Amir Kassam (Reading University)
Dr. Berthold Hansmann (GIZ)
Dr. Tom Goddard (Alberta)
Dr. Ivo Mello (CAAPAS)
Agronomist Juliana Albertengo (Aapreid)