2. Conservation Agriculture Experiences
in Africa and what it Promises to
Deliver to ASDP II and Tanzania’s
Industrialization Agenda
Presented by Eng. Saidi Mkomwa
Executive Secretary, ACTN, www.act-africa.org
On Behalf of The Special Committee of the
National CA Stakeholders’ Workshop held in Dodoma Tanzania, from
3rd to 5th July 2019
15 January 2020
Dodoma, Tanzania
to the
Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Livestock & Water
3. Outline
1. Background
a) Objectives of the presentation
b) Massive Opportunities for Tanzanian Farmers, etc.
c) Challenges and threats to harnessing the opportunities
d) Conservation Agriculture (CA) and Sustainable Agricultural
Mechanization (SAM) as a promising response
e) Opportunities of CA in contributing to ASDP2
2. Converting Tanzania’s semi-arids into Grain Baskets
with CA and SAM
3. Enabling greener power generation by the Julius
Nyerere Hydropower Station (Stieglers Gorge) forever
4. Empower smallholders to competitively produce a
surplus, and become commercial
5. Production of sufficient and quality raw materials for
Tanzania’s Industrialization Agenda
4. Outline – cont.
6. Highlights of the National 2019, CA Stakeholders’
Workshop
7. Key Outcomes of the CA Stakeholders’ Roadmap
8. The special request to the Parliamentary Committee
on Agriculture, Livestock and Water
a) Hon Members of the Committee to contribute to
improving and owning the recommendations
b) Committee to devise ways to create awareness, to
support and be part in formulation and
implementation of the proposed strategies
c) To request the committee or its sub-committee to
participate in CA events planned to happen soon.
9. Acknowledgements
5. Objectives of the Presentation
o To inform Hon. Members of the Parliamentary
Committee, that we have immense opportunities
to transform our agriculture now with Conservation
Agriculture coupled wit Sustainable Agricultural
Mechanization
o There are systemic enabling environment
challenges which must be address to unlock and
harness the opportunity presented.
o To seek for guidance and advise from Hon
Members of Parliament on strategy, policy and
other interventions
6. Massive Opportunities for Tanzanian
Farmers, Government, Private Sector and
Civil Society
o Tanzania’s population is urbanizing – food market of
35 M (50%) by 2030
o Africa’s annual food import bill $35 billion; $110
billion by 2025. Tanzania imported food worth $234
M in 2017
o Africa has 60% of the global total uncultivated crop
land. Only 33% of the land is farmed in Tanzania.
o Africa youngest continent, 60% under 35 years old.
For Tanzania, 15 M youth (66%) aged 15-35; to
double by 2040. 72% have access to Digital Tools (CTA, 2019).
7. Challenges and Threats to Harnessing
the Opportunities in Agriculture
1. Farming related land resource degradation
and loss of biodiversity.
2. Shortage of farm power and innovation
3. Inadequate capacity for change at all levels
(individual/organizational/national) in public, private and
civil sectors
4. Declining rural labour force, ageing farmers
and increasing feminization of agriculture
o You need to walk 42 km per hectare with an ox-plough;
o 14 km/ha with a walking tractor
5. Food crop production & farming in general is
not profitable
6. Threatening climate change challenges
8. What have we learned from history?
The American Dust Bowl first made people think about the damage
caused by intensive disturbance of the soil by continuous ploughing
The Dust Bowl of the 1930’s in the Mid West wheat belt was caused by a
combination of droughts and continuous ploughing
9. The US Dust Bowl of 1930’s destroyed 40 million hectares
of farmland, caused the migration of 2.5 million people
The catastrophe gave birth to the idea of the need to conserve soils
by
(i) avoiding or minimizing soil disturbance,
(ii) maximising soil cover, and
10. The Damages of Tillage-based
Agriculture and Low Prioritization/
Investments in Mechanization
o Ismani district, contributing
10% of the SGR maize in
1976 and (¼ M tonnes in
1983) is no more today!
Case of tillage induced, erosion,
compaction & acidification.
Source: M.Y. Mkonda & X. He (2017).
o What happened to the
Kongwa Groundnut Scheme
with ensuing Dust Bowls?
According to SAMA:
o In 1961, Africa had
more tractors in
use than Brazil,
India and China.
o By 2000, there were
6.9, 4.4 and 3.7 M
more tractors in use
in India, China and
Brazil than Africa!
11. Why Punjab has a water crisis, and
what now. The TRIBUNE, 1 July 2019
o Overexploitation of ground water
o Five districts doing overdraft of groundwater in
1984; in 2013, there were 15
o Average depth of tubewells increased from 49 ft
during 1960-70 to 128 ft in 2013 in 15 districts
o Area under tubewell irrigation increased from
56% in 1970-71 to 71% in 2014-15
o Area under canal irrigation declined: 45% to
29%.
o Water productivity of 5,337 litres
per kg of rice. 38% more than the
all-India average.
o Free electricity for agriculture
Providing food security to the nation at the cost of its groundwater
is too high a price!
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/in-
focus/why-punjab-has-a-water-crisis-and-what-
now/795509.html
12. The solutions to improving agricultural
productivity are more than tractors
and inorganic fertilizers
• Farmers, Researchers and Politicians from Kitale Kenya (the
grain basket) confirm that currently even in a normal
[rainfall] year, farmers are lucky to get 20 bags an acre (4.5
tons/ha).
• Twenty years ago, using the same tractors, fertilisers and
improved seeds, they used to get 40 bags an acre (9.0
tons/ha.
• The decrease in yields and comparative increase in in costs
of production (fuel, labour, fertilisers, machinery, etc.) have
forced farmers’ to, selling their maize below the production
cost and getting poorer by the day.
The story is completely different for CA farmers in areas drier than Kitale, such as Machakos:
https://www.nation.co.ke/business/seedsofgold/A-grain-basket-in-the-desert/2301238-5430762-22q4jdz/index.html
13. The New Agriculture
Transformation Paradigm
“Conservation Agriculture coupled with
Sustainable Agricultural
Mechanization”
But, What is Conservation Agriculture (CA)?
14. Worldwide adoption of
Conservation Agriculture
FAO Definition: www.fao.org/ag/ca
Conservation Agriculture (CA) is an approach
to managing agro-ecosystems for improved
& sustained productivity, increased profits &
food security while preserving & enhancing
the resource base & the environment. CA is
characterized by the application of three linked
principles, namely:
1. Continuously avoiding mechanical soil disturbance (No-Till).
2. Permanent soil mulch cover: crop biomass, stubbles, cover crops
3. Diversification of crop species grown in sequences or
associations or rotations.
Along with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
Conservation Agriculture
14
15. Three principles
o Minimum soil
disturbance
o Permanent soil
cover
o Crop & cover crop
rotations and
associations
Maximum and sustainable
benefits derived
when the 3
principles overlap
What is Conservation Agriculture
16. o Good agronomic practices
o Timely planting; Proper plant spacing
o Effective weed control (with and without herbicides)
o Use of improved external inputs
o Improved seeds
o Judicious use of fertilisers and pesticides.
o Could be organic CA. Be ready to develop packages
o Livestock integration. Not a threat to CA.
o Tree integration – fertiliser trees, fodder, fruit, live fences, etc.
o Mechanization
Need to empower farmers to differentiate THE CA core practices
from the Enhancers to be integrated
The 3 CA principles MUST be complimented by
enhancers .. (which become CA-based)
17. Worldwide adoption of
Conservation Agriculture
6thSSource World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Winnipeg, 22-25 June 2014 slide 2/x
USA
43.2
Canada
19.9
Australia 22.3
Europe 3.6
Kazakhstan 2.5
Africa 1.5
Brazil
32
Conservation Agriculture globally 180 Million ha (~12.5% of arable
cropland. Source Kassam et al., 2018)
Argentina 31
Paraguay 3
China 9
tropical savannah
continental, dry
temperate, moist
temperate, moist
continental, dry
irrigated
smallholder
smallholder
smallholder
arid
arid
large scale
large
scale
large scale
large scale
large
scale
large
scale
subtropical, dry
tropical savannah
other LA 2.4
>50% W
(40%)
20%
99%
100% West
(36%)
Russia,
Ukraine 5.7
India 1.5
other Asia 0.9
• CA adoption expanding at the rate of 10 million ha annually
• 1.5 million ha in Africa. 65% are smallholders.
Source: Adapted from
Kassam, 2015
18. Worldwide adoption of
Conservation Agriculture
6th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Winnipeg, 22-25 June 2014 slide 2/x
100
Dustbowl
1930 20001950
USSoilConservationService
conservationtillage
dustbowl
Siberia/USSR
Faulkner(US)–Fukuoka(Japan)
commercialno-till/US
firstno-tilldemonstrationinBrazil
Oldrieve/Zimbabwe
adoptionBrazil
plantiodiretonapalha
experimentsinChina,IndogangeticPlains
Newboost:Canada,
Australia,Kazakhstan,
Russia,China,Finland...;
Africa
Argentina,Paraguay;
1980 1990
Firstno-tillintheUS
IITAno-tillresearch
50
Mill.ha
History and Adoption of CA
1970 2010
180 mill ha
firstno-tillfarmersinUSA
FirstWCCAinMadrid
Source: Kassam, et al., 2018
20. CA Adoption Studies and Impact
Documentation in Africa
o Of the 180 M ha under CA, Africa contributes <1%
o Cropland under CA in Africa is 1.5 M ha.
o CA now adopted in more than 20 countries in Africa
as core production component of CSA
o Area under CA has increased by 210% since 2008/09.
o 99% of the farmers are smallholders, 1 hectare
Of the land under CA:
• 30% smallholders, 1% medium, 69% large-scale
• Some 1.32% of the cropped land is under CA.
21. What are the necessary and sufficient
changes in Mechanization to make it
Commercially, Environmentally and
Socio-economically sustainable?
• How different is it from conventional mechanization?
• Are there suitable models to attract the youth and
engender agriculture?
• How can we attract more (local) private sector
investments in Farming and Agribusiness?
• What are the risks that require policy, civil society and
private sector interventions and support?
22. Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (SAM) must
be built along the entire agricultural value chain
Support Services
Repair shops, free-
lance technicians
Mechanization
service providers
Farmers, operators, SMEs
(processors, aggregators,
transporters)
Manufacturers,
Blacksmiths:
National, international
Input suppliers:
Importers, retail
shops, distributers
Source: Adapted from: T. Breuer, K. Brenneis and D. Fortenbacher.
2015. Mechanisation – a catalyst for rural development in sub-
Saharan Africa. Rural 21,2: 16-19. http://www.rural21.com/
uploads/media/rural2015_02-S16-19.pdf
23. o SAMA – F core principles:
o Private-sector driven, environmentally
compatible and climate smart – with CA.
o Economically viable and affordable
o Targets women; youths - make agriculture
attractive & a choice for employment
o Informs policy makers & decision makers in
AU members states, RECs, & dev. partners
the significance of mainstreaming
mechanization
o Presents priority elements for developing
national strategies
o Officially launched 5 Oct. 2018 in Rome
o FAO and ACT signed MoU to support
operationalization of the SAMA-F
The Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization for
Africa Framework (SAMA-F)
24. No-Tillage Solution: What equipment for
minimum soil disturbance?
Highly mechanizedJab Planting
Small 4WT with Fitarelli 2-row seeder
Oxen Direct Seeding
Tractor ripper + crumbler
25. Contribution to ASDP2
Subcomponent 1: SW&LUM
Converting Tanzania’s Semi-arids into
Grain Baskets with Conservation
Agriculture and Sustainable Agricultural
Mechanization
26. Farmers can “manufacture” fertiliser in-situ in
their farms using cover crops
Green manure Macro nutrient in dry
matter (kg/ha)
N P K
Pigeon pea 240 13 240
Jack bean 246 12 433
Black seeded Mucuna 192 10 108
White lupine 75 5 55
46% N=23Kg
Jackbean's biomass ability to accumulate 246 kg/ha
of N means some 10.7 bags of CAN
Cover crops open an opportunity to save
$ invested on fertilizer
Source (Annual macronutrient accumulation in above ground
biomass FAO: Integrated crop management, V12, 2010)
27. The successful DCT low external input
Conservation Agriculture Model
Hand tools based CA.
2000 farmers in 17 villages
Manure and kitchen ash for the
hand dug planting stations.
Cover crops (sword bean and
lablab), residue retention &mulch
Sorghum and millet yield increases
from 150 to 820 kg/acre.
Crop doing well for CA farmers in a
year of drought
DCT has surplus of 277 tonnes of
millets. Looking for a market.
From Food Deficit to Food Surplus without Irrigation or Chemicals
in 4 years
28.
29.
30. Direct seeding mulch-based cropping
systems with and without fertilizer
Laikipia
Average maize yield (t/ha) Rep. No.
2014_LR 2014_SR 2015_LR Average
Direct seeding with fertilizer, with residue 2.54 0.93 2.12 2.27
Direct seeding with fertilizer, no residue 1.69 0.37 1.34 1.46
Direct seeding no fertilizer, with residue 1.08 0.71 1.44 1.23
Direct seeding no fertilizer, no residue 0.85 0.39 0.85 0.79
Farmer Practice no fert, no residue 1.25 0.50 1.12 1.15
Farmer practice full fertilizer, no residue 0.92 0.12 1.45 1.12
o Maize yield increased by 56% due to effect of crop residues
alone
o Effect of fertiliser is 84.7%. But issues of cost, access and
quality remain.
o Application of fertilizer is semi-arids is thus less effective
than residues retention.
o With crop residues and fertilizers, yields increased by 187%
ACT and AGRA; Machakos and Laikipa, Kenya.
31. The range of medium and large-scale
commercial CA equipment is unlimited
Salim Sumry (Sumbawanga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EZcTSW6Q14
Small and medium:
11 wheat rows or 4 maize rows, 70 hp no-till seeder
Large scale commercial
33. Cushioning Climate Change Yield Fluctuations
with CA
o In 2013, yields increased
for all of the CA
treatments, but decreased
by 31% for the Farmer
Practice (FP) when rainfall
increased.
o Yields decreased for all
treatments in 2014 when
rainfall decreased. The
decrease was however
higher (55%) for the FP,
while it varied from 21%-
36% for the CA
treatments.Source: Mkomwa et. Al., 2017.
34. How CA makes farming smart
The “top-dry” field with
dusty road nearby before
planting on 20th Feb 2019.
Madrugada, Nakuru,
Kenya. No rain since Dec
2018.
Photo taken 20th March 2019.
92% emergence.
60 days without rain
35. How else could we make these stark yield
increases visible and appreciated by our
leaders for action?
36. Yield, Productivity & Resilience to Climate
Change Improved
Difference in production between CA and conventional farmers
plots is huge (3 t/ha). ACT, SNV and AGRA. Southern Highlands.
T1 – ploughing
+ no residue +
no fertilizer
T6 = 5.3 t/ha, no
till + fertilizer +
residues
38. In Summary:
With CA smallholders save time and drudgery,
making it attractive to the youths.
Saved time is re-invested in all-year-round livestock
keeping enterprises; service provision or
agribusiness
With CA, smallholder farmers are able to produce a
surplus, competitively, thus penetrate markets and
transit to become commercial with increased profit.
Our grain marketing problem is probably not the
price offered by SGR, but our high production cost!
With CA & SAM, we could lower the price of maize
to 300 Tsh/kg!
We have the opportunity NOW, to transform Tanzania’s
semi-arids into Grain Baskets, Sustainably
39. Enabling the Julius Nyerere
Hydropower Station (Stigler’s Gorge)
to Generate Greener Power Forever:
controlling soil erosion and siltation, and
recharging aquifers for sustained river flows
with clear water
40. The need for sustainable land management & CA
The Stakes in the Rufiji Basin are High:
• It has 20% of the total land area of Tanzania,
• 600 km long river
• 10 million emigrating inhabitants, seeking land for
cropping and to raise livestock
Sedimentation of the dam need to be managed to
• Curb siltation, avoid massive desilting costs,
• Increase longevity of power generating turbines,
• Creation of alternative sustainable land use options in the
catchment area.
Land restoration: physical soil structures & afforestation in the
sub-catchment; coupled with related enterprise diversification.
Small-scale irrigation assisted CA in sub-catchment and on-
farm.
EWURA and TANESCO need to support farmers adopt CA for erosion-free
sustainable land utilisation of the Rufiji Basin
41. Itaipu réservoir dam today (source: Itaipu Binacional)
There are World Class Models to Learn From
Watershed services in Parana
Basin, Brazil
Water resources are threatened by
conventional tillage agricultural
practices. Conservation Agriculture is an
alternative to reduce impacts on river’s
quality and to maintain a higher level of
productivity and sustainability
Cultivating Good Water Programme
42. Contribution to ASDP2
Subcomponent 1: Productivity and
Profitability
Crop-Livestock Integration and
Enterprise Diversification
==
Tanzania can Import-Substitute all Livestock
Products and become a Net Exporter of Beef,
Poultry, Milk & Milk Products
43. Let us change these numbers to values ($)!
Cattle: 30.5 Million Goats: 18.9 Million
Chickens: 38.6 Million
Sheep: 5.6 Million
Good News. However:
• Any justification to import chicken or meat
products?
• Do we need to import handbags and shoes made
of pig skins?
• Do we need to have children who have forgotten
the taste of meat?
• What is the welfare of the livestock keepers?
• Is livestock contributing a fair share to the GDP?
Source: NBS, 2018
Feed is the biggest constraint to animal productivity improvement. TLMP, 2018
44. Synergy between CA and Livestock
No or minimum soil disturbance
• Reduced demand for draught power
• Ability to market cattle at young
age; earn more & frequent income
Permanent soil biomass cover
• Production of more biomass, some
of which can be fed to livestock
• Enables integration of leguminous
cover crops, shrubs and trees for
aquaculture & livestock feeds
Diversification: Rotation/Association
• Opportunity to grow adequate and
high nutritive value feeds without
additional demands for land.
• Diversification to conserve the
legume forage as hay and silage
47. Enterprise Diversification and
Co-innovations
1. Maximizing of efficient use of saved time and labour. CA
translates to saved time (up to 57% of the growing
season) – so what? What is 2 months of saved time if there is
nothing productive to do in the other 8 months of the year?
What are the opportunity costs for saved labour
2. Intensification: can we plant a 2nd or 3rd crop using the
residual moisture due to CA and produce more over time on
the same piece of land – without necessarily having to target
high external inputs?
3. CA doubles grain yields & reduces inputs! Good news.
Economies of scale. But a 10 hectare and a 0.5 hectare
farmer are talking of 10 tons vs 0.5 of a ton! Inadequate to
eradicate poverty
48. Co-innovation of CA ….
4. Diversification: By concentrating on grain yields and
ignoring integration of livestock production, or other rural
income generating activities is Africa is missing the big
picture.
5. Marketing and value addition. Over production quickly
becomes a disincentive to growth of production if
farmers do not get equitable /profitable returns for their
production. Stable markets and/or value added produce
will entice natural demand for CA.
49. Contribution to ASDP2 Subcomponent 3:
Commercialization and Value Addition
Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization
to reduce Post-Harvest Losses, for Value
–Addition and increase Shelf-life
and
Generate Raw Materials to contribute to
Tanzania’s Industrialization Agenda
50. Making full use of CA & SAM
based value chains
Walking tractor seeder development
(ACT, Intermech, CAMARTEC, FAO)
Value addition of oil seeds under CA rotations
51. Cover Crops Processing: e.g. the Magic
Bean (Mucuna p.) for Livestock Feeds
Thermo-extrusion at 1650C and slow screw speed (10
rpm) reduces concentration of L-DOPA in Mucuna
seed to less than 0.4gL-DOPA/100g of Mucuna seed.
These levels are safe for human and animal
consumption.
It was declared the “soybean of the
future”.
Source: SUA & ACT study, 2009
• Saving $ by
substituting feed
import
• Creating jobs on feed
processing
• Substituting egg and
meat imports
52. $ Spent in importing feeds. Fish meals are
made of cereals and oil crops!
Why can’t the excess maize from CA fields be utilized to process fish meal?
55. 1.The general workshop recommendations
2.Formation of a National CA Task Force –
where the Principal Secretary has agreed
to Chair.
3.Development of the National CA Roadmap,
to guide operationalization of the
workshop recommendations
Key Outcomes from the July 2019 National
CA Stakeholders’ Workshop
56. Key Issues Addressed by the National
CA Roadmap
1.Recognizing the achievements and challenges in
development of CA in the Country. Refer to
learning curve (Mkomwa & Makungu, 2019).
2.Recognizing the need for new and higher level
transformation of CA
a) The African Union SAM Framework – hoe to the museum
by 2025 mechanization along entire value chain
b) CA and SAM contributing to value addition and the
Industrialization agenda
c) Mechanized CA to contribute to realization of ASDP II
productivity, efficient access to mechanization services
through hire services. Bodaboda at local gvt. authorities.
3. CA Centres of Excellence. TARI Uyole and SUA.
57.
58. Key Outcomes from the July 2019 National CA
Stakeholders’ Workshop (RoadMap)
1. Establishment of a National CA Task Force – where the Principal
Secretary has agreed to Chair – with the following mandate:
o To operationalize the CA development strategies within ASDSP II;
o To oversee the establishment of a CA and SAM Centre of Excellence in the country at
Sokoine University (SUA) in partnership with TARI Uyole.
o Establish village CA centres to assist youths acquire the technology and machineries,
o Establish a CA platform to link different stakeholders including smallholder and large-
scale farmers, Hon. Members of Parliament, researchers and the academia
2. To oversee the establishment of a CA and SAM Centre of Excellence in
the country at Sokoine University (SUA) in partnership with TARI Uyole.
3. Formation of Youth Groups by the Local Government in the villages for
small CA equipment hire as per the bodaboda model.
4. Establish a CA platform to link different stakeholders including
smallholder and large-scale farmers, Hon. Members of Parliament,
researchers and the academia
59. Strategic Opportunities
CA saves time and drudgery, making it attractive
to the youths.
Saved time is re-invested in all-year-round
livestock keeping enterprises; service provision or
agribusiness
With CA, smallholder farmers are able to produce
a surplus, competitively, thus penetrate markets
and transit to become commercial and profitable.
Our grain marketing problem is probably not the
price offered by SGR, but our high production
cost! With CA & SAM, we could lower the price of
maize to 300 Tsh/kg!
60. As a consequence …..
Converting Tanzania’s semi-arids into Grain
Baskets
Enabling the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station
to generate greener power forever
Empower smallholders to competitively produce
a surplus, and become commercial
Production of sufficient, competitively priced
and quality raw materials for Tanzania’s
Industrialization Agenda
With the Goodwill of the Government,
We have the opportunity NOW, to transform Tanzania’s
Farming to support rural & national economic
development
61. SHUKRANI
Tunaishukuru Kamati kupitia Mhe. Mgimwa Mwkt,
aliyehudhuria Warsha ya CA ya Dodoma na kutoa hamasa na
kuahidi kuialika Timu ya CA na Wizara kukutana na Kamati,
jambo ambalo ametimiza.
Tunaishukuru Wizara ya Kilimo kupitia Mhe. Waziri Hassunga,
ambaye alikuwa Mgeni Rasmi kwenye Warsha na ambaye pia
alitoa hamasa na kuwa na maelekezo maalumu juu kwenye
yatokanayo na Warsha ya CA;
Tunawashukuru Watendaji wa Wizara, hususan Katibu Muu
aliyekubali kuwa Mwkt wa kikosi kazi cha CA
kinachopendekezwa
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)
kwa uwezeshaji wao wa ACTN na CFU
Mwisho kabisa, naomba kuwasilisha.
62. Members of The Special Committee of the
National CA Stakeholders’ Workshop
Jina Taasisi Jina Taasisi
Eng. Richard Shetto Private
Sector
Prof Omar Dihenga SUA
Prof Patrick Makungu UoDar es
Salaam
Dr. Ndabhemeye
Mlengera
TARI Uyole
Eng. Adam Njovu MoA Prof Timothy
Simalenga
UoStJones
Dr Simon Lugandu WWF Prof Geoffrey Mrema SUA
Ms Meaza Melkamu ACTN
Mr Hendry Mziray ACT-TAP Mr Deogratius Ngotio CFGB
Mr Hamisi Dulla CFU-TZ Eng. Saidi Mkomwa ACTN