Farmer groups in Iraq modified existing seed drills into zero-tillage seeders to address issues with soil degradation, drought, and high production costs. They adapted local John Shearer seed drills by cutting tine shanks and adding new openers. Field tests showed the modified seeders could plant at the proper depth and cover seeds well with minimal soil disturbance. The farmer groups then held demonstrations and provided conversion kits to disseminate zero-tillage techniques to other farmers, expanding usage from 250 hectares in 2008 to over 5,000 hectares by 2011.

1. Farmer innovation: seeder fabrication and
uptake of zero tillage in Iraq
Jalili S1, Fathi G1, Fathi Y1, AlRijabo A S2, Piggin C3, Desbiolles J4
1Al Namroud District, Mosul, Ninevah, Iraq
2University of Mosul, Ninevah, Iraq
3International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas, Syria
4University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia

2. Why change conventional (CC)
• more frequent drought
Climate changed periods and less rain
• more costs and Less
Cost changed profits
Soil changed
• degraded soil structure
and fertility due to
decreased organic
matter

3. Why zero tillage (ZT)
• ZT was first properly introduced to
Iraqi farmers through field
demonstrations showing better ZT
than CC results (2006-2007), and
visits to impressive ZT trials in
ICARDA in Aleppo, Syria during
2006-07 all under an ACIAR-AusAID
project
• ZT potential in cutting cost and
same or improved yield was
decisive

4. Issue of ZT seeders
• the main constraint was the availability of
effective and affordable ZT seeders
• Indian ZT seeders were affordable but too
small (1.8m wide) and prone to breakage
• top brand seeders were out of farmers’
reach

5. Farmer group converting john shearer into ZT
• John Shearer is widely used,
durable, and has ZT character
• tine shanks were cut and
Baker boot style openers were
adapted to them
• cost was 800 US dollars per
seeder
• modified seeder established
ZT demonstration plots for the
project In the 2007-08 season
• 250 ha of rainfed crops were
cropped using the seeder in
2008-09

6. More Modification by farmer group
• two opener prototypes
(directly attached to John
Shearer tines) and press
wheels were
manufactured locally
• a knife blade for harder
soils (rake angle 65°, width
14mm),
• a spear head blade for
lighter soils (rake angle
45°, width 14mm)
• press wheels (25 cm
diameter, 3.5 cm width) in
gangs of four attached to
4th tool bar of seeder

7. F i e l d Te sts fol l owe d
• depth and width of
furrows
• backfill percent
and distance of soil
throw
• covering and
packing seeds and
furrow shaping
• rows were seeded,
irrigated, and
germination
observed
• modification cost
per seeder was
US$1250

8. Seeders in Action 2009-10
• three seeders were modified by farmers
• cropping area 1250 hectares
• seeding depth 3.5-5 cm and furrow depth 8-10 cm
• seed covering in dry soils was complete
• seed germination was early and uniform
• moisture visibly harvested in furrows

9. Field Day (20th February 2010)
The farmers group held the first ever field day arranged by
farmers in Iraq, where ZT concepts, ZT-CC comparison and
modification kit were presented to fellow farmers

10. Dissemination to More Farmers
• 18 more farmers received
conversion kits locally
made
• original farmers group
supervised manufacture
and offered field technical
support
• 5000 hectares total area
cropped in 2010-11

11. New options
Locally fabricated ZT tine seeder (2.3m) for small farmers

12. • our group of farmers witnessed challenges
• we were introduced to ZT by ICARDA
• we saw potential in ZT to cut cost and
enhance yield
• we comprehended the technology and
modified 1 seeder, then 2 more, then helped
modify 18 more
• a new ZT seeder was manufactured locally
• area grew from 250 to 1250 to 5000 ha
between 2007 to 2011