CA-CoP CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

for sustainable production intensification

 

Alert No. 22 (15 June 2012)

 

1.      The 20th Aapresid Congress will be held from 8-10 August 2012, Rosario, Argentina

 

For more information visit Aapersid website http://www.aapresid.org.ar/english/ where the congress site is under construction at http://www.20si.org.ar/

 

2.      International Conference to mark 20 years of work on CA in China, 25-27 October 2012 at Linfen, Shanxi

2012 is the 20th year of work on Conservation Agriculture in the People’s Republic of China. Conservation Tillage Research Centre, Ministry of Agriculture (CTRC), China Agricultural University (CAU), the Shanxi Agricultural Mechanization Bureau (SAMB), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering (CSAE) will organize an international conference from 25-27 October 2012 at Linfen, Shanxi, China, to mark 20 years of work on CA in China. The announcement for the Conference and Call for Papers is attached and more details can be found at: http://www.cn-ct.net/donet/english/En_index.aspx (or http://www.cn-ct.net/)

 

3.      Third International Agronomy Congress on “Agriculture Diversification, Climate Change Management and Livelihoods” at New Delhi during November 26–30, 2012

The Indian Society of Agronomy in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), New Delhi shall be organizing the Third International Agronomy Congress on “Agriculture Diversification, Climate Change Management and Livelihoods”, at New Delhi during November 26–30, 2012. The first & Second circular of the Congress are available on Indian Society of Agronomy (ISA) website: www.isa-india.in. (Copy of the second circular is attached for ready reference).  The theme of the Congress will be addressed through 10 symposia, of which one pertains to “Best management practices with conservation agriculture”

4.      Third International Conference on Conservation Agriculture in South East Asia, Hanoi, 10-15 December 2012 


CIRAD and NOMAFSI as part of the Conservation Agriculture Network for Southeast Asia (CANSEA) and the University of Queensland are delighted to invite scientists, development and extension workers, policy-makers, and graduate / post-graduate students to attend and contribute to the 3rd International Conference on Conservation Agriculture in Southeast Asia which will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam on 10th-15th December 2012. Conference title is: "Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Upland Livelihood: Innovations for, with and by Farmers to Adapt to Local and Global Changes". Attached is the Call for Papers, with more information is available at www.conservation-agriculture2012.org

 

5.      The next Australian Controlled Traffic Farming Association (ACTFA) conference will be in Toowoomba, Queensland on 25 - 27 February 2013

 
The program will:

·         present papers from growers, scientists, machinery and technology people from around the world and showcase Australian innovations

·         include field trips to grain and vegetable farms, two dinners and much discussion time

·         develop proposals for future cooperation, interaction and innovation

·         offer a post Conference tour in Queensland.


To express your interest and to be kept informed
please click here  and complete the brief Expression of Interest form as soon as possible


Contact: Sally Brown

On behalf of the CTF 2013 Organising Committee

Conference Connections

PO Box 108 Kenmore QLD 4069 Australia

Telephone +61 7 3201 2808   Fax +61 7 3201 2809
Mobile 0407 178 200
Email
sally.brown@sallybcc .com.au
www.conferenceconnections.com.au
 

6.      Tailoring conservation agriculture technologies to West Africa semi-arid zones: Building on traditional local practices for soil restoration. By Rabah Lahmar, Babou Andre Bationo, Nomaou Dan Lamso, Yadji Guero, Pablo Tittonell. Field Crops Research 132 (2012) 158–167. doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2011.09.013

 

7.      Adoption analysis of resource-conserving technologies in rice (Oryza sativa)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system of South Asia. By Ram Singh, Erenstein Olaf, Yashpal Singh Sahrawat, Neelam Chaudhary and M. L. Jat. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 82 (5): 405–9, May 2012

 

8.      Soil Carbon Sequestration by Switchgrass and No-Till Maize Grown for Bioenergy. By Ronald F. Follett, Kenneth P. Vogel, Gary E. Varvel, Robert B. Mitchell, John Kimble. BioEnergy Research.  DOI 10.1007/s12155-012-9198-y

 

9.      Conservation agriculture effects on soil organic matter on a Haplic Cambisol after four years of maize–oat and maize–grazing vetch rotations in South Africa. By E. Dube, C. Chiduza, P. Muchaonyerwa. Soil & Tillage Research 123 (2012) 21–28

 

10.  Earthworm activity and soil structural changes under conservation agriculture in central Mexico. By A. Castellanos-Navarrete, C. Rodrı´guez-Aragonés, R.G.M. de Goede, M.J. Kooistra, K.D. Sayre, L. Brussaard, M.M. Pulleman. Soil & Tillage Research 123 (2012) 61–70

 

11.  Tillage and weed control effects on productivity of a dry seeded rice–wheat system on a Vertisol in Central India. By J.S. Mishra and V.P. Singh. Soil & Tillage Research 123 (2012) 11–20

 

12.  The scaling up of agroecology: spreading the hope for food sovereignty and resiliency SOCLA’s Rio+20 position paper prepared by Miguel A Altieri, with contributions by Clara Nicholls, Fernando Funes and other members of SOCLA

This is a contribution to discussions at Rio+20 on issues at the interface of hunger, agriculture, environment and social justice. May, 2012. www.agroeco.org/socla

 

13.  Benefits of Conservation Agriculture. Farmers Weekly 61, 11 May 2012. By Peter Hittersay

Trials conducted by the Agriculture Research Council at its Zeekoegat experimental farm in Roodeplaat have compared conventional farming with Conservation Agriculture, and have identified many benefits to CA.

 

14.  Cover Crops: Power No-Till Pays Off. By Mark Parker, No-Till Farmer, May 2012

From conservation to higher yields to reduced fertilizer and herbicide use, cover crops brought immediate payback for Jacob Farms.

 

15.  What I have Learnt from No-tilling: Putting Worldly No-Till Knowledge to Work. By Bill Crabtree, No-Till Farmer, May 2012


After 20 odd years of research, consulting and no-till enthusiasm, ‘No-Till Bill’ has purchased a farm and is taking his own advice.

 

16.  Conservation Agriculture Research Study 2011, Malawi. Concern Universal, January 2012


A study was jointly commissioned by Concern Universal (CU) and the Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security (MoAFS) to assess the appropriateness and viability of conservation agriculture (CA) as a technological approach to increasing the agricultural production of smallholder vulnerable households in Malawi. The aim of the study is to inform policy and practice and stimulate discussions and critical thinking amongst government, donors and development practitioners.

 

17.  Approaches to the Implementation of Conservation Agriculture Among Promoters in Malawi: Baseline Study


A Study Commissioned by the National Conservation Agriculture Task Force Secretariat at the Department of Land Resources for the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Water Development, P. O. Box 30192, Lilongwe 3, Malawi. Facilitated by IFPRI, March 2012.

 

18.  Two Wheel Tractor Newsletter June 2012, Produced by R. Jeff Esdaile, Ag. Consultant, Tamworth NSW Australia

 

19.  Up-dated Conservation Agriculture Data Base in AquaStat, FAO  

The CA land area data base has been updated based on the feedback received from our regular sources of information and has been posted in AquaStat. The latest figures can be seen at the FAO CA-Website at (http://www.fao.org/ag/ca/6c.html).

 

However, updating of the data base is an ongoing process, and anyone who would like to provide information on the land area under CA systems at the national level is most welcome to do anytime. Ideally, we would appreciate receiving the CA area information at the sub-national level, together with any relevant historical information on adoption, cropping pattern, farm size, agro-ecology, constraints, etc.   

 

For the recording of area under CA, please adhere to the quantification of the CA definition on the FAO-CA website: http://www.fao.org/ag/ca/6c.html

 

1. Minimum Soil Disturbance: Minimum soil disturbance refers to low disturbance no-tillage and direct seeding. The disturbed area must be less than 15 cm wide or less than 25% of the cropped area (whichever is lower). There should be no periodic tillage that disturbs a greater area than the aforementioned limits. Strip tillage is allowed if the disturbed area is less than the set limits.

2. Organic soil cover: Three categories are distinguished: 30-60%, >60-90% and >90% ground cover, measured immediately after the direct seeding operation. Area with less than 30% cover is not considered as CA.

3. Crop rotation/association: Rotations/associations should involve at least 3 different crops. However, repetitive wheat or maize cropping is not an exclusion factor for the purpose of this data collection, but rotation/association is recorded where practiced.

 

We would further like to stress that the database counts actual land area under annual crops with CA (permanent no-till). Area under perennial crops will be recorded separately. No-till area by crop will not be recorded to avoid double recording of the same land area.

 

Amir Kassam

Moderator

CA-CoP

 

Plant Production and Protection Division

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00153 Rome
Italy
Tel: +39-06-5705-6375

e-mail: [log in to unmask]

URL: www.fao.org/ag/ca

 

Save and Grow

Sustainable Crop Production Intensification

 

 

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