*CA-CoP** **CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE***

*for sustainable production intensification

*

*Alert No. 28 (6 March 2013)

***

* *

*1.      **Frontiers in Conservation Agriculture in South Asia and Beyond.
International Workshop, **March 26-27, 2013, Hotel Himalaya, Kathmandu,
Nepal
*
Sponsored by The University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM), Local Initiatives for
Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), and the Institute of
Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS). Details available at:

http://libird.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=440&Itemid=2

Deadline for paper submission - 31 January, 2013
Send your paper to [log in to unmask]


Please see the attached
<http://libird.org/media/Conservation%20Agriculture%20Conference%20Announcement.pdf>call
for papers, for more information about the
proposal requirements, programme, registration, etc. Feel free to contact
[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> if you have any further
questions or
need more information.

* *

*2.      **Transforming Rural Livelihoods in Africa: How can land and water
management contribute to enhanced food security and address climate change
adaptation and mitigation?*<file:///Z:/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/KARI-SSSEA-ASSS-SECOND%20CALL%20FOR%20PAPERS-080213.pdf>
* Nakuru, Kenya 20-25 October 2013*



The Soil Science Society of East Africa (SSSEA) in collaboration with
African Soil Science Society (ASSS) invite participation at a conference
intended to critically analyze Land and Water Management (LWM)
technologies, innovative products and services; and strategies benefiting
small-scale agriculture in Africa. This will be the 6th ASSS Conference.  A
particular focus of this joint conference deals with the contribution of
LWM in the Agricultural Production Value Chains, addressing threats and
opportunities associated with climate change, and scaling up of proven
technologies for transformational impact on the livelihoods of African
small-scale farmers. In addition, land use planning and policy will be
addressed during this conference. In line with the Comprehensive Africa
Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP’s) goal of eliminating hunger and
reducing poverty through agriculture, the conference touches on the pillars
relating to sustainable land management; market access; increasing food
supply and reducing hunger

* *

*Theme*

*Transforming Rural Livelihoods in Africa: How can land and water
management contribute to enhanced food security and address climate change
adaptation and mitigation?*

*Sub-Themes *

a) Enhancing applications of adaptation and mitigation to climate
variability and change

b) Enhancing the status of human nutrition and food security in Africa
through Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), and small scale
irrigation

c) Exploring options for sustainable intensification and diversification of
crop soil livestock systems

d) Land use planning for sustainable food security and climate change
adaptation in Africa

e) Commercialization aspects in land and water management: Markets and
private sector engagement

f) Scaling, socio-economic and policy options in land and water management

g) Capacity building in land and water management within the Agricultural
Product Value Chains (APVC)approach

h) Adaption to climate change: Lessons learned and challenges ahead.



For further information: Barrack Okoba ([log in to unmask])

Please see the attached<file:///Z:/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/KARI-SSSEA-ASSS-REGISTRATION%20FORM-080213.pdf>
* *for registration,

* *

*3.      **Conference on Conservation Agriculture for Smallholders in Asia
and Africa,*<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/data/agp/Friedrich/CA-CoP-L-26-12-11/CA%20Bangladesh%20Meet.pdf>
* Bangladesh, 8-13 December 2013*



Themes for the conference are – i) Machinery: Design and development of
CA-based crop establishment and herbicide spraying machinery, implements,
tools for smallholders,; ii) Weed management: Suitable weed management
options (chemical, mechanical, crop rotation and biological); iii) Soil,
water and agronomy; iv) Commercialization: adoption and continuous
improvement of CA-based technologies; and v) Policy and institutional
framework for the adoption of CA.



For further information and expression of interests: Richard Bell (
[log in to unmask]) or Enamul Haque ([log in to unmask])



*4.      **6th World Congress of Conservation Agriculture to be held June
22-26, 2014, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada***

* *

The 6th World Congress of Conservation Agriculture will be held June 22-26,
2014, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. See the
flyer<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/data/agp/Friedrich/CA-CoP-L-26-12-11/6th%20World%20Congress%20of%20Conservation%20Agriculture%20(2).pdf>and
learn more at
www.ctic.org/WCCA

Direct your inquiries to:

Karen A. Scanlon

Conservation Technology Information Center

3495 Kent Avenue, Suite J100

West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA

Tel: 765-494-2238

Fax: 765-463-4106

Email: [log in to unmask]



*5.      **Conservation Agriculture: What role in meeting the CGIAR
system-level outcomes?* <http://conservationagricultureworkshop.org/>* *A
strategic study by the CGIAR Independent Science and Partnership
Council. Scientific
workshop at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA, 15th and 16th October
2012 The Nebraska
Declaration<http://conservationagricultureworkshop.org/2012/11/15/the-nebraska-declaration-version-1/>
November
2012



*6.      **Agricultural innovations for sustainable crop production
intensification.*<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/Pisante%20et%20al%20472.pdf>
* *By Michele Pisante, Fabio Stagnari, and  Cynthia A. Grant. Italian
Journal of Agronomy 2012; 7:e40: 300-311.



*7.      **Integration of conservation agriculture in smallholder farming
systems of southern Africa: identification of key entry
points.*<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/Thierfelder%20et%20al.%202013.%20Integration%20of%20CA%20in%20smallholder%20farming%20systems.%20Step%20trials.pdf>
* *By Christian Thierfelder, Talkmore Mombeyarara, Nelson Mango and Leonard
Rusinamhodzi. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2013.764222**

* *

*8.      **Kentucky celebrates 50 years of no-till
agriculture.*<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/Kentucky%20celebrates%2050%20years%20of%20no-till.docx>
By
Katie Pratt, University of Kentucky (UK)

Fifty years ago, Christian County farmer Harry Young Jr. planted the
nation’s first commercial no-till crop — less than an acre of corn.

It changed agriculture forever.

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture
<http://www2.ca.uky.edu/>celebrated the anniversary of this milestone
with a series of events.
Young’s son, John, is the featured speaker of the S.H. Phillips Lecture in
No-till Agriculture. The late Shirley Phillips was a UK field crops
specialist who worked with the late Harry Young to advance the no-till
movement.

“No-till is one of the top five agricultural advances of the past century,”
said Lloyd Murdock, UK Extension soils specialist.

http://southeastfarmpress.com/grains/kentucky-celebrates-50-years-no-till-agriculture

* *

*9.      **Conservation farming in Kenya set to improve yields from crops.*
Daily Nation, 7 March 2013**

* *

Farmers in Western Kenya have benefited from conservation agriculture
through which growers suppress weeds using an environmentally-friendly
chemical instead of traditional weeding. A novel technology being funded in
Kenya by the Australian Government and implemented by Kenya Agriculture
Research Institute with a focus on the Eastern and Western regions,
conservation farming has seen a considerable increase in output per acre
and cut production costs.
*MORE*<http://strongmail1.multiview.com/track?type=click&eas=1&mailingid=2050679&messageid=2050679&databaseid=Mailing.DS50679.2050679.35629&serial=16909746&[log in to unmask]&userid=12499182&targetid=&fl=&extra=MultivariateId=&&&2098&&&http://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=512e1021ec34d>
**

* *

*10.  **Secretary of Agriculture backs CIMMYT’s initiative for sustainable
crop intensification in
Bangladesh*<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/e-Informa1827.pdf>
*.** CIMMYT INFORMA No. 1827, 18-25 January 2013***

* *

The main limitations to increased cropping intensity are the procurement of
irrigation during the dry season, the high cost of agricultural labor, and
delays in rice harvesting that set back timely planting of the subsequent
dry season wheat, maize, or legume crop.  For these reasons, CIMMYT works
closely with public and private sector partners, local agricultural service
providers, and farmers to encourage efficient agricultural mechanization,
irrigation, and conservation agriculture (CA). CIMMYT also popularizes the
use of agricultural machineries with CA such as seeder fertilizer drills,
bed planters, and reapers that can be attached to two-wheel hand tractors.
These implements enable more efficient planting and irrigation water use,
while reducing labor requirements and saving farmers costs.



*11.  **Climate-smart smallholder agriculture:** **What’s
different?*<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/IFAD-Climate%20smart%20agriculture.pdf>
* *IFAD Occasional Paper 3. April 2011.**



*12.  **Farming smarter: The uphill push towards Conservation
Agriculture.*<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/IFPRI%20insights2-2.pdf>INSIGHTS
Vol 2(2) (2012). Magazine of IFPRI, Washington DC.



*13.  **Advancement and impact of conservation agriculture/no-till
technology adoption in
Kazakhstan.*<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/FAO%20Info%20note%20on%20CA%20in%20Kazakhstan.pdf>
* *FAO Investment Centre, Information Note, December 2012.**



*14.  **Two Wheel Tractor Newsletter February
2013*<file:///Z:/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/TWO%20WHEEL%20TRACTOR%20NEWSLETTER%20%20Feb.%202013.pdf>
* and **March*<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/CA-CoP-L-28-13-03/TWO%20WHEEL%20TRACTOR%20NEWSLETTER%20%20MARCH%202013.pdf>
*.* Produced by R. Jeff Esdaile, Agricultural. Consultant, Tamworth, New
South Wales, Australia ([log in to unmask]).



*15.  **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*

* *

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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