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



*for sustainable production intensification *


*Alert No. 35 (16 June 2014) *

*1.     **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. Learn more at www.ctic.org/WCCA



The 6th WCCA registration is open at:
https://www.ctic.org/registration/22/step/0/

Concurrent session tracks will explore the following areas of Conservation
Agriculture:

Track 1:     Growing with less – the future of sustainable intensification

Track 2:     Weatherproofing agriculture – the adaptation of farming
practices to address climate variability

Track 3:     Increasing conservation adoption – how innovative technology
and approaches can drive greater adoption of conservation systems around
the world.

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]



*2.     **Agroecology for Africa – AfA 2014, International Conference on
Agroecology and Sustainability of Tropical Rainfed Cropping Systems,
03-04  November 2014, Antananarivo, Madagascar.*

Conference Themes:The conference seeks to improve both scientific and
practical understanding of how agroecology is best integrated in the
management of tropical rainfed agriculture for sustainability by African
small-scale farmers. Specific themes include:

* 1- *
*Exploring options for sustainable ecological processes and the development
of the (agro) biodiversity of rainfed cropping systems. 2- Identifying
bottlenecks and opportunities for implementation of Agroecology.*
*3- Building capacity in climate-smart agriculture through agroecology *

More information at: http://www.cirad.mg/conference/AFA-2014/



*3.     **Regional Conference on Conservation Agriculture for Smallholders
in Asia and Africa, Bangladesh, 7-11 December 2014.*



Conference themes:

(i) Machinery: Design and development of CA-based crop establishment and
herbicides 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.
(v) Policy and institutional framework for the adoption of CA.


For more information, visit:  http://www.scac2014.org/

Contacts: Dr. Md. Enamul Haque ([log in to unmask])
Dr Richard W Bell ([log in to unmask])



*4.     **Pioneers in Soil Conservation and Conservation Agriculture.
International Soil and Water Conservation Research.*
<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/Alert 35/Specil issue
ISWRC.pdf> Special Issue Edited by: J. Dumanski, D. C. Reicosky, and R. A.
Peiretti. Volume 2 Number 1 March 2014.



*5.     **On-farm evaluation of the effects of the principles and
components of Conservation Agriculture on maize yields and weed biomass in
Malawi.* <ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/Alert 35/Ngwira
2014.pdf> By N. R. Ngwira, J. B.Aune and C. Thierfelder.  Experimental
Agriculture, April 2014. (DOI: 10.1071/S001447971400009X).



*6.     **Technologies for adoption for climate change: Examples from
agriculture and water sectors in Lebanon.*
<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/Alert 35/Traerup&Stephan2014
climatic change.pdf> By Sara Taerup and Jean Stephan. Climate Change, June
2014. (DOI: 10.1071g10584-014-1158-4)



*7.     **Fertilizer should not be a fourth principle to define
Conservation Agriculture: Response to the opinion paper of Vanlauwe at al.
(2014) ‘A fourth principle is required to define Conservation Agriculture
in Sub-Saharan Africa: The appropriate use of fertilizer to enhance crop
productivity.’* <ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/Alert
35/Sommer Fertilizer use fourth principle in CA.pdf> By R. Sommer, C.
Thierfelder, P.Tittonell, L. Hove, J.Murithi and S. Mkomwa . Field Crops
Research, 2014. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2014.05.012)

 *8.     **Conservation Agriculture with Trees: Principles and Practice. A
simplified guide for extension staff and farmers.*
<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/Alert 35/CA with trees.pdf>  By
J. Mutua, J. Muriuki,  P. Gachie, M. Bourne and J. Capis. Technical Manual
21. World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya. 2014.

 *9.     **Improving land and water management.*
<ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/Alert 35/Winterbottom 2013 WRI
Land & Water.pdf> By R. Winterbottom, C. Reij, D. Garrity, J. Glover, D.
Hellums, M. McGahauey and S. Scherr.  World Resource Institute Working
paper Installment 4 of *Creating a Sustainable Food Future.* Washington DC.
October 2013. (http://www.worldresourcesreport.org).

 *10.            * *Report of the Conservation Agriculture Consultative
Workshop.* <ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/ag/Data/agp/Friedrich/Alert 35/ACT CA
Workshop Report 2013 final.pdf> Edited by S. Mkomwa. African Conservation
Tillage (ACT) Network, Nairobi, Kenya.



*11.            ** Up-dating Conservation Agriculture Data Base in
AquaStat, FAO  *

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



*We are updating the CA land area data base displayed in AquaStat (*
*www.fao.org/ag/ca* <http://www.fao.org/ag/ca>*), and are contacting our
regular sources of information in the next few weeks. However, anyone else
who would like to provide information on the land area under CA systems at
the national level would be most welcome.*



*Ideally, we would appreciate receiving from you the CA area information at
the sub-national level (by state, province or region), together with any
relevant historical information on adoption (such as when was CA
introduced; duration under CA – x ha under 3 yrs, y ha between 3 and 6 yrs,
z ha more than 6 yrs), cropping pattern, farm size, agro-ecology,
constraints, etc.   *



*For the recording purpose please adhere to the reference quantification of
the CA definition on the FAO-CA website (**http://www.fao.org/ag/ca/6c.html*
<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 for seeding
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. Area under strip tillage can
be included only if the disturbed area is less than the above set limits.*



*2. Maintenance of organic soil cover: Three categories are distinguished:
30-60%, >60-90% and >90% ground cover, measured immediately after the
direct seeding/planting operation. For this data base, area with less than
30% cover is not considered as being under CA.*



*3. Crop rotation/association: Rotation/association should involve at least
3 different crops. However, repetitive wheat or maize or rice cropping that
meets requirements 1 and 2 above 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). No-till area by crop will
not be recorded to avoid double recording of the same land area.*

*Area under perennial crop systems including orchards and permanent
pastures will be recorded separately. If there is CA land area under
perennial crop systems in the country, please include the information as
separate categories at the sub-national level (by state, province or
region), together with any relevant historical information on adoption
(such as when was CA introduced; duration under CA – x ha under 3 yrs, y ha
between 3 to 6 yrs, z ha more than 6 yrs), cropping pattern, farm size,
agro-ecology, constraints, etc.*

*Amir Kassam *

*Moderator*

e-mail: [log in to unmask]

URL: www.fao.org/ag/ca

*Sustainable Crop Production Intensification*

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