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
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. 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. 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. 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.’ 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. 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. 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. 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), 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):
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
URL: www.fao.org/ag/ca
Sustainable Crop Production Intensification
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