*CA-CoP* *CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE* *for sustainable production intensification* Dear Subscribers, Please see herebelow Rattan Lal's message to me and his latest paper, *Sequestering carbon and increasing productivity by conservation agriculture* in which he discusses the multiple benefits of CA. Note however, he has expanded his concept of CA to four principles. You will recall that CA-CoP is a global platform hosted by FAO and which subscribes to CA with three linked principles (see attached slide from FAO for the definition of CA and its three principles). Scientists often want to add complexity to systems - note the complex computer models we have today. Our challenge though is to strive for simplicity and isolate the key, unique characteristics that define a system. The three CA principles achieve that as seen from CA's field performance world-wide. We recognize there is are management overlays on CA that also apply to other production systems such as appropriate pest control and nutrient management (the latter as suggested by Lal). These management overlays are implicit and present or required of all agricultural cropping systems, not just CA. Stewardship or proper management is key to success in applying the CA principles. As Professor Lal states, “Soil stewardship and care must be embedded in every fruit and vegetable eaten, in each grain ground into the bread consumed, in every cup of water used, in every breath of air inhaled, and in every scenic landscape cherished. It is precisely in this context that CA is an important innovation and a mission for the 21st century.” *Amir Kassam* *Moderator* e-mail: [log in to unmask] URL: www.fao.org/ag/ca ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Lal, Rattan <[log in to unmask]> Date: Sat, May 23, 2015 at 3:22 PM Subject: New article: Sequestering carbon and increasing productivity by conservation agriculture To: Amir Kassam <[log in to unmask]> Dear Amir, I have just published an article in the May/June issue of the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation.Title of the article is “ Sequestering Carbon and Increasing Productivity by Conservation Agriculture”.Link to the article is given below: > http://www.jswconline.org/content/70/3/55A.full.pdf+html > Please share this information with the group. Best regards Rattan Lal > > ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the CA-Cop-L list, click the following link: &*TICKET_URL(CA-Cop-L,SIGNOFF);