Conservation farming on steep lands - USAid

142 DONALD B. THOMAS
Pererztrinl crop systetrts. Examplcs of systems bascd mainly on perennial
crops include the fi~llowing: banrna and coffee culture on thc slopes
of Mt. Mcru and Mt. Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania, enscte culturc in
Ethiopia, tea cultui:- in Ken:;-1, and coffcc culture in Kcnya.
Bananas are the staple fc,,)d crop on the slopes of Mt. Meru and Mt.
Kilimanjaro in northern 'Ciinzania and throughout much of Uganda. In Tinzania,
they are growr n close association with coffee and various fruit
trccs, which togcther provide a good canopy cover and minimal risk of
soil crosion. Cattlc ilre kept inside and stall-fed on chopped banana plants
and fodder grasses. The return of manure to the land and the traditional
use of irrigation lead to a stable, productive <strong>farming</strong> systcm that can support
a high population.
Ensctc (Etrsete eclltlis) is grown cxtcnsivcly in southern Ethiopia. It is
sometimes referred to as a falsc banana because its appearance is similar
to the banana plant. However, its leaves are more erect, and it is grown
for the rhizomes and inner parts of the stem that provide the main food
of the Guraghc people. It has been said that ensete can support more people
pcr unit area of land than any other crop. and the system of prcscrving
the mashed up food material in pits, where it ferments, is an insurance
against famine.
Tca is grown on an incrcasing scale in eastern Africa, both on commercial
and peasant farms. particularly in central and western Kenya. Once
established, tea plants provide an exczllent canopy covcr, and there is often
a mulch of prunings to covcr the ground. Kenya has recently embarked
on a plan to establish a tea belt around the perimeter of indigenous forests
so that encroachment on the latter can be prevented.
Coffee is grown widely in Kenya. Uganda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. When
it was introduced on small farms in Kcnya, the colonial authorities insisted
on the prior construction of terraces. This is still a common practice.
However, some farmers have ignored the need for terraces or have tried
to construct them after the coffee has been planted. In these situations erosion
is sometimes severe. Where coffee is well managed, there is usually
a good canopy cover and the ground is well protected against erosion. Use
of mulch is less common than it was due to the lack of suitable material
and prior needs of stall-fed livestock for fodder and beddicg. However,
increased use of herbicides and no-till has improved the mulching effect
of weeds.
In all of the above situations, erosion is kept under control so long as
there is a good cover, either from the canopy or from surface mulch, or
both. The main risk of erosion is during the establishment phase. Othieno
(5) has shown how this can be controlled in tea by such simple practices,