A Guide to Conservation Agriculture in Zimbabwe - Canadian ...

section THREE
Practical Steps in Conservation Agriculture
3. PRACTICAL STEPS IN CONSERVATION
AGRICULTURE
This section provides detailed practical information about
when and how to implement each component of the
conservation agriculture planting basins option promoted
in Zimbabwe.
Key Principle
Every plant must have the same opportunity to
flourish: equal aerial and soil space, equal moisture,
equal nutrients and sunlight. This will maximise yields
and demonstrate the benefits of precision in
conservation agriculture.
3.1 Preparing the basins
Section 1 of this manual describes how planting basins
are being successfully used in Zimbabwe to increase crop
yields and productivity. Basins are simple to make and
require few tools. They can be prepared over a long period
in advance of planting, usually between June and October.
In the first year of implementation of conservation
agriculture it is very important to take the time to align,
dig and space the basins correctly so that in future years
the same basins can be used.
If you plan to use virgin land it will first need stumping
and clearing and roots should be removed. Contours
should be prepared. Never plough virgin land that is to
be used for conservation agriculture. However the majority
of farmers who are starting conservation agriculture in
Zimbabwe will use previously cropped land. This should
be weeded before digging.
Start on a small scale: table 3.1 below lists key
recommendations for Zimbabwe, with full agronomic
details provided in Section 4. Areas can be increased as
farmers get more confident and competent.
Equipment and inputs needed
• A hoe or badza for each person involved in digging basins and weeding
• Strings to mark out the planting rows
• A long string or teren rope, used to measure the correct distance between the basins
• Measuring sticks or tape measure, used to measure the correct row and basin spacing
• Strong pegs to hold the string at either end
• Bottle tops or caps for making the teren rope and measuring out fertilizer
• Seeds – 25kg maize etc
• Compound D – minimum of 80kg per hectare
• Ammonium Nitrate – minimum of 80kg per hectare
• Manure – 1.5t per hectare
• Stover or other mulching material – 3t per hectare
35 Farming for the Future