Conservation agriculture Tanzania_casestudy.pdf - Sokoine ...

• Districts should have proper documentation (a database) of all conservationagriculture and related natural resource management activities. Thedatabase should be well documented, that is, who is doing what, where andfor what purpose.• Project sustainability, achieved through encouraging beneficiaries’ projectownership, and capacity building in conservation agriculture should becarefully observed so as to ensure that the project will continue even afterdonor support is phased out. Holistic approaches and interdisciplinaryimplementation of activities should be put into place to ensure that farmersare developed in a wide spectrum, both socially and economically.• Because problems are localized, no single solution can cut across the manygeographical and socio-economic conditions in Karatu District. Facilitatorsshould have this in mind and whenever possible use indigenous technologies.Experience, self-motivation and creativity in conservation agriculturepractices and community mobilization skills are required of all extensionistsdealing with conservation agriculture promotion.• Community sensitization and awareness creation in conservation agriculturemight lead farmers to be ready to participate fully in conservation agriculturetechnologies and practices in their areas. Beneficiaries should be provoked toexpress concerns about their lives and any options that they think may lead topoverty reduction, food security and environmental conservation. In SWOT(strength, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis of conservationagriculture technologies in the area in question, communities should decide ifsuch interventions would help them. They should be encouraged to establishroot causes of key agricultural production constraints. Participatory communityaction plans (CAPs) should be drafted, outlining what is to be done, by whom,and when, and the materials required. Monitoring and evaluation should beundertaken, while a mechanism of feedback will allow all stakeholders to knowwhat is going on. Up-scaling procedures for the introduced innovations shouldbe in place to ensure diffusion of the innovations to the entire community.• There should be a trusted and reliable contact person or group in the villageto facilitate mobilization and implementation of conservation agricultureactivities in the absence of NGOs or institutions that are introducing theinnovation. This would help to coordinate the community, facilitate projectactivities, and bridge communication within the community, between localcommunities and the implementing agency, and from the agency back to thecommunities.• Cost-benefit analysis should be conducted on all farm enterprises to ensureoptimum decisionmaking with regard to what to produce, and when and howto produce it. It is important to apply conservation agriculture in the widercontexts, whereby different crop types (wheat–barley, maize, banana, onions)can be considered. This will enable farmers to opt for crops that have goodreturns in terms of yield, low cost of production and a good price at market.Keeping livestock in conservation agriculture technologies should be takenas an opportunity and not a threat; therefore the conservation agricultureKaratu District 95