Conservation agriculture Tanzania_casestudy.pdf - Sokoine ...

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In 2001 the Soil Fertility Initiative (SFI) of the Ministry of Agriculture andCooperatives introduced the comprehensive conservation agriculture packageincluding cover crops, agroforestry, ameliorating hardpans and using direct seedingimplements, jab planter and animal- and tractor-drawn seeders. Coverage by ARIUyole was expanded to include two new villages in Njombe District, Kisilo andKanamalenga; two new villages in Mbeya District, Njelenje and Mapogoro; andone additional group in Wanging’ombe village.The latest project for Mbeya District was TCP/URT/3002, initiated in 2004 andsupported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) and the Foodand Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Its target is to reach250 farmers in nine villages with the complete package of conservation agriculturetechnology.The different communities in Njombe and Mbeya Districts have been exposedto different conservation agriculture components or packages. Benefits have beenvaried, but they have been worth the problems these pioneers faced. The Centre deCooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), FAO,and MAFS with the Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) decided to consolidatethe experiences gained in conservation agriculture packages, methods, effectivenessand challenges to share them during and after the Third World Congress onConservation Agriculture of October 2005 (IIIWCCA).This report presents a snapshot of trends, achievements, challenges and indicationsof the way forward.2 Case study objectivesThe case study aimed to improve understanding about conservation agricultureand document past and current conservation agriculture experiences to be sharedduring the IIIWCCA.General objectiveThe objective was to improve the understanding and document past and currentconservation agriculture experiences in the southern highlands of Tanzania. Withsimilar studies in African countries, this study developed inputs, including posters,to be shared during the IIIWCCA.Specific objectives• Record southern highlands of Tanzania farmers’, extension workers’ andlocal decisionmakers’ apprehension, acceptance and uptake of conservationagriculture principles and techniques, and draw lessons for conservationagriculture promotion.• Conduct field activities and workshops to assist documenting the conservationagriculture case study.• Produce a case study report.112 Mkomwa et al.
3 MethodMbeya was selected as a case study area because it had been involved in researchingand promoting conservation tillage and cover crop technology for many years. ARIUyole in Mbeya is the only MAFS research institute with a complete agriculturalengineering research section. The high variation in altitude, 400–3000 m, calls fordistinct research and intervention experience in temperate cover crops and farmingsystems, some with frost.The Mbeya case study began with forming a team with research scientists fromARI Uyole, the agricultural extension field officer of Wanging’ombe Ward, and animplement manufacturer, SEAZ Agricultural Equipment Ltd.The study was conducted in six villages: three villages (Wanging’ombe, Kanamalengaand Mayale) of Wanging’ombe Ward, Njombe District, Iringa Region, and threevillages (Muvwa, Njelenje and Mapogoro) of Mshewe Ward, Mbeya District,Mbeya Region (figs. 1, 2). Choice of the villages was based on how much theyhad been exposed to different conservation agriculture packages and if they hadpromoted them. The team discussed the case study tasks, including work plans anda conservation agriculture framework. It identified institutions in the two wardsthat offered conservation agriculture services. It developed a work schedule andassigned members duties.Preceding the field survey, key informant farmers were categorized as those who practisedconservation agriculture; those who had the exposure and opportunity to practise butdid not; and former practitioners who abandoned it (appendix 1). Other approachesto collect information included focus group discussions with farmer groups, workshopsand key informant interviews of extension staff and the implement manufacturer.Field sites were selected to capture the range of conservation agricultureinterventions, such as ripping, cover crops, tied ridges, agroforestry, intercroppingand rotating crops. Information was collected through discussions and fieldobservations. Photographs were taken to help illustrate written information. Theinformation was coded and analysed using the SPSS computer software program,synthesized and compiled as a zero draft report.4 Biophysical, socio-economic andinstitutional environmentGeography of Wanging’ombe and Mshewe WardsWanging’ombe Ward is in the north of Njombe District, Iringa Region, on themain road from Mbeya to Dar es Salaam. Wanging’ombe is 150 km east of Mbeya(fig. 1). The ward lies within the main agroecological zone, AEZ 3, also known asthe Mufindi–Kidugala plateau.Mshewe Ward, comprising Muvwa, Njelenje and Mapogoro in Mbeya District, is 50km north of Mbeya city along the Mbeya–Mbalizi-Mkwajuni road (fig. 2). The ward,classified as AEZ 4f, is better known as the Songwe Msangano Itumba trough.Characteristics of both ward are detailed in table 1.Mbeya District 113
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ContentsPreface ...................
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Full conservation agriculture, howe
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February 2005, which made possible
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Table B. Key characteristics of cas
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Overemphasis on field-scale, techni
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Arumeru DistrictCatherine W. Maguzu
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8 Gaps and challenges .............
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Executive summaryA case study of co
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It has shown increase in yields, re
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The case study teamThe local team w
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NgorongoroKageraMaraMonduliArumeruM
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MarketsThe urban centres are Kikati
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middle-aged, who migrate to towns t
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4 Conservation agriculture historyI
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maize, pigeon pea, and lablab seeds
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herbicide was completely abandoned
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Most of the implements, except the
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6 Adapting and diffusing conservati
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villages with eight farmers (Mwalle
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ecognition and enforcement of the b
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Table 3. Labour for conservation ag
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Timeliness in irrigating a farm is
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to rehabilitate his land by constru
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Land tenureSmall-scale farmers will
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and handling herbicides should be d
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Appendix 1Conservation agriculture
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Organization Activities Methods to
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Appendix 3Lablab and mucuna seed di
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Karatu DistrictDominick E. Ringo, C
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10 Benefi ts and effects of conserv
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Karatu acknowledgementsWe are very
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Forces driving for adoption of cons
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Despite the soundness of conservati
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NgorongoroKageraMaraMonduliArumeruM
Page 86 and 87: TemperatureTemperature decreases wi
Page 88 and 89: Most of the surface and underground
Page 90 and 91: crop does not store well. But when
Page 92 and 93: used to attend to AIDS sufferers an
Page 94 and 95: Erosion is now considered responsib
Page 96 and 97: Traditional methods of soil conserv
Page 98 and 99: Tanzania Association of ForestersAc
Page 100 and 101: Tanganyika Farmers AssociationAchie
Page 102 and 103: History of conservation agriculture
Page 104 and 105: what is feasible is to intercrop, w
Page 106 and 107: to connect experiences from differe
Page 108 and 109: mainly cover crop practices were ad
Page 110 and 111: Alfred’s neighbour Cornel has bee
Page 112 and 113: study tours, organizing farmer fiel
Page 114 and 115: Socio-economic and process aspectsW
Page 116 and 117: abreast of information. Information
Page 118 and 119: availability of agriculture credit,
Page 120 and 121: package being introduced should con
Page 122 and 123: of a planning workshop on conservat
Page 124 and 125: Organiza tionRIDEP (1980-1984)Natio
Page 126 and 127: Organiza tionMazingira BoraKaratu (
Page 128 and 129: Appendix 3 Estates in Karatu Distri
Page 131 and 132: ContentsAbbreviations .............
Page 133 and 134: AbbreviationsARIAgricultural Resear
Page 135: 1 IntroductionOver 80% of the peopl
Page 139 and 140: Table 1. Agricultural characteristi
Page 141 and 142: Three agricultural officers serve t
Page 143 and 144: egin until the first rains. Maize y
Page 145 and 146: Table 4. Conservation agriculture r
Page 147 and 148: slasher, machete and billhook (nyen
Page 149 and 150: Farmers were advised to slash the c
Page 151 and 152: technical support. Trial treatments
Page 153 and 154: In the latest FARM Africa project,
Page 155 and 156: Crop yieldsNineteen farmers in Wang
Page 157 and 158: Changes in costs and incomeThe aver
Page 159 and 160: • Farmers proposed that to improv
Page 161 and 162: 10 Gaps and challengesDespite the s
Page 163 and 164: 12 Recommendations• While some be
Page 165 and 166: Appendix 1 Selected farmer profiles
Page 167 and 168: No. Farmer name M/F Age(yrs)Fam ily
Page 169 and 170: Appendix 3Intervention detailsIniti
Page 171 and 172: Conservation agriculture technology
Page 173 and 174: Land degradation due to soil erosio
Page 175 and 176: Banana crop with mucuna as a cover
Page 177 and 178: Types of soil cover: lablab plus ma
Page 179 and 180: The pigeon pea crop has been left o
Page 181 and 182: Demonstrating conservation agricult
Page 183: Transferring crop residue for lives
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