Conservation agriculture Tanzania_casestudy.pdf - Sokoine ...

technical support. Trial treatments were discussed with village agricultural extensionofficers for minor adjustments before farmers implemented them. Researcherswere also responsible for training farmers and organizing farmer visits and fielddays. Not all researchers shared a common understanding on the appropriatenessof conservation agriculture. There were actually more opponents of conservationagriculture at research stations than outside them. Conservation agricultureinterventions were therefore guided by ‘dreams’ of the leader or closely sharedfeedback and improvement by a small team of leaders.District councils were the custodians of these development initiatives on behalfof their people. They could get funding and would allocate them for conservationagriculture, if they were convinced it would benefit farmers and the council. Theyorganized awareness campaigns or enact and implement bylaws for maintainingsoil cover. Well-designed bylaws can prevent free-range grazing and bush fires.Village agricultural extension officers supervised operations of the group as farmersimplemented the trials. They enhanced farmer group dynamics and helped formgroup bylaws involving time management, fines and member rights. Group bylawswere necessary in the new farmer field schools to enhance group efficiency. Withoutthem, time was wasted in waiting for others to come, useless meetings and squabbles.The village extension officers guided the discussions on what members wanted—without interfering in the proceedings. Enacting bylaws was easy, but overseeingtheir implementation required serious group leaders.Farmers were obliged to provide work animals for the common demonstration plotat no cost, set aside time for training and make a commitment to train neighbours.Furthermore, each farmer or spouse was required to attend training at a common0.5–1 ha plot and apply it in his or her field. The farmer could choose amongimplements, cover crops, crop mixtures and agronomy.Most groups have kept going beyond the official project lifetime. By retaining the set oftest equipment, they continue to use this service, if they have not yet purchased theirown. The more advanced farmer groups in Mayale village are registering as savingsand credit cooperative societies that will manage the groups’ revolving loan fund ofTZS 8 million, and keep loaning implements to group members. Group strength wasenhanced by the common revenue earned from the farmer field school plot.Suppliers made improved maize and cover crop seeds, fertilizers and implementsavailable. There are many competing suppliers of seeds and fertilizers, but only onefor implements, SEAZ Agricultural Equipment Ltd. The director of SEAZ thoughtthat rippers had been accepted by farmers, creating a reasonable demand, but notfor jab planters, knife rollers or direct seeders.Approaches and methodsThe main approaches used to introduce conservation agriculture were ‘contactfarmers’ (1998–2000), farmer research groups (2000–2003), and farmer fieldschools (2004 to the present).Mbeya District 127