Conservation agriculture Tanzania_casestudy.pdf - Sokoine ...

10 Benefi ts and effects of conservation agriculture adoption in Karatu ................88Agronomic and environmental aspects in the field ...................................................88Socio-economic and process aspects .........................................................................9011 Challenges in Karatu ...................................................................................91Project sustainability not ensured in many projects ..................................................91Inadequate coordination at the district level ............................................................91Too much focus on individual farmers and lack of proper analysis .........................91Limited extension staff and knowledge of how conservation agriculturecan best fit in different systems .................................................................................91Lack of implements in the district ............................................................................92Inadequate policy analysis and advocacy of related issues .......................................92Problems of attaining permanent soil cover and weed control ................................92Competition for livestock feeds and soil cover ..........................................................92Weak bylaw establishment and enforcement ............................................................93Limited access to cover crop planting materials .......................................................93Low rainfall ...............................................................................................................93Limited knowledge in agronomic practices for different cover crops .......................9312 Conclusion .................................................................................................9313 Recommendations......................................................................................94Encourage conservation agriculture programmes, not projects ...............................96References ......................................................................................................97Appendix 1 Institutes and projects responsible for agricultural and environmentalconservation development ...............................................................99Appendix 2 Livelihood characteristics in Kilimatembo, Karatu District ..................103Appendix 3 Estates in Karatu District ................................................................104FiguresFigure 1 Map of Karatu ...............................................................................................60Figure 2 Land physiography .........................................................................................65Figure 3 Agroforestry systems practised in the study area…… .....................................69TablesTable 1 Rainfall data 2000–2005 .................................................................................62Table 2 Cropping calendar ..........................................................................................68Table 3 Yield increase from Alfred’s farm as a result of switching from conventionalagriculture to conservation agriculture............................................................89Table 4 Labour required for different activities in conventional and conservationagriculture……….. ........................................................................................ 89Table 5 Time required and weeding costs in conventional fields and with directplanting through cover crops ..........................................................................9o52 Ringo et al.