Regional Review and Planning Workshop SRI-LMB, 2-3 June 2015, Siem Reap, Cambodia Mobilizing Greater Crop and Land Potentials with Agro-ecological Approaches: Conservation Agriculture and System of Rice Intensification Amir Kassam University of Reading (UK) and FAO 1
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Agro-ecological approach conservation agriculture and SRI - Prof. Amir Kassam
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Regional Review and Planning WorkshopSRI-LMB, 2-3 June 2015, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Mobilizing Greater Crop and Land Potentials with Agro-ecological Approaches: Conservation Agriculture and
System of Rice Intensification
Amir Kassam University of Reading (UK) and FAO
1
Outline
• Why agro-ecological approaches (instead of industrial)
• Lead examples: Conservation Agriculture and System of Rice Intensification
• Some broad conclusions
2
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Modern agriculture? – now an intrusive paradigm
First half of the 20th century aimed to industrialise agriculture:• Standardization • Mechanization• Labour-saving technologies• Use of chemical inputs
Second half of the 20th century increasingly shaped as ‘scientific formulations’ of agriculture:
• Genetic potentials• Input utilization • Standard agronomy• Intensive tillage • Energy-intensity• Capital intensity• Little attention paid to soil health and ecosystem services
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21st century realities
• Arable land per capita will decline• Water available for agriculture will decline• Energy and production input cost are rising• Diminishing returns to inputs are setting in • Stagnation of yield improvements, at high and low levels• The production approach fundamentally inefficient • Millions of households being bypassed• Environmental and degradation concerns• Food security concerns• Climate change
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All agricultural soils show signs of degradationAll agricultural soils show signs of degradation
World map of severity of land degradation – GLASOD (FAO 2000) Also, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005 – 89% our ecosystems Degraded or severly degraded, only 11% in reasonable shape.
World map of severity of land degradation – GLASOD (FAO 2000) Also, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005 – 89% our ecosystems Degraded or severly degraded, only 11% in reasonable shape.
backgroundbackground
Degradation of soil, water and biodiversity resources
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Focus on soil and ecosystem functions:Healthy soil is the base for sustainable crop production
Dirt – The Erosion of Civilizations
degradation/erosion >
naturalsoil
formation= NOT
sustainableSoil tillage
“Dirt – the erosion of civilizations” by David R. Montgomery (Prof. of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, leads the Geomorphological Research Group, member of the Quaternary Research Center):• Soil is a fragile thin skin around the world• Soil formation is very slow, degradation very fast: even with conservation tillage soil erosion is by orders of magnitude higher than soil formation• The decline of important human civilizations can be related to erosion events and soil degradation (Greek, Romans etc.)
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Projected percentage gains and losses in rainfed cereal production potential by 2080 due climate change
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BUT Conventional land preparation regular tillage, clean seedbed, exposed
Effects:• Loss of organic matter• Loss of pores, structure soil compaction• Destruction of biological life & processes
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With rice ……
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Iguassu Falls, Brazil
This is millions of tonnes of topsoil going over the edge.
11Google image, 16 February 2014Sediment Plumes – The Guardian
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TILLAGE AGRICULTURE -- Erosion
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Consequences of tillage-based agriculture at any level of development
• loss of OM, porosity, aeration, biota (=decline in soil health -> collapse of soil structure -> compaction & surface sealing -> decrease in infiltration)
• water loss as runoff & soil loss as sediment• loss of time, seeds, fertilizer, pesticide (erosion, leaching)• less capacity to capture and slow release water & nutrients• less efficiency of mineral fertilizer: “The crops have become ‘addicted’ to
fertilizers”• loss of biodiversity in the ecosystem, below & above soil surface, monocropping • more pest problems (breakdown of food-webs for micro-organisms and natural
• Higher production costs, lower farm productivity and profit, degraded ecosystem services
• Dysfunctional ecosystems, water cycle, suboptimal water provisioning & regulatory water services, loss of biodiversity
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‘Modern’ and post-’modern’ agriculture in development
1. Modern agriculture paradigm is based on intrusive approaches (that disrupt ecosystem functions) with unacceptable negative externalities and loss in productivity, efficiency and resilience.
2. More of the same is no longer appropriate to meet the 21st Century realities and multi-functional role of future agriculture.
3. Alternative paradigm based on agro-ecological or ecosystem approaches (that works in greater harmony with ecosystem functions) are now available for sustainable agricultural intensification (combining productivity with ecosystem services).
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Call -- What is sustainable intensification?
• Term has become popular in recent years • Ecological definitions – increase in yields with minimum environmental damage, and building resilience and flow of ecosystem services.
• Broader definitions at the food and agriculture system levels – minimizing wastage, institutional development, capacity building, economic growth, social equity etc.
• Sustainable intensification conditions being met with the spread of Conservation Agriculture (CA) based systems.
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Technical objectives of SI
• Agricultural land productivity
• Natural capital and flow of ecosystems services
Simultaneously
• Enhanced input-use efficiency
• Use of biodiversity – natural and managed (and carbon) to build farming system resilience (biotic and abiotic), including being climate-smart
• Contribute to multiple-outcome objectives at farm, community & landscape, and national scales e.g. climate change mitigation
And• Capable of rehabilitating land productivity and ecosystem services in
degraded and abandoned lands
But how?
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Reminder -- A healthy soil is a living biological system
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her
● Fotos grandes. Solo arrastra una nueva imagen y pásala para átras
Path to waterfall on private property brings income to locals in the form of ecotourismMonteverde Cloudforest Reserve
provides important source of water in landscape and downstream
Windbreaks provide habitat and corridors for wildlife, control erosion and protect livestock from wind
Shaded coffee extends wildlife habitat from reserve and reduces erosion
All fences are live rows of trees
Coffee, corn, sugar cane and other products are sold at a local cooperative
Ecoagriculture landscapes: harmonizing multiple objectives at farm, community, landscape scales
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Reminder--Ecosystem services
Water cycling Carbon cycling Atmospheric circulation
Source: The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)
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Soil productive capacity (vs. fertility) is derived from several components which interact dynamically in space and time:
A productive soil is a living system and its health & productivity depends on managing it as a ‘complex’ biological system, not as a geological entity.
We need to go backTo soil and landscape health.
Soil as a ‘complex’ biological system, not just as a geological entity
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An effective solution to degradation, and for
rehabilitation and sustainable intensification • Minimizing soil disturbance by mechanical tillage and whenever
possible, seeding or planting directly into untilled soil, in order to maintain soil organic matter, soil structure and overall soil health.
• Enhancing and maintaining organic matter cover on the soil surface , using crops, cover crops or crop residues. This protects the soil surface, conserves water and nutrients, promotes soil biological activity and contributes to integrated weed and pest management.
• Diversification of species – both annuals and perennials - in associations, sequences and rotations that can include trees, shrubs, pastures and crops, all contributing to enhanced crop nutrition and improved system resilience.
These are the principles of Conservation Agriculture which along with other good practices of crop, soil, nutrient, water, pest, energy management provide an ecological foundation for sustainable production and intensification for all systems. CA is a lead example of the agro-ecological paradigm for sustainable production intensification adopted by FAO and many other organizations
is an approach to managing agro-ecosystems for improved and sustained productivity, increased profits and food security while preserving and enhancing the resource base and the environment. CA is characterized by three linked principles, namely:
1. Continuous minimum mechanical soil disturbance. 2. Permanent organic soil cover. 3. Diversification of crop species grown in sequences or
is an approach to managing agro-ecosystems for improved and sustained productivity, increased profits and food security while preserving and enhancing the resource base and the environment. CA is characterized by three linked principles, namely:
1. Continuous minimum mechanical soil disturbance. 2. Permanent organic soil cover. 3. Diversification of crop species grown in sequences or
Planting holes, ripping or mulching, direct drill Planting holes, ripping or mulching, direct drill
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No-till seeding of wheat into rice stubble/residue - China
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History and Adoption of CAHistory and Adoption of CA
No-till riceIn North KoreaNo-till riceIn North Korea
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CHINA: innovation with raised-bed, zero-till SRI field;measured yield 13.4 t/ha; Liu’s 2001 yield (16 t/ha) set
provincial yield record and persuaded Prof. Yuan Longping
CA rice-based system at Saguna Baug, Maharastra – Chandrashekhar Badsavale
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All crops can be seeded in no-till systems
Potatoes under no-till after rice in North Korea
(Friedrich, 2006)
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FAO, 2012
Farmer Field School participants harvesting no-till IPM potatoes in lowland rice production systems, Thai Binh, Vietnam, 2011
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Challenges/issues/Considerationsof transformation and transition
• Weeds/herbicides• Labour• Larger farms• Livestock• Community engagement• Temperate areas
• Farmers working together• Equipment and machinery• Knowledge and technical capacity• Risk involved in transforming to no-till systems• Approaches to adoption and scaling• Policy and institutional support – private, public, civil society
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1974
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0
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Global CA Area in Mill. ha
Worldwide adoption of Conservation Agriculture
5Connference on Conservation Agriculture for Smallholders in Asia and Africa. 7-11 December, Mymensigh University, Bangldesh4
155 mill. ha
Mil
l. h
a
Year
Global CA Area in Mill. ha
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Worldwide adoption of Conservation Agriculture
***
Connference on Conservation Agriculture for Smallholders in Asia and Africa. 7-11 December, Mymensigh University, Bangldesh14
Area of arable cropland under CA by continent in 2013 (source: FAO AquaStat: www.fao/ag/ca/6c.html)
Continent Area (Mill. ha)
Per cent of global total
Per cent ofarable landof reporting
countries
South America (49.6)*64.0 (33.9%) 41.3 60.0 North America (40.0)*54.0 (40.0%) 34.8 24.0 Australia & NZ (12.1)*17.9 (47.9%) 11.5 35.9
*Average adoption level in each region based on arable land area of reporting countries
Worldwide adoption of Conservation Agriculture
6th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Winnipeg, 22-25 June 2014 slide 2/x
Total CA: 155 Mill. ha, about 11% of global arable cropland
Australia/New Zealand17.9 (35.9%)
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Conservation Agriculture
• Increase yields, production, profit (depending on level and degradation) • Less seeds (-50%+ with SRI)• Less fertilizer use (-50%) less pesticides (-20-50%+)• Less machinery, energy & labour cost (-70%)• water needs (-30-40% +)• More stable yields – lower impact of climate (drought, floods, heat, cold) & cc mitigation• Lower environmental cost (water, infrastructure)• Rehabilitation of degraded lands and eco-services
• Increase yields, production, profit (depending on level and degradation) • Less seeds (-50%+ with SRI)• Less fertilizer use (-50%) less pesticides (-20-50%+)• Less machinery, energy & labour cost (-70%)• water needs (-30-40% +)• More stable yields – lower impact of climate (drought, floods, heat, cold) & cc mitigation• Lower environmental cost (water, infrastructure)• Rehabilitation of degraded lands and eco-services
Wheat yield and nitrogen amount for different duration of no-tillage in Canada 2002 (Lafond
2003)
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
0 30 60 90 120
nitrogen (kg/ha
Gra
in y
ield
(t/h
a)
20-year no-tillage
2-year no-tillage
AG department brainstorming, April 12, 2012
Impact pattern with CA + SRI
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Conservation Agriculture
Small scale -- Paraguay, Tanzania, India, China, Lesotho, Zimbabwe ……Large scale – Canada, USA, Brazil, Australia, Argentina, Kazakhstan .....
Small scale -- Paraguay, Tanzania, India, China, Lesotho, Zimbabwe ……Large scale – Canada, USA, Brazil, Australia, Argentina, Kazakhstan .....
Cross Slot Conference and Tour 2012 – Germany/France
publications
Documented benefits of CA for food security, environment, sustainability, rehabilitation
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Evidence of some of the major benefits-Soil health quality-Soil carbon and organic matter-Crop establishment-Water related functions – more effective and efficient-Biodiversity/agrobiodiversity-Nutrient response – greater nutrient productivity-Increased yields and farm and national output-Lower farm power requirement -Greater stability – climate change adaptability-Climate change mitigation – C seq., lower GHG emi. & fuel use -In-situ, landscape and territorial ecosystem services-Nutritional and health benefits
The list goes on!CA & SRI are not only climate-smart, they are smart in many other ways
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Example 1-- Canada: Carbon offset scheme in Alberta
Sequestering soil Carbon with CA and trading offsets with regulated companies to offset their emissions by purchasing verified tonnes
(from ag and non-ag sectors)Source: Tome Goddard et al.
Itaipu reservoir dam today (source: Itaipu Binacional)
Water resources are threatened by conventional tillage agricultural practices. Conservation Agriculture is an alternative to reduce impacts on river’s quality and to maintain a higher level of productivity and
sustainability.
Cultivating Good Water Programme41
Example 2 -- Watershed services in Parana Basin, Brazil
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Itaipu Dam - Parana basin III, Brazil, August 2011 – Cultivating good water programme
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Broad conclusions -- 1
• Meeting 2050 food demand is agronomically doable, and land resources are available
• But business as usual not an option to meet future needs sustainably
• Production systems based on ecosystem approach must contribute to meeting future needs
• CA systems (including for SRI-based cropping systems) do this most effectively.
44
Broad conclusions -- 2
• CA with SRI is potentially applicable in most land-based agro-ecosystems.
• CA is increasingly seen as a real alternative and constraints to adoption are being addressed. Now increasing at the annual rate of 10 M ha, and covers more than 155 M ha.
•SRI water management makes it possible for SRI and CA to become integrated.
45
Broad conclusions -- 3
• CA+SRI can improve yields, profit, sustainability and efficiency for small and large farmers.
• CA is capable of rehabilitating degraded lands and ES world-wide.
• Policy and institutional (including education) support, farmer organizations and champions are needed to mainstream the adoption of CA.
46
And, the messages, once understood, even make people dance!
More information: [email protected]://www.fao.org/ag/ca; http://sri.ciifad.cornell.edu