Stephen Loss and Hichem Ben SalemDiversified and Sustainable Production Systems, ICARDA

ICARDA’s Conservation Agriculture

Experiences

Presentation Outline

• overview of CA projects

• details of successful Iraq/Syria project

• ongoing constraints to adoption

Project title Countries Years Funder

On-farm soil and water management for

sustainable agricultural systems in Central Asia

KZ, KRG, TJK,

TKM, UZB

2000 – 2003 ADB

Improving rural livelihoods through efficient on-

farm water and soil fertility Management in

Central Asia

AZ, KZ, KRG,

TJK, TKM,

UZB

2004 – 2007 ADB

Enabling Communities in the Aral Sea Basin to

Combat Land and Water Resource Degradation

through the Creation of ‘Bright’ Spots

KZ, KRG, TJK,

TKM and UZB

2007 – 2009 ADB

Sustainable agriculture practices in the drought

affected region of Karakalpakstan

UZB 2003 – 2007 FAO

Support Project on Sustainable Land

Management Research

KZ, KRG, TJK,

TKM, UZB

2007 – 2009 ADB

Conservation Agriculture for Irrigated areas in

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

AZ, KZ and

UZB

2011 – 2013 GoT

Integrated Crop-Livestock CA for Sustainable

Intensification of Cereal-based Systems in

North Africa and Central Asia

TJK 2013 - 2016 IFAD

CA Projects in Central Asia

• Kazakhstan 2.1 million ha,

• Uzbekistan 0.6 million ha min-till wheat (1 yr only),

including 2,450 ha in rainfed area,

• Tajikistan 25,000-50,000 ha min-till wheat,

• Kyrgyzstan 700 ha,

• Turkmenistan no data.

CA Adoption in Central Asia

FOOD LEGUMES (lentil, grasspea, chickpea)

Estimated 18 - 20,000ha CA in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra

Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam.

ICRISAT promoting CA technology in chickpea and ICARDA for

lentil & grasspea.

450,000 ha broadcast seeding of

grasspea as a relay crop after rice in

Bangladesh, Nepal and India (Bihar,

Chhattisgarh, eastern Uttar Pradesh,

Assam and West Bengal).

CA Adoption in South Asia

Project title Countries Years Funder

Promotion of conservation cropping in the

drylands of northern Iraq

Iraq (Syria) 2005– 2015 ACIAR

Improving the Food Security and Climate Change

Adaptability of Livestock Producers using the

Rainfed Barley-based System

in Iraq and Jordan

Iraq & Jordan 2011 – 2014 IFAD

Adapting CA for Rapid Adoption by Smallholder

Farmers in North Africa

Morocco,

Algeria &

Tunisia

2012 – 2015 ACIAR

Integrated Crop-Livestock CA for Sustainable

Intensification of Cereal-based Systems in North

Africa and Central Asia

Algeria,

Tunisia & TJK

2013 - 2016 IFAD

CRP Dryland Systems Morocco,

Tunisia &

Syria,/Jordan

2013 - CGIAR

CA Projects in Middle East & North Africa

Promotion of Conservation Agriculture

in Drylands of Northern Iraq 2005-15

University of Western Australia

University of Adelaide

University of Mosul, Iraq*

State Boards of Agricultural Research, Iraq

Ministry of Agriculture, Iraq

Directorate of Agriculture, Iraq

ACIAR CA Project - Target Region

Phase 1: 2005-08

Phase 2: 2008-12

Phase 3: 2012-14

expanded target

area

Used Australian

experience &

knowledge because

of similar agro-

ecologies.

Aleppo

Progress: 2005 to 2012Project Impact 2005-2014

Good start in develop promoting zero tillage in Iraq & Syria

0

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Nu

mb

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of

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ers

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a o

f zero

-tilla

ge (

ha)

Iraq Area

Syria Area

Iraq Farmers

Syria Farmers

?

Three pivotal strategies were :

1. Focus on adaptive research and development

2. Availability of low cost zero-tillage seeders

3. Participatory extension – farmer testing

How Has Adoption Come About?How Has Adoption Come About?

Strategy 1:Tillage R & D

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Wheat Chickpea Barley Lentil

CT

ZT

Mean

Gra

in Y

ield

kg

/ha

Mean yield CT vs ZT over four years* at Tel Hadya, Syria

2008/09 – 2011/12

Strategy 1:Tillage R & DM

ean

Gra

in Y

ield

kg

/ha

Mean yield early vs late over four years* at Tel Hadya

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Wheat Chickpea Barley Lentil

Sown early

Sown 4 wks later

2008/09 – 2011/12

Strategy 1:Tillage R & DM

ean

Gra

in Y

ield

kg

/ha

Mean yield early ZT vs late CTover four years* at Tel Hadya

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Wheat Chickpea Barley Lentil

CT Late

ZT Early

18% 20% 12% 15% mean increase

2008/09 – 2011/12

Many development projects relied on

imported zero-tillage (ZT) seeders

European or South American seeders

- big, heavy, & expensive.

Imported ZT Indian seeders

– light & fragile

Can we do better locally?

Can we modify existing seeders?

Can we make our own?

Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders

Dr Jacky Desbiolles

Uni of South Australia

Seeder training Erbil 2013

Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders

Seeder features: all spring tines, wide-spaced rows, narrow points, seed/fertilizer

delivery, 2 - 4m wide, 3PL or trailed, low cost ≈ $2000-6000.

Seven Syrian village manufacturers: 2008-12: made/sold >100 seeders

Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders - Syria

Fabrication of ZT

conversions kits

in Iraq.

ZT points/openers

Press wheels

Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders - Iraq

Kit cost: $1,500.

Two manufacturers in Mosul planned 24 new seeders

plus kits for 40 conversions in 2014.

Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders - Iraq

AlhafidhaRas Alrumh

Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders - Jordan

First ZT Seeder Prototype - Rama

Made in Amman Jordan - 16 rows x 3.6m, trailed

Nov 2012

10 rows x 2.1m prototype tested in Anbar

Sowing trials in Jordan

Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders - Iran

Sazek Kesht (Boukan) seeder test in

Garmiyan (Iraq)

Taka seeder test in Ankawa Erbil

ACIAR-ICARDA

GCSAR

Extension

FarmersManufacturers

NGOs

ACIAR-ICARDA Iraq Project

NARESo Research Commission (GCSAR)

o Directorate of Extension

o Aleppo University

NGOo Aga Khan Foundation

Private sectoro farmers

o seeder manufacturers

o Syrian Libyan Company (SYLICO)

o private consultants

Stakeholder meeting

6 August 2009

Strategy 3: Participatory Extension

Strategy 3: Participatory Extension

Strategy 3: Participatory Extension

• stop plowing

• if needed, kill weeds at sowing with glyphosate

• plant early (November)

• use ZT seeder for all crops

• use good quality seed of best adapted varieties

• reduce seed rates; 50-100kg/ha cereals; 100-150kg/ha pulses

• sow consistently at optimum depth (4-6cm)

• use best fertility & weed/disease/pest management

• include non-cereals in rotation IF POSSIBLE

• keep stubble IF POSSIBLE - don’t burn

• graze stubble IF POSSIBLE - doesn’t cancel ZT benefits

CONSIDERABLE FLEXIBLITY

“Conservation Cropping” Package

Strategy 3: Participatory Extension

Season No fields* Mean yield ZT

t/ha

Mean yield CT

t/ha

Increase

%

2008/09 42 2.50 2.14 17

2009/10 163 1.66 1.39 19

2010/11 358 2.29 2.16 6

2010/11 103 0.55 0.00 ∞

Almost all farmers did not change their rotations or crop residue grazing.

Mean farmer yields under ZT plus early sowing and nearby CT fields in Syria.

* Mostly wheat & barley, with some lentil & chickpea

Farmer Evaluation of ZT in Syria

Strategy 3: Participatory Extension

A 2011 survey 820 farmer using ZT & early sowing - on average

the ZT farmer produced about 465 kg/ha (31%) more yield,

reduced fuel and labor costs, and net farm income was increased

by US$194/ha.

If 80% of Syrian wheat farmers adopted ZT, extra 630,000 tonnes

and increase incomes by $254 million.

ZT will be an important strategy for Syria

& Iraq to restart their agricultural economies

and food security.

.

Syrian Farmer Survey (Yigezu et al. 2014)

“Conservation Cropping” Package

+ e

arl

y s

owin

gCONSERVATION

AGRICULTURE

Zer

o T

illa

ge

So

il C

ov

er

Div

erse

Rota

tio

ns

Increased yield

Decreased fuel cost

Decreased labor cost

Improved soil fertility

Decreased erosion

Less greenhouse gas

Early/timely sowing

Greater Long Term Profits

??

?

?

“Conservation Cropping” Package

CONSERVATION

AGRICULTURE

Zer

o T

illa

ge

&

Earl

y S

ow

ing

So

il C

ov

er

Div

erse

Rota

tio

ns

Increased yield

Decreased fuel cost

Decreased labor cost

Improved soil fertility

Decreased erosion

Less greenhouse gas

Early/timely sowing

Greater Long Term Profits

Future in Iraq ….

Center for CA Research – Uni of Mosul

Plus MoA Baghdad initiative to expand CA into central and

southern Iraq in irrigated areas.

Constraints to Adoption

1) Civil unrest in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere causing disruption.

But there is now a critical mass of experienced farmers,

researchers & manufacturers to

ensure ongoing adoption of ZT

when peace returns.

Despite project end & ISIS ….

Some activities in Mosul (Oct/Nov 2014).

Constraints to Adoption

2) More attention to food and forage legumes – weed

management, yields, harvestability, wheat subsidies.

3) Value of crop residues for the soil and/or livestock – this

critical question is being investigated in Tunisia & Algeria in the

CLCA project funded by IFAD.

Constraints to Adoption

4) Ongoing technical support for seeder manufacturers,

especially in North Africa and Central Asia.

5) Lack of motivation & poor farm management skills of

small land holders – agriculture is not their main income source.

6) Poor awareness & knowledge - weak research & extension

services in some countries.

7) Inflexibility & dogmatism –

trying to push the whole CA

package at once.

Thank you!