Lessons on conservation agriculture

The beauty of conservation agriculture is in its simplicity. Like so many things in life, we try to improve and make things more efficient, only to discover that over time these short-cuts cut-short our efforts. They may make things faster and easier for a moment, but over the long-term, we lose out. Even worse, our neighbours and our children lose out. Yes, if done well, conservation agriculture can be a beautiful solution to hunger. It can promote economic growth, and make food security a possibility for those with even the fewest resources.

Sitting with my colleague Sebastian at the first African Congress on Conservation Agriculture in Lusaka, Zambia, in March. We came back from the conference with many new ideas to share with our colleagues at the Christian Council of Mozambique. 

Conservation agriculture stands on three basic principles: minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and crop rotation. Where do these principles come from? By observing and understanding natural ecosystems in the world around us. When, in nature, do you see a field with just one type of plant? Does the soil spontaneously invert itself every year, suddenly exposing all of the sensitive microorganisms to the harsh rays of the sun? In a forest, does water run off the ground in sheets? When was the last time you saw bare soil in a meadow? Much like the human body, the resilience and sustainability of these ecosystems depends on a myriad of complex interactions, recycling, and feedback loops that keep things in balance. The more we remove our farming practices from the way an ecosystem naturally functions, the more work we have to do to keep everything going. Plant a single crop, and you’ll have to put more nutrients into the soil. Leave the soil bare and you’ll have to water and weed more. Plough, and the soil will become compact and hard, resulting in more water loss and more leeching of nutrients. The cycle continues to spiral. Our groundwater and rivers dry up from excessive irrigation at the commercial scale. What water is left becomes clogged with soil runoff and chemical fertilizers. Genetically modified crops boost yield and help secure against weeds or pests that could otherwise easily destroy whole fields, but we are forever reliant on those companies for seed, hoping we can make some profit before the pests in question become resistant and we have to turn to something else. Sure, with enough money and technology you can stay ahead and have good yields. But in the long-term, we lose out.

Sebastian taking notes during our field visit. Behind him a demonstration plot outside showing intercropping of Pigeon Peas and maize- a great way to keep the soil covered and restore nutrients. 

Demonstration of agroforestry techniques- Intercropping leguminous trees with field crops. The trees provide partial shade and give nitrogen to the soil, a system which can continue to give benefits for many years. 

 So, conservation agriculture seems like the perfect solution. We should all just stop plowing, rotate our crops with legumes to nourish the soil, and keep some sort of mulch or cover crop on the ground to keep the soil covered. Sounds simple, right? What about years of traditional knowledge about farming? What about social norms- what will my neighbours think? Why would I change something that is working just fine? You tell me to rotate crops, but I am not familiar with the leguminous plants you are suggesting- I want to grow traditional foods I know how to prepare. Intensive monoculture and fertilizer use was part of the green revolution- where would our world be today without that? Governments or other NGOs may be promoting and subsidizing heavy pesticide and fertilizer use, so why should I bother with the extra work of keeping the soil covered when the other way is so much easier¹? Besides, Africa uses way less fertilizers than any other continent; how will we ever catch up in terms of productivity unless we apply more? My neighbour raises livestock, and they eat all of the mulch material before I have a chance to put it on my field- are you suggesting I fence my WHOLE field to keep them out? It’s too much work; I have enough to do raising 5 kids all alone since my husband left to find work in the mines.

There are challenges to overcome, but how should we face those challenges? You have a particularly difficult chemistry problem sitting in front of you and your homework is due in an hour. Do you quickly copy the answer from a friend, who may or may not have the right answer? Do you just scribble something down, hoping you get partial marks? Do you cheat and look up the answer on the internet, knowing that does nothing to help you understand or solve the problem for when exam time comes?

Short-cuts cut-short. My highschool teacher used that phrase in class all the time. The same principles of doing things on-time, efficiently, and to high standard apply whether you are talking about chemistry homework or agricultural practices. Does this phrase suggest that innovation and initiative are discouraged? On the contrary! People who search for solutions with integrity, wisdom, collaboration, and foresight can bring about positive change. These solutions can improve efficiency, quality, accessibility, and resilience over the long-term. It is short-cuts driven by ignorance, laziness, or selfish ambition that cut short.

Adaptability is key. One of the many things I took away from my week at the conservation agriculture conference in Zambia was that there is no “one solution fits all.” No one NGO, program, or conservation agriculture program has all the answers. No one minister of agriculture promoting certain policies can solve all of the problems.  No magic phrase like “community mobilization” “farmer to farmer extension” or “participatory project development” will result in immediate uptake of CA techniques. It is a journey that needs cooperation, involvement, and servant-hearted leaders at all levels. It takes humility to admit when something isn’t working and to learn from those who’ve been on this road a lot longer than you have. It takes a listening ear to hear what community members are saying, or not saying. There are no magic short cuts, but there is much we can learn from each other and much we can discover by working together.

¹ CA in general does not condone or promote the use of fertilizers, though different NGO’s or government agencies may have their own agendas. Many CA extensionists instruct on the efficient placement and minimal usage of fertilizers in the first years to help boost soil fertility in areas that are seriously degraded. But over time, as soil fertility improves, fertilizer use can be reduced.