Browsing by Author "Kaumbutho, P."

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    Conservation agriculture as practised in Kenya: Two case studies
    Kaumbutho, P.; Kienzle, J. (ed.) (Nairobi, Kenya: African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT); Centre de Coopération Internationale de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD); Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2007)
  • Conservation farming strategies in East and Southern Africa: Yields and rain water productivity from on-farm action research
    Rockström, J.; Kaumbutho, P.; Mwalley, J.; Nzabi, A. W.; Temesgen, M.; Mawenya, L.; Barron, J.; Mutua, J.; Damgaard-Larsen, S. (Elsevier B.V., 2009)
    Conservation farming for smallholders has been primarily applied and researched in humid and sub-humid regions, where it has shown significant improvements in agricultural productivity. In these regions, water generally is not a limiting constraint on plant growth and CF methods emphasize no-till or minimal tillage and mulch cover. However, in semi-arid and arid regions, rainfall variability and scarcity are significant constraints to productivity, the potential for attaining substantial mulch coverage is low, and no-tillage contributes to a soil crust that further decreases water infiltration. This study develops a CF approach focused on non-inversion tillage methods, adapted to the needs of arid and semi-arid agriculture. Using a participatory approach with local farmers and extension agents, trials comparing CF and conventional farming, with and without fertilization, were conducted in Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Zambia. Neither CF tillage methods nor fertilization alone showed a significant improvement, but CF methods with fertilization improved both yields and water productivity (amount of water required per unit of crop). The improvements of CF over conventional farming methods were especially pronounced in seasons with the lowest rainfall, suggesting that CF could be a valuable water harvesting method in water-scarce regions.
  • Conservation Tillage with Animal Traction
    Kaumbutho, P.; Simalenga, T. (ed.) (Harare, Zimbabwe: Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA), 1999)
    Smallholder agriculture in East and Southern Africa has special gains to gather from the agricultural mechanization endeavour, which is at different levels in different countries and which remains a major challenge for governments and farmers alike. While tractorization programmes in the region have hardly served the power supply needs of smallholders, animal traction has proved itself as a dependable and versatile source of agricultural power for tillage and transport. While soil and water conservation efforts in the region are not new, tillage for soil and water conservation has seen many shortcomings, ranging from profession redress to technological limitations, institutional support and socio-economic bottlenecks. Conservation tillage has been practised in largescale farms of the region for a while and is now receiving new focus for smallholder agriculture, within a new re-awakening in the interest of soil, water and general environmental preservation. Various research, extension and development work has proved the gains of conservation tillage. The gains are however yet to become common knowledge and translated to utilizable techniques adopted en masse. The traditional ways revolving around tedious and high drudgery manual operations persist. New, specialized and relatively simple conservation tillage equipment is yet to challenge the common and destructive mouldboard plough which is used as a multipurpose tool by smallholders. For real and fast progress, future efforts must centre around end user led, aggressive promotional, networked activities that avoid the low impact and duplicated top-down efforts of the past. A culture of environmental consciousness needs to be developed as a way of getting conservation tillage to the fore. The issue to be addressed is how to balance the inputs required so as to maximize efficiency and cost-effectiveness of inputs, reduce risks of soil and environmental degradation, maximize the per capita productivity, and maintain or sustain an increasing trend in productivity. Technology transfer efforts need to capture environmental protection through gender-sensitive soil management techniques and planning. Other complementary approaches like agro-forestry and water harvesting practices need to be brought on board if the socio-economic well-being of all parties is to be fully supported. Back-up support will include appropriate level capacity building at institutional and small industry level.
  • Water harvesting and soil moisture retention: A study guide for farmer field schools
    Duveskog, D. (Nairobi, Kenya: The Farm-Level Applied Research Methods for East and Southern Africa (Farmesa), 2001)
    Since a majority of individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa depend on rainfed agriculture, it is necessary to provide tools that will better equip these individuals to increase their yields and improve their farming techniques. This study guide is intended to assist farmers in learning and experimenting on improved soil and water management. The target groups for the study guide are Farmer Field Schools, village farmers groups and local agricultural extension staff.