Browsing by Author "Thierfelder, Christian"

Now showing 1 - 17 of 17
  • Building international partnerships and funding for climate change work in Guatemala, Lesotho, and Mozambique
    Walker, Forbes; Eash, Neal S.; Marake, Makoala V.; Thierfelder, Christian; Basson, August; Rustrick, W. (2015-01-27)
    This poster was presented on October 23rd, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio at 3:05 in the afternoon in the Duke Energy Convention Center. This presentation discussed some of the international projects that the University of Tennessee soil science faculty have been involved with in Guatemala, Lesotho, and Mozambique since 2006. Funding for these such project is a differcult task, but funding from these project was made possible by the USDA, USAID, and some alumni donors. Partners include other Universities, International Research Centers, private companies, and local non-governmental organizations.
  • Can residual effects of green manure cover crops (GMCC) solve N fertilizer challenges in conservation agriculture (CA) systems of Southern Africa?
    Cheesman, S.; Thierfelder, Christian; Eash, Neal S. (2012)
    This poster was presented on October 22nd, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. This poster contained information on the lack of accessible fertilizer in Southern Africa. Means of alternative fertilizers is important in order to increase production and the biomass of the soil. Green manure cover crops (GMCC) offer the ability to increase Nitrogen fertilization for small-scale farmers. A four year conservation agriculture trial was carried out at the University Farm and Domboshava Training Center in Zimbabwe.
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    Conservation agriculture and drought-tolerant maize varieties 2014
    Mariote, D.; Thierfelder, Christian; Setimela, P. (2014)
    This presentation provides an overview of SANREM’s work in Mozambique, including yield data and adoption numbers. It served as an introduction to a presentation of farmer’s experiences of working in the project.
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    Conservation agriculture and household wellbeing: A non-causal comparison among smallholder farmers in Mozambique
    McNair, William E.; Eash, Neal S.; Lambert, Dayton M.; De La Torre Ugarte, Daniel G.; Wilcox, Michael D.; Thierfelder, Christian (2015)
    This research examines the relationship between household wellbeing and the use of conservation agriculture (CA) by smallholder farmers in Mozambique. Wellbeing indicators are regressed on household demographic attributes, farm management practices, and a variable indicating farmer adoption of CA. Findings suggest that households using CA have higher wellbeing index scores related to farm tool and implement ownership and housing material quality, but lower index scores related to livestock ownership. The findings present an encouraging, baseline picture of the association between the use of CA technologies by farmers in Mozambique and household wellbeing.
  • Conservation agriculture for small holder rainfed farming: Opportunities and constraints of new mechanized seeding systems
    Johansen, C.; Haque, M. E.; Bell, R. W.; Thierfelder, Christian; Esdaile, R. J. (Elsevier, 2012)
    In the past, development and dissemination of conservation agriculture technologies, such as mechanized seeders and herbicides, has suited large-scale agricultural operations. Recent innovations specifically designed for smallholders have been developed in Brazil and introduced in Africa. These include animal-drawn rippers and direct seeders, which have produced equal yields to conventional tillage and seed broadcasting. However, more research is needed concerning weed management and place-based agro-ecological variance in order to further disseminate conservation agriculture technologies (and subsequent ecosystem services) to greater numbers of smallholder farmers.
  • Conservation agriculture systems for Malawian smallholder farmers: Long-term effects on crop productivity, profitability
    Ngwira, A. R.; Thierfelder, Christian; Lambert, Dayton M. (Cambridge University Press, 2012)
    Conservation Agriculture systems seek to increase crop yield, recycle nutrients, and minimize production costs through crop residue retention, inter-cropping, and crop rotation. The study seeks to clarify how Conservation Agriculture influences farming profits, soil health, and crop productivity in two areas in Malawi - the drier farming village of Lemu of Bazale Extension Planning Area and in the high-rainfall farming village of Zidyana Extension Planning Area. The study also seeks to supplement lacking agronomic research in the identified areas. While both regions have different soil conditions, they both revealed marked improvements in crop yield, soil quality, water infiltration capacity, and improved economic profits with the adoption of conservation agriculture. However, cultural beliefs concerning agriculture pose an impediment to the widespread adoption of conservation agriculture in the region.
  • Developing sustainable conservation agriculture for smallholder farmers in Southern Africa
    Eash, Neal S.; Walker, Forbes; Thierfelder, Christian; Marake, Makoala V.; Wilcox, Michael D.; Lambert, Dayton M.; Basson, August (2012)
    This presentation was given at the Soil Science Society of America annual meeting on October 22nd, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio at 11:10 in the morning. Conservation agricultural practices were used in Southern Africa's cropping system to improve soil nutrient, improve food security, sequester carbon, and mitigate green house gases.
  • Effects of conservation agriculture techniques on infiltration and soil water content in Zambia and Zimbabwe
    Thierfelder, Christian; Wall, P. C. (Elsevier, 2009)
    This paper discusses the results of researcher-managed field trials in Zimbabwe (sandy soil) and Zambia (finer-textured soil) 2005-2007, comparing conservation agriculture (CA) and conventional management. CA plots had significantly higher water infiltration 49% and 45% greater than conventional for two seasons in Zimbabwe, and 57% and 87% greater infiltration for CA treatment in Zambia. Most CA plots had higher average soil moisture throughout the season. The years of the study were not drought years, so it did not assess the drought-mitigating capacity of CA directly, but results suggest improved water use efficiency, which would reduce risk of crop failure in low-rain years.
  • Effects of intensifying organic manuring and tillage practices on penetration resistance and infiltration rate
    Thierfelder, Christian; Amézquita C., Edgar; Stahr, K. (Elsevier B.V., 2005)
    The objective of this study is to evaluate the role of chicken manure, conservation practices (crop rotation and legume intercropping), and tillage practices on soil crusting and sealing in order to identify practices that will best facilitate water infiltration and prevent run-off and soil erosion.
  • A First Look at Maize Markets and Demographics among Conservation Agriculture Adopters and Non Adopters in Mozambique
    McNair, W. E.; Lambert, Dayton M.; Wilcox, Michael D.; Eash, Neal S.; Thierfelder, Christian (2012)
    Mozambique has 1.4 million hectares of arable land suitable for producing maize. Average yields are low (920 kg/ha in 2008 (FAOSTAT). The livelihoods of most families depend on small-scale agriculture. Maize is the main staple and accounts for most of the population’s caloric intake.
  • Maize-based conservation agriculture systems in Malawi: Long-term trends in productivity
    Thierfelder, Christian; Chisui, J. L.; Gama, M.; Cheesman, S.; Jere, Z. D.; Bunderson, W. T.; Eash, Neal S.; Rusinamhodzi, L. (2013)
    Continuous maize cultivation in Malawi has degraded the soils, but conservation agriculture (CA) offers an option for improving soil quality while increasing yields. However, the effect of CA can vary widely by agro-ecological context. This study evaluates this effect by comparing CA productivity trends in nine communities in the southern and central regions of Malawi. In each target community six experiments were established which applied three treatments: conventional ridge and furrow system with maize; CA with maize and CA with maize and a legume intercrop. Variability among communities was explored using principal component analysis. Site characteristics, seasonal effects, and cropping system (CA or conventional) were found to significantly impact maize grain yield. CA cropping systems had higher time-to-pond than conventional, suggesting improved water infiltration. Improvements in yield as a result of CA production systems were universal across all communities, despite vast differences in biophysical characteristics. However, these yield improvements were not immediately significant, becoming evident after three to five seasons.
  • Mitigating effects of climate change through conservation agriculture and drought-tolerant open-pollenated maize varieties in Mozambique
    Thierfelder, Christian; Sentimela, P.; Eash, Neal S.; Walker, Forbes (2012)
    This poster was presented on October 23rd, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio at four in the after noon. Conservation agriculture practice in southern Africa was combined with drought-tolerant maize in order to benefit of genetic improvement and sustainable land management. Various environmental and crop benefits were found, including better tasting corn and easier pounding of maize for porridge.
  • Risk and maize-based cropping systems for smallholder Malawi farmers using conservation agriculture technologies
    Ngwira, A. R.; Thierfelder, Christian; Eash, Neal S.; Lambert, Dayton M. (2013)
    Conservation agriculture (CA) offers the potential to increase yields, but the short-term risk of implementation can discourage adoption among risk-adverse, food-insecure smallholder farmers. This paper assesses the riskiness of CA adoption for farmers in Malawi. A six year study was conducted in 12 target communities in two agroecological zones which compared the risk of adopting CA techniques (no-till monocropped maize or no-till maize intercropped with a legume) against that of conventional agricultural practices (monocropped maize with tillage). Risk analysis was conducted using stochastic dominance, mean variance, relative risk criterion, target net return probability analysis, certainty equivalent and risk premium analysis. Using net returns data from both agroecological zones, each of these approaches calculated that CA presents lower risk than conventional agriculture. This also held true for the data from the lower altitude sites. However, at higher elevations, a less dramatic difference in net returns meant that CA would be preferred only by farmers who are not highly averse to risk; those who are highly risk averse would require a larger incentive.
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    Small-holder adoption of conservation agriculture in Lesotho and Mozambique
    Eash, Neal S.; Lambert, Dayton M.; Marake, Makoala V.; Thierfelder, Christian; Walker, F. R.; Wilcox, Michael D. (2012)
    Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been practiced for three decades and is extensively adopted by large scale commercial farmers in the Americas and Australia and to a much lower extent by small-scale farmers around the world. In 2008 there were about 106 million hectares of permanent crops grown using CA systems in 2008. Conservation agriculture typically involves: (1) minimal soil disturbance; (2) covering soils with crop residues; and (3) rotating crops or intercropping with legumes (FAO, 2002; Thierfelder and Wall, 2010). Interventions such as mechanical tillage are reduced to an absolute minimum, and the use of agrochemicals and nutrients of mineral or organic origin are applied at optimal levels. The interactions between minimal soil disturbance, managing crop residues on fields, applying optimal nutrient levels, and controlling weed populations are often considered more consequential than the individual effects of these management activities. Instead of maximizing crop yield, the managerial objectives implied by CA is to optimize long-term soil fertility improvements through residue management and cover crop rotations, with higher maize yields and potentially lower input cost side-benefits. Agronomic research has documented that CA systems are more likely to generate higher maize yields than non-CA systems. However, even increases in expected biological yields may not be enough to encourage risk-averse small-holder farmers to adopt CA technologies. This research summarizes field trial information from Mozambique and Lesotho to understand the interplay between (1) optimal seeding and fertilizer input rates, and (2) and input and commodity prices to estimate the risk premium associated with conservation agriculture technology. Findings suggest that farm size (as measured by household wealth) plays a significant role in determining the amount producers would be willing to pay to eliminate risk associated with adoption of an alternative technology like conservation agriculture.
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    Smallholder adoption of conservation agriculture and ghg reduction potential in Mozambique and Lesotho
    Lambert, Dayton M.; McNair, W. E.; O'Dell, D.; Bisangwa, E.; Simone, T.; Eash, Neal S.; Wilcox, Michael D.; Walker, Forbes; Marake, Makoala V.; Thierfelder, Christian (2013)
    Current agricultural practices in Mozambique and Lesotho lead to localized externalities and systematic “macro” erosion. However, conservation agriculture, which promotes minimal tillage, intercropping, and maintaining a soil cover, can be applied to moderate erosion and improve food security while sequestering carbon. This presentation examines the greenhouse gas reduction potential Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (SANREM) Collaborative Research Support Program’s 5 year project to promote conservation agriculture in Mozambique and Lesotho. It provides graphical comparisons of carbon emissions for tillage and no-tillage systems. Results of a household survey in Mozambique are utilized to examine the probability of the adoption of conservation agriculture related to input use, training, labor constraints, and project support. Farmers who use fertilizer and herbicide and receive credit were found to have the highest adoption rate for conservation agriculture.
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    Smallholder adoption of Conservation Agriculture and GHG reduction potential in Mozambique and Lesotho
    Lambert, Dayton M.; McNair, W. E.; O'Dell, D.; Bisangwa, E.; Simone, T.; Eash, Neal S.; Wilcox, Michael D.; Walker, Forbes; Marake, Makoala V.; Thierfelder, Christian (2013)
    Current agricultural practices in Mozambique and Lesotho lead to localized externalities and systematic “macro” erosion. However, conservation agriculture, which promotes minimal tillage, intercropping, and maintaining a soil cover, can be applied to moderate erosion and improve food security while sequestering carbon. This presentation examines the greenhouse gas reduction potential Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (SANREM) Collaborative Research Support Program’s 5 year project to promote conservation agriculture in Mozambique and Lesotho. It provides graphical comparisons of carbon emissions for tillage and no-tillage systems. Results of a household survey in Mozambique are utilized to examine the probability of the adoption of conservation agriculture related to input use, training, labor constraints, and project support. Farmers who use fertilizer and herbicide and receive credit were found to have the highest adoption rate for conservation agriculture.
  • Using conservation agriculture to intensify and stabilize agricultural production in Southern Africa
    Eash, Neal S.; Walker, Forbes; Lambert, Dayton M.; Wilcox, Michael D.; Marake, Makoala V.; Thierfelder, Christian (2013)
    This presentation was given on November 4th, 2013 in Tampa, Florida. The use of conservation agriculture can increase food production sub-Saharan countries. This land is currently receiving excess tillage, which results in gully erosion and other types of land degradation. With sufficient fertilizers of N, P, and K and proper management these lands should be able to have an increase in food production while potentially mitigating carbon dioxide.