Understanding the impact and adoption of conservation agriculture in Africa: A multi-scale analysis

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dc.contributor.authorCorbeels, Marcen
dc.contributor.authorde Graaff, Janen
dc.contributor.authorNdah, Tim Hycenthen
dc.contributor.authorPenota, Ericen
dc.contributor.authorBaudron, Fredericen
dc.contributor.authorNaudin, Krishnaen
dc.contributor.authorAndrieua, Nadineen
dc.contributor.authorChirata, Guillaumeen
dc.contributor.authorSchuler, Johannesen
dc.contributor.authorNyagumboe, Isaiahen
dc.contributor.authorRusinamhodzi, Leonarden
dc.contributor.authorTraoref, Karimen
dc.contributor.authorMzobag, Hamisi Dullaen
dc.contributor.authorAdolwah, Ivan Solomonen
dc.contributor.departmentSustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (SANREM) Knowledgebaseen
dc.coverage.spatialSub-Saharan Africaen
dc.coverage.spatialBurkina Fasoen
dc.coverage.spatialKenyaen
dc.coverage.spatialMalawien
dc.coverage.spatialTanzaniaen
dc.coverage.spatialMadagascaren
dc.coverage.spatialZambiaen
dc.coverage.spatialZimbabween
dc.date.accessioned2016-04-19T20:30:40Zen
dc.date.available2016-04-19T20:30:40Zen
dc.date.issued2014en
dc.descriptionMetadata only recorden
dc.description.abstractConservation agriculture (CA) has been lauded as a means for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa to increase yields through improving soil fertility and water retention. CA’s principles of minimum tillage, cover cropping, and crop rotations have been promoted in sub-Saharan Africa by many organizations, and significant resources have been invested in research and development initiatives devoted to CA. Despite this, adoption of CA in sub-Saharan Africa remains low. This article seeks to understand why this is true, and to come to a better comprehension of why, where, and for whom CA works best. To do so, the authors analyze several case studies of CA adoption projects in sub-Saharan Africa across four scales: field, farm, village, and region. Yield simulations are used to analyze the field scale, however, the authors point out that yield benefits are multifaceted and may not be well represented by simulations. Analysis of the farm and village scales find that both trade-offs and synergies exist between CA and livestock production systems, varying greatly by the farming context. A constraint identified at the regional level is the absence of input and output markets that are conducive to the adoption of CA. Although projects may provide inputs, farmers are left without access to inputs after the project ends, decreasing the likelihood that they will maintain CA practices. The authors indicate that, in order for CA adoption to move forward, initiatives must reach beyond agronomic research and seek to adapt CA to local conditions.en
dc.format.mimetypetext/plainen
dc.identifier7630en
dc.identifier.citationAgriculture, Ecosystems & Environment (In Press)en
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2013.10.011en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/70223en
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.relation.urihttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167880913003514en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.holderCopyright 2013 by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.en
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectTropical zonesen
dc.subjectConservation agricultureen
dc.subjectAdoption of innovationsen
dc.subjectFarm/Enterprise Scale Watersheden
dc.titleUnderstanding the impact and adoption of conservation agriculture in Africa: A multi-scale analysisen
dc.typeAbstracten
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten

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