Stephen Loss and Hichem Ben Salem presentation during the event "Conservation Agriculture: Overcoming the challenges to adoption and scaling-up" held by IFAD jointly with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

1. Stephen Loss and Hichem Ben Salem
Diversified 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

2. 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

3. • 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. Progress: 2005 to 2012Project Impact 2005-2014
Good start in develop promoting zero tillage in Iraq & Syria
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
NumberofFarmers
Areaofzero-tillage(ha)
Iraq Area
Syria Area
Iraq Farmers
Syria Farmers
?

9. 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?

10. Strategy 1:Tillage R & D
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
Wheat Chickpea Barley Lentil
CT
ZT
MeanGrainYieldkg/ha
Mean yield CT vs ZT over four years* at Tel Hadya, Syria
2008/09 – 2011/12

11. Strategy 1:Tillage R & DMeanGrainYieldkg/ha
Mean yield early vs late over four years* at Tel Hadya
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
Wheat Chickpea Barley Lentil
Sown early
Sown 4 wks later
2008/09 – 2011/12

12. Strategy 1:Tillage R & DMeanGrainYieldkg/ha
Mean yield early ZT vs late CTover four years* at Tel Hadya
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
Wheat Chickpea Barley Lentil
CT Late
ZT Early
18% 20% 12% 15% mean increase
2008/09 – 2011/12

13. 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

14. Dr Jacky Desbiolles
Uni of South Australia
Seeder training Erbil 2013
Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders

15. 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

16. Fabrication of ZT
conversions kits
in Iraq.
ZT points/openers
Press wheels
Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders - Iraq
Kit cost: $1,500.

17. Two manufacturers in Mosul planned 24 new seeders
plus kits for 40 conversions in 2014.
Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders - Iraq
AlhafidhaRas Alrumh

18. 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

19. Strategy 2: Low cost ZT seeders - Iran
Sazek Kesht (Boukan) seeder test in
Garmiyan (Iraq)
Taka seeder test in Ankawa Erbil

20. ACIAR-
ICARDA
GCSAR
Extension
FarmersManufacturers
NGOs
 ACIAR-ICARDA Iraq Project
 NARES
o Research Commission (GCSAR)
o Directorate of Extension
o Aleppo University
 NGO
o Aga Khan Foundation
 Private sector
o farmers
o seeder manufacturers
o Syrian Libyan Company (SYLICO)
o private consultants
Stakeholder meeting
6 August 2009
Strategy 3: Participatory Extension

21. Strategy 3: Participatory Extension

22. Strategy 3: Participatory Extension

23. • 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

24. 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

25. 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)

26. “Conservation Cropping” Package
+earlysowing CONSERVATION
AGRICULTURE
ZeroTillage
SoilCover
DiverseRotations
Increased yield
Decreased fuel cost
Decreased labor cost
Improved soil fertility
Decreased erosion
Less greenhouse gas
Early/timely sowing
Greater Long Term Profits
? ?
?
?

27. “Conservation Cropping” Package
CONSERVATION
AGRICULTURE
ZeroTillage
&
EarlySowing
SoilCover
DiverseRotations
Increased yield
Decreased fuel cost
Decreased labor cost
Improved soil fertility
Decreased erosion
Less greenhouse gas
Early/timely sowing
Greater Long Term Profits

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. Despite project end & ISIS ….
Some activities in Mosul (Oct/Nov 2014).

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. Thank you!