Sustainable agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa: the case for a paradigm shift in land husbandry

In order to tackle poverty and hunger in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) there is a strong case for a focus of effort on improving rainfed agricultural systems. The challenge is to deliver a transformation of agricultural productivity in such systems without adverse impacts on environmental goods and services. We examine the growing advocacy of ‘conservation agriculture’ (CA) as the desired approach and assess the evidence to support the assertion that it can deliver sustainable agricultural development in SSA. We examine in particular the evidence which derives from experience with ‘zero tillage sustainable agriculture’ in Brazil. We ask the question, is there a case for a paradigm shift in land husbandry? The case for a paradigm shift hangs on the premise that conventional practice promotes land degradation, while adoption of CA practice delivers a range of benefits through promoting soil ecosystem health. The guiding principle is to promote biological tillage through minimizing mechanical soil disturbance and maintaining permanent organic soil cover. We examine evidence of benefits in the context of the wider debate on low‐external‐input technology. We conclude that CA does not overcome constraints on low‐external‐input systems and will deliver the productivity gains that are required to achieve food security and poverty targets only if farmers have access to fertilizers and herbicides. We conclude also that widespread adoption of the new paradigm amongst millions of small farmers in order to achieve the ‘doubly green revolution’ in SSA is subject to the familiar constraints of knowledge transfer and success will depend upon creating innovation networks. Further, we conclude that amongst small‐scale farmers partial adoption will be the norm and it is not clear that this will deliver soil health benefits claimed for full adoption of the new paradigm.     

Factors influencing adoption of soil and water conservation measures in southern Mali

A soil and water conservation (SWC) extension programme, promoting erosion control measures and soil fertility measures, has been going on in southern Mali since 1986. Five factors that influence farmer adoption of SWC measures were analysed: land pressure, cotton‐growing area, possession of ploughing equipment, possession of a donkey cart and farmer training in SWC. Interviews were carried out with 298 farmers and two to three fields per farmer were visited, in 30 representative villages and 30 villages with high SWC adoption. Correlation, regression and factor analysis led to the following conclusions:

• (1) Farmers in the high land‐pressure area adopt more soil fertility measures.
• (2) Farmers in the cotton‐growing area adopt less SWC measures.
• (3) Farmers with more ploughing equipment adopt more SWC measures.
• (4) Farmers with a donkey cart adopt more soil fertility measures.
• (5) Trained farmers adopt more erosion control measures.

There is a strong correlation between the adoption of erosion control measures and soil fertility measures that could not be explained by these five factors only. This suggests that there are additional factors that trigger the adoption of SWC measures. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Social and economic factors affecting the adoption of soil and water conservation in West Usambara highlands,Tanzania

Accelerated soil erosion is one of the major constraints to agricultural production in many parts of the Tanzanian highlands. Although several soil and water conservation technologies have been developed and promoted, the adoption of many recommended measures is minimal and soil erosion continues to be a problem. This research was conducted in order to determine the social and economic factors that influence adoption of soil and water conservation (SWC) measures in the West Usambara highlands, Tanzania. For this research a household survey, group discussions and transect walks were undertaken. A total of 104 households were interviewed and several fields were visited during the transect walks. Data was analysed with the use of cross‐tabulation, cluster analysis, factor analysis and chi‐squared methods. The results obtained indicate that involvement in off‐farm activities, insecure land tenure, location of fields and a lack of short‐term benefits from SWC are among the major factors that negatively influence adoption of SWC measures. Membership in farmer groups, level of education, contacts with extension agents and SWC programmes were found to be positively influencing the adoption of SWC measures. Recommendations to facilitate adoption of different SWC measures include: integration of social and economic factors into SWC plans; the creation of more awareness among farmers of soil‐erosion effects and long‐term benefits of SWC; the development of flexible SWC measures to cater for different farm patterns and a participatory approach to SWC at catchment level rather than at individual farmers' fields. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

21世纪山西水土保持科学研究展望

２１世纪山西省水土保持生态环境建设任务艰巨,为水土保持科研所站提出了新的更高的要求。新世纪山西省水保科研拟开展的重点课题有水土保持与社会经济持续发展研究、开发建设项目区水土保持研究、城市与小城镇水土保持研究、水土保持产业开发研究、水土流失监测预报研究、水土保持信息系统研究等,重点技术推广项目有山地微灌技术、坝地防洪保收稳产栽培技术、干旱阳坡造林绿化技术等１６项。科研所站应转变职能、创新机制,面向社会搞服务。     

Better land husbandry in Honduras: towards the new paradigm in conserving soil,water and productivity

Land shortages are forcing more smallholder farmers to cultivate tropical steeplands. Resulting accelerated soil erosion is being countered by the promotion of soil conservation (SC) technologies, such as cross‐slope barriers, which aim to reduce soil loss and preserve land productivity. However, farmer adoption rates tend to be low. This is often attributed to the farmers' conservatism or lack of education. Research in Honduras's steeplands demonstrates that farmers value SC, provided that it promotes agricultural production. Field research from 1995–98, involving farmed test plots on slopes greater than 35 per cent (19 degrees), demonstrates that at least one typical SC technology—live barriers of Vetiveria zizanioides (vetiver grass)—has little or no impact on maize yield. This means that farmers see little benefit from their investment in the SC method. They find that erratic rainfall, pests and diseases and a lack of economic resources are far greater threats to their livelihoods than soil erosion. Consequently, SC has a low priority. Keeping soil in place avoids major off‐farm disbenefits. However, the SC technique tested here made no discernible difference to slope foot sediment yields during the life of this study. In sum, a new approach is needed. Promoting ‘Better Land Husbandry’ strategies, which seek to combine farmers' concerns about productivity with conservationists' concerns about reducing soil erosion—often via cover‐management—seem to be the best way forward. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How project approach influences adoption of SWC by farmers,examples from southern Mali

Choices in project approach affect the continuation of soil and water conservation (SWC) after project withdrawal, and thus the sustainability and cost effectiveness of the project. A SWC project was carried out in southern Mali between 1986 and 1998. Its features were the promotion of cheap and simple SWC measures, a participatory village extension approach with limited use of incentives, and the incorporation of the SWC programme in an existing Malian extension service. By 2000, farmers in half the 5000 villages in southern Mali had been trained in SWC. By 2002, erosion‐control measures had been installed in 94 per cent of the villages in southern Mali by 46 per cent of the farmers and in 15 per cent of the fields. Though external donor support has stopped, farmer adoption is steadily continuing and spreading to untargeted villages. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

水土保持与水资源可持续开发利用的探讨

水循环是自然界水体的自然规律,也是水资源可持续开发利用的基础,任何破坏水循环机理的因素都将阻碍水资源可持续开发利用;相反,有利于水循环机理的因素都将促进水资源可持续开发利用。这里从水循环机理分析水资源可持续开发利用与水土保持的内在联系,分析水土流失和植被破坏对水资源开发利用的影响,探讨水资源可持续开发利用与水土保持的辩证关系,进一步阐述水土保持在水资源可持续开发利用工作中的重要作用。     

The uptake of different tillage practices in England

Reduced tillage systems have been argued to provide several potential benefits to soil, environment and to farm incomes. In England, while many farms have partially adopted such practices, a large proportion of arable farmers do not undertake reduced tillage in any form. This paper analyses the rationale for and uptake of different cultivation techniques, including analysis of the barriers to adoption of reduced tillage, aiming to benefit policymakers and researchers and increase the spread of smart agricultural practices. Based on a postal questionnaire, we estimated that 47.6% of English arable land is cultivated using minimum-tillage and 7% under no-tillage. As farm size increased, so did the probability of reduced tillage uptake. Furthermore, farms growing combinable crops were more likely to utilize reduced tillage approaches than other farm types. Soil type, weed control and weather conditions were noted as the main drivers for ‘strategic’ and ‘rotational’ ploughing, constraining continuous reduced tillage use. To effect greater reduced tillage uptake, greater communication between researchers and farmers is needed to facilitate the implementation of sustainable soil management solutions, supported by current legislation permitting responsible herbicide use in arable production. Financial support to access reduced tillage machinery may also be required for farmers operating smaller holdings. Adopting reduced tillage is a continuous learning process requiring ongoing training and information gathering; supporting a network of reduced tillage ‘farmer champions’ would facilitate practical knowledge exchange, allow farmers to observe soil improvements, understand transition phase barriers and ultimately encourage increased reduced tillage uptake.     

MAKING SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION SUSTAINABLE: FROM COERCION AND CONTROL TO PARTNERSHIPS AND PARTICIPATION

For close to a century, rural development policies and practice have taken the view that farmers are mismanagers of soil and water. This paper reviews the history of farmers being advised, paid and forced to adopt new soil and water conservation measures and practices. Many have done so, and environments and economies have benefited in the short term, but ill-conceived policies and badly designed programmes and projects have undermined these efforts in the name of conservation. Most efforts have been remarkably unsuccessful, often resulting in more erosion. They have undermined the credibility of conservation and wasted huge sums of money. For a new era of soil and water conservation, new initiatives are showing how to make conservation sustainable. Farmers are now considered the potential solution rather than the problem, and so the value of local knowledge and skills is being put at the core of new programmes. This involves a major focus on building farmers' capacity to innovate and develop technologies appropriate to their own conditions. Local organizations are strengthened through participatory processes, this participation being interactive and empowering. Recent evidence is indicating that these new interactions between professionals and farmers are producing considerable productive and sustainable benefits. For widespread impact, enabling policy frameworks are still needed to encourage the spread of more sustainable practices for agriculture. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国21世纪水土保持工作的思考

水土资源是人类生存的基本资源 ,是国民经济持续发展的基础。按照国家生态环境建设规划要求 ,2 1世纪水土保持工作任务繁重而艰巨。 2 1世纪水土保持的特点是内涵不断扩充 ,综合性日益突出 ,大量运用高新技术 ,产业进一步发展。建议提高水土流失治理的科技含量 ,培养和建立一支高水平、高素质的水土保持队伍 ,引进新的监测技术与管理手段 ,建立一批高水平的综合治理试验示范工程和基地     

Social psychology predictors for the adoption of soil conservation measures in Central Chile

With low adoption rates of soil conservation measures (SCM) widespread, we examine determinants of current and potential future adoption in the ‘Secano Costero’ region of Central Chile. Randomly selected farmers (N = 140) spent an equivalent of 48 000 CLP/year (∼79 US$) on SCM. Contingent valuation of a hypothesized soil conservation programme revealed a willingness‐to‐pay of 30 610 CLP/year (∼50·4 US$) for future adoption. Social‐psychology variables from Protection Motivation Theory (PMT; response efficacy, perceived barriers) were used to predict current and potential future adoption. Current spending on SCM is influenced by perceptions of (1) erosion problem severity, (2) response efficacy of SCM, (3) farming problems and (4) barriers (lack of labour and draught animals). In addition, farm size and education were significant predictors. Willingness‐to‐pay for future adoption of SCM is influenced by farmer perception of (1) response efficacy of SCM, and (2) community support to the programme as well as farm size, age and gender. Our results suggest that formal psychometric scale development for social‐psychology predictors for the adoption of SCM, e.g. based on PMT, is a promising avenue for the analysis of soil conservation decisions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Participatory soil and water conservation planning using a financial analysis tool in the West Usambara highlands of Tanzania

Despite decades of soil and water conservation (SWC) efforts in Tanzania, the adoption of the recommended SWC measures by farmers is minimal. In the past, SWC plans did not incorporate farmers' knowledge, and the economics of SWC was not given much attention at the planning stage. This research evaluated the applicability of two tools for participatory soil erosion mapping using farmers' indicators of soil erosion and financial analysis of SWC measures at the planning stage. The two tools were evaluated in Kwalei catchment in the West Usambara highlands, Tanzania. The participatory soil erosion‐mapping tool uses farmers' indicators of soil erosion to identify, classify and map soil erosion at the catchment level. The financial analysis tool involves farmers in a stepwise analysis of the costs and benefits of SWC measures before the implementation. The erosion‐mapping tool increased farmers' awareness on the severity of soil erosion problems, and they realised the need for SWC plans at both field and catchment scales. With the financial analysis tool farmers participated in the cost and benefits analysis and were able to select SWC options that were feasible under their socio‐economic situation. The two tools were able to demonstrate that farmers' participation in SWC planning increases the acceptance of SWC measures because they solve problems that are perceived by themselves. The financial analysis tool demonstrated how farmers could make selection of SWC measures that are feasible under their biophysical and economic condition if they are informed about the costs and benefits. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

取消“两工”对水土保持工程建设的影响及对策

 农村义务工和劳动积累工统称“两工”,“两工”是水土保持工程建设的主要投入渠道。取消“两工”使水土保持工作面临严峻的挑战,每年投入缺口在150亿元左右。根据农村经济体制改革和公共财政体系建设的基本原理,建议:探索建立水土保持生态建设投入新机制,即政府把水土保持生态建设纳入公共财政体系,加大投入力度;探索建立农民投工投劳专项转移支付制度和水土保持生态补偿制度;鼓励公众参与编制水土保持规划,采取民办公助等形式,调动农民参与水土保持生态建设的积极性。     

生产建设项目水土保持综合评价

生产建设项目水土保持综合评价是不同项目分类治理的依据。采用层次分析法,以生产建设项目水土保持最主要的水土流失状况、水土保持防治效果、水土流失危害3个方面为基础,构建了水土保持评价模型,并对不同类型生产建设项目水土保持效益进行了分析。结果表明,点状生产建设项目水土保持效益要大于线状项目,点状项目水土保持效益波动性比线状项目要小;点状生产建设项目中房地产类项目水土保持效益最大,其次为电厂项目,最后为矿场项目,水土保持效益波动性从大到小顺序依次为电厂项目、矿场项目、房地产项目。     

Indigenous soil and water conservation: A review of the state of knowledge and prospects for building on traditions

After half a century of failed soil and water conservation projects in tropical developing countries, technical specialists and policy makers are reconsidering their strategy. It is increasingly recognised that the land users have valuable environmental knowledge themselves. This review explores two hypotheses: first, that much can be learned from previously ignored indigenous soil and water conservation (ISWC) practices; second, that ISWC can often act as a suitable starting point for the development of technologies and programmes. However, information on ISWC is patchy and scattered. Many ancient, derelict systems are better described than traditions which still persist today. ISWC has been most commonly developed under dry and marginal conditions, and/or on steep hillsides. Sustained population pressure has often tended to stimulate ISWC. There is a need for more incorporation of ISWC into resource conservation programmes: many projects have ignored local traditions to their detriment. It is widely agreed that further study and research on ISWC is required and justified as a logical starting point towards developing adoptable and sustainable soil and water conservation systems for small-scale farmers.     

THREE‐STAGE ANALYSIS OF THE ADOPTION OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION IN THE HIGHLANDS OF RWANDA

This paper investigates the adoption of bench terraces by applying a three‐stage analysis using data from 301 households in the highlands of Rwanda. Ongoing adoption of bench terraces is ‘unpacked’ to consider both adopters willing to retain and increase the intensity of using terraces already constructed and new adopters willing to develop new bench terraces. Results suggest that farmers' inability to maintain existing terraces may explain the reluctance to adopt new terraces. The same inability explains why some of the terraces constructed earlier are not well maintained and fully used by farmers in northern and southern Rwanda. Policy actions aimed at improving farmer's capacity to invest in complementary inputs will sustain future generations of soil and water conservation measures in Rwanda. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

窝铺山区生态农业的建设研究

文章探讨了发展山区农业经济的问题,如何利用自然资源,利用现代科学技术建设生态农业系统工程,发展农业生产、振兴山区经济.按照“多层利用型”、“综合利用型”及“循环利用型”三种生态农业单元进行建设与研究.运用生态经济学原理与系统工程方法,以小流域综合治理、保持水土为基础,以发展林果业、城郊型畜牧业为重点,充分利用光、热、水、土等自然资源和现代科学技术,走种、养、加的路子,实现物质能量的多层次循环利用与转换,提高了农民的科学文化素质,获得了良好的经济效益、生态效益和社会效益.     

Mitigating soil erosion through farm-level adoption of soil and water conservation measures in Samanalawewa Watershed,Sri Lanka

Abstract

Soil erosion by water is currently one of the most notable types of land degradation in Samanalawewa Watershed in Sri Lanka, creating copious environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Thus, with the aim of detecting and mapping the rates of human-induced soil erosion in the watershed, remote sensing and geographic information system based modelling and field experiments were carried out. The results of the assessment disclosed that the present rate of human-induced soil erosion varies from 0 to 289 t ha^?1 yr^?1 with the majority of the area exceeding the natural rate of soil erosion by 14 to 33 times at present. However, the average rate of human-induced soil erosion has declined dramatically from 19.8 to 4.3 t ha^?1 yr^?1 from 1986 to 2008. In order to analyse the significant determinants of farm-level adoption of soil and water conservation measures, binary logistic regression procedure was applied using the data collected through a household survey (n = 201). The most significant (p<0.01) variables of the study were the farmers’ perceptions of soil erosion problems, gender of the household head, training on soil and water conservation, and ascertained advice from agricultural extension officers while the variables regarding past awareness about soil conservation technologies and off-farm income were significant at p<0.05. Furthermore, the study revealed that the majority (60.2%) of the farmers in the study area had been adopting different types of soil and water conservation measures for a prolonged period of time. Therefore, owing to the current decreasing rate of soil erosion, the soil and water conservation costs and the ratios of human-induced soil erosion vs natural soil erosion had declined significantly while the productivity of their lands had gone up.     

A Critical Review of the Water Balance and Agronomic Effects of Conservation Tillage under Rain‐fed Agriculture in Ethiopia

About 80% of Ethiopia's population is involved in rain‐fed agriculture. Moisture stress coupled with traditional tillage with breaking ard plough, locally known as ‘Maresha ’ are the major limiting factors for agricultural production. Soil erosion, low infiltration and decline agricultural productivity because of conventional tillage implement have been frequently reported. In order to curve this situation and meet the huge food demand of the growing population, different conservation tillage systems have been implemented. However, there is limited information about the impacts of the practices. This review paper therefore aimed at providing adequate information concerning the impacts of the practices on water balance and crop yield. Systematic, best evidence and narrative review techniques were used. Results revealed that the application of conservation tillage had brought significant improvement on water balance and agricultural production. Researchers found over 50% decreased in surface runoff, 9 to 40% improvement in water productivity and good crop transpiration (T = 53 mm season⁻¹), compared to conventional tillage T = 49 mm‐season⁻¹ because of conservation tillage implement. Moreover, doubled grain yield was obtained from ridging, subsoiling and wing plough (1076, 1044 and 1040 kg ha⁻¹, respectively) compared to traditional tillage which resulted in 540 kg ha⁻¹. Improving water balance and agricultural production in rain‐fed agriculture need to reduce evaporation and surface runoff through improving moisture retention and transpiration. This could be achieved by the adoption of conservation tillage which can improve on‐farm water balance, yields and water productivity among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.