Unit-III

Conservation Agriculture (CA)

Conservation Agriculture is a set of soil management practices that minimize the
disruption of the soil's structure, composition and natural biodiversity. Despite high variability in
the types of crops grown and specific management regimes, all forms of conservation agriculture
share three core principles. These include:

o maintenance of permanent or semi-permanent soil cover (using either a previous crop

residue or specifically growing a cover crop for this purpose);
o minimum soil disturbance through tillage (just enough to get the seed into the ground) ;
o regular crop rotations to help combat the various biotic constraints;

Conservation Agriculture also uses or promotes where possible or needed various

management practices listed below:

o utilization of green manures/cover crops (GMCC's) to produce the residue cover;

o no burning of crop residues;
o integrated disease and pest management;
o controlled/limited human and mechanical traffic over agricultural soils.

When these Conservation Agriculture practices are used by farmers one of the major
environmental benefits is reduction in fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. But
they also reduce the power/energy needs of farmers who use manual or animal powered systems.

Other Important Definitions

Conservation agriculture is largely the product of the collective efforts of a number of
previous agricultural movements, including no-till agriculture, agroforestry, green manures/cover
crops, direct planting/seeding, integrated pest management, and conservation tillage among
many others. Yet CA is distinct from each of these so-called agricultural packages, even as it
draws upon many of their core principles. This is because CA uses many of the available
technologies in unison, resulting in something many believe to be much greater than the "sum of
its parts."

The following terms are often confused with conservation agriculture:

NO-till (NT)/Zero till (ZT)

NT and ZT are technical components used in conservation agriculture that simply involve the
absence of tillage/plowing operations on the soil. Crops are planted directly into a seedbed not
tilled after harvesting the previous crop. Not everyone utilizing no-till technologies adopts other
important components of CA. One major difference is that NT or ZT do not necessarily leave
residue mulch. Some recent research data suggests this is vital, since without the residue mulch
many of the benefits of CA are lost or decreased in value.

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  Conservation tillage/ Minimum tillage/ Reduced tillage
These are tillage operations that leave at least 30% of the soil surface covered by plant
residues in order to increase water infiltration and cut down on soil erosion and runoff.
Conservation tillage is an intermediate form of CA since it keeps some soil cover as
residue from the previous crop. But some tillage is usually done. It developed as a
management system after the “Dust Bowl” of the 1930’s in the Mid-West areas of the
USA. It was found to reduce erosion by protecting the soil surface from wind and rain.

 Direct planting, direct drilling, plantio direto and siembra directa

These are terms used for ZT in other countries like Australia and South America. They
use special equipment (e.g. NT drill) to plant seeds directly into crop residues left on the
soil surface without preparing a seedbed beforehand.

 Direct seeding
This term is usually associated with growing a rice crop like any other cereal crop
without producing seedlings that are then transplanted into the main field. However, it
can also be called NT or ZT if the seed are drilled without tillage.
 Organic farming

Organic agriculture does not permit the use of synthetic chemicals to produce plant and
animal products, relying instead on the management of soil organic matter (SOM) and
biological processes. In some parts of the world, farms must be inspected and certified
before their food products can be sold as organic, indicating that no synthetic chemicals
were used in producing them. But organic farming uses the principles of CA to some
extent and one objective similar to CA is to maintain and improve soil health. Unlike
organic farming, CA does allow farmers to apply synthetic chemical fertilizers,
fungicides, pesticides and herbicides. Many farmers rely on using these to control weed
and pest problems, particularly during the early transition years. As soil physical,
chemical and biological health improves over time; the use of agrichemicals can be
significantly reduced or, in some cases, phased out entirely.

 Low external input sustainable Agriculture or Low input sustainable Agriculture

(LEISA/LISA). It means Minimal use of external production inputs. In view of the limited
access of most farmers to artificial external inputs, the limited value of these inputs under low
external input agriculture (LEIA) conditions, the ecological and social threats of ‘green
revolution’ technology and the dangers of production on nonrenewable energy sources, the
strong emphasis on High External Input Agriculture (HEIA) in agricultural development must be
questioned. However, it is also open to question whether it will be possible to raise world food
production sufficiently without the use of such external inputs. Besides, natural as opposed to
artificial inputs can also have detrimental environmental effects.
LEISA is an option which is feasible for a large number of farmers and which can
complement other forms of agricultural production. As most farmers are not in a position to use
artificial inputs or can use them only in small quantities, it is necessary to concentrate on

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technologies that make efficient use of local resources. Also, those farmers who now practice
HEIA could reduce contamination and costs and increase the efficiency of the external inputs by
applying some LEISA techniques. It is important that the agro-ecological knowledge of both
scientists and farmers can be applied, so that internal and external inputs can be combined in
such a way that the natural resources are conserved and enhanced. Productivity and security are
increased and negative environmental effects are avoided.

A. LEISA refers to those forms of agriculture that-

• Seek to optimize the use of locally available resources by combining the different components
of the farm system, i.e., plants, animals, soil, water, climate and people, so that they complement
each other and have the greatest possible synergetic effects.
• Seek ways of using external inputs only to the extent that they are needed to provide elements
that are deficient in the ecosystem and to enhance available biological, physical and human
resources. In using external inputs, attention is given mainly to maximum recycling and
minimum detrimental impact on the environment.
• LEISA does not aim at maximum production of short duration but rather at a stable and
adequate production level over the long term. LEISA seeks to maintain and, where possible,
enhance the natural resources and make maximum use of natural processes. Where part of the
production is marketed, opportunities are sought to regain the nutrients brought to the market.

B. Sustainable agro ecosystems

An alternative to the chemical dependence is to maximize the contributions of bio diversity to
pest control and nutrient cycling and to attain optimal productivity with minimal inputs. Edwards
and Grove (1991) proposed an analogous term for management of nutrients, integrated nutrient
management. This approach capitalizes the adaptive features of traditional systems and
incorporates additional advantages of conventional and innovative technology. It is important to
recognize a strong link between the availability of organic matter and both bio diversity and
nutrient cycling (Palm et. al., 1987). The practice in many developing countries of removing
organic matter from the land for fuel and other purposes is a serious constraint to long-term
sustainability (Oram, 1988). The most sustainable farming practices and components of the man
managed bio diversity can be developed only by understanding the functions of the agro
ecosystem and low social and economic conditions of the farmers and their climatic and
environments impact upon overall crop and animal productivity. No matter how well the agro
ecosystem functions biologically, it is sustainable only if it is socially and economically sound
(Altieri, 1987).
Advantages
• Production costs are low,
• Overall risk of the farmer is considerably reduced,
• Pollution of water is avoided,
• Healthy food very little or no pesticide residue is ensured,
• Ensure both short and long term profitability.
Disadvantages
Continuation of LEISA will perpetuate a vicious circle of “low input-low yields” which the third
world countries with even increasing population cannot afford. The solution for this is the

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 optimal input farming which will meet the requirement of sustainability with the promise of low
input/unit of output. It lays emphasis on law of diminishing returns.

Integrated farming system (IFS)

Historical Background

India with 2.2 per cent of global geographical area supports more than 15 per cent of the total
world population, 70 per cent of whom depend on agriculture. It also supports nearly 15 per cent
of the total livestock population of the world. One-third of the gross national product comes from
agricultural sector. During 2050 A.D., 349 m. tones of food, 25 m. tones of vegetable oil and 92
m.m3 of industrial wood shall be needed for approximately 1667 million people.
As of now, out 328.73 m. ha of geographical area approximately 18 per cent is under
forest; only 13.5 per cent is not available for cultivation. Total problem areas constitute 173.65
m. has which include areas subject to wind and water erosion (145 m. ha), water-logged areas
(8.53 m. ha), alkali soils (3.58 m. ha), saline and coastal sandy areas (5.50 m. ha), ravines and
gullies (3.97 m. ha), shifting cultivation (4.91 m. ha) and reverie torrents (2.73 m. ha). Besides
40 m. ha are prone to flood and 260 m. ha are drought prone. Thus the net sown area is 136.18
m. ha (41.42 per cent of the total geographical area) (Subbaian et. al., 2000).
Unlike industries, agriculture is practiced by 105 m. farm families who live in 0.6 m.
villages. More than 40 per cent of them are below the poverty line. Nearly 85 m. farm families
belong to small and marginal categories. In spite of increase in food production, after the
independence of the country, only in north-western India, per capita food production has
increased and it has declined in other parts of the country. The per capita availability of land
during the same period has declined from 0.48–0.15 ha by 2000 A.D. Per capita investment in
agricultural infrastructure is the lowest in eastern India, where the density of population is the
highest. Only 25–30 per cent of the modern agricultural technologies have reached the farmers.
This is often because the technology has not been consistent with conditions of the farm
situations.
The IFS defined as the biologically integrated farming system which integrates natural
resources regulation mechanisms into farming activities to achieve maximum replacement of off
farm inputs, secures sustainable production of high quality food and other products through
ecologically proffered technology, sustain farm income, reduces sources of present environment
pollutions generated by agriculture and sustain the multiple function of agriculture.

Objectives-

 providing an adequate supply of good quality food and other products in an efficient manner;
 minimizing consumption of non-renewable and other resources; and
 reducing the need for pesticides, and reducing costs whilst maintaining soil fertility.

IFS is based on utilizing traditional crop management techniques, livestock management and
balancing the economics of agricultural production systems with environmental management.
The combination of techniques employed include:-

 crop rotations;varietal selection to minimize pesticide use;

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 appropriate and timely cultivations, including cultural weed control methods in preference to
chemical control;
 optimized inorganic and organic fertilizer use; and
 optimal pesticide use.

Integrated farming system models for India

 Cropping: mono or multiple.

 Fish culture.
 Pig-cum-fish farming.
 Livestock
 Sheep/goat rearing.
 Poultry-cum-fish farming.
 Fish-cum-duck farming.
 Cropping -cum –mushroom.
 Sericulture.
 Apiculture (bee Keeping)

Characteristics

1. It is holistic or system oriented,

2. It is problems solving: involvement of farmers in problem identification and solving
process,
3. It is farmer participatory,
4. It envisages location specific technology solutions,
5. It is for specific client group – small/ marginal farmer,
6. It adopts bottom up approach,
7. It compasses extensive on farm activities, collaboration between farmer and scientist,
8. It is gender sensitive,
9. It ultimate objective is sustainability,
10.It focuses on actual adoption,
11.It recognizes interdependence among multiple clients.