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Conservation Agriculture

Conservation agriculture (CA) is a resource-saving agricultural practice aimed at enhancing natural processes while achieving sustainable production and environmental conservation. It involves principles such as minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and diversified crop rotation, which collectively improve soil health and productivity. Despite its benefits, challenges such as lack of knowledge and appropriate equipment hinder its widespread adoption, especially in developing regions like India.

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10 views28 pages

Conservation Agriculture

Conservation agriculture (CA) is a resource-saving agricultural practice aimed at enhancing natural processes while achieving sustainable production and environmental conservation. It involves principles such as minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and diversified crop rotation, which collectively improve soil health and productivity. Despite its benefits, challenges such as lack of knowledge and appropriate equipment hinder its widespread adoption, especially in developing regions like India.

Uploaded by

sarikapatlan2110
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Conservation Agriculture- its Significance

in Future Agriculture
What is conservation agriculture

Definition:
1. Conservation agriculture (CA) is described by FAO as a
concept for resource saving agricultural crop production
which is based on enhancing natural and biological process
above and below ground.
2. As per FAO definition CA is to:
i) achieve acceptable profits
ii) high and sustained production levels, and
iii) conserve the environment
CA goals defined by FAO

1. CA aims to conserve, improve and make more efficient


use of natural resources through integrated management of
available soil, water and biological resources combined
with external inputs.
2. It contributes to environmental conservation as well as to
enhanced and sustained agricultural production.
3. It can also be referred to as resource efficient or resource
effective agriculture.
HISTORY AND
DEVELOPMENT OF CA

Global scenario of CA
Indian scenario of CA
✓ Globally, CA is practiced in 157.8 M ha or
✓ Currently over 10 M ha of arable
on about 11 % of the 1400 million ha of
crop land under CA system is in
arable land world wide (FAO,2017).
Asia out of which 15% is in India.
✓ USA is the pioneer country in adopting the
4
CA
BENEFITS OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

5
Principles of conservation agriculture
1. Minimum mechanical soil disturbance
2. Permanent organic soil cover
3. Diversified crop rotation
PRINCIPLES OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

7
PRINCIPLES OF CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

8
1. Minimum soil disturbance

✓ CA reduces significantly the number of passes over field and


consequently soil compaction.
✓ Contributes to optimum proportions of macro and micro pores in
active rooting zone more porous for water movement, retention
and release of nutrients.

9
Controlled traffic

✓ Soil compaction is reduced.

10
2.Permanent or semi-permanent soil cover through MULCHING and
COVER CROPS
✓ Cover crops contribute to the accumulation
of organic matter

✓ Permanent soil cover is vital for protecting


the soil from the beating action of rain drops
and direct sun shine effect.

✓ Alters the micro climate of the soil.

11
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3.Diversified crop rotations

✓ The rotation of crops having


dissimilar rooting configurations
along with zero till systems
helps in developing more
extensive root system and
macro pores in the soil.

✓ Helps in checking of pathogens.

CROP
DIVERSIFICA
TION

13
BENEFITS OF CA

AGRONOMIC BENEFITS ECONOMIC BENEFITS


❖Improvement in soil productivity
❖Time and labour requirement
❖Increase in organic matter saving
❖Soil water conservation ❖Reduction of costs

❖Improvement in soil structure ❖Higher efficiency

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
❖ Reduction in soil erosion
❖ Improvement in water quality
❖Improvement in air quality
❖ Increase in biodiversity
❖ carbon sequestration
Constraints for adoption of CA
➢ Lack of appropriate seeders especially for small and medium scale
farmers
➢ The wide spread use of crop residues for livestock feed and as fuel
➢ Burning of crop residues
➢ Lack of knowledge about the potential of CA to agricultural
workers, extension agents and farmers
Why does CA represent a new paradigm?
Conventional agriculture over the years leads to soil threats
1. Soil erosion/desertification
2. Soil organic matter reduction
3. Soil contamination
4. Soil compaction
5. Extra CO2 emission into atmosphere
6. Lesser storage of water in the soil profile
7. Decline in soil biodiversity
8. Floods and land slides
But conservation agriculture

1. Is significantly different approach to land husbandry because it


involves adoption of biological tillage principles.
2. Starts from the principle that soil disturbance through mechanical
tillage is detrimental.
3. Practices were developed to target in particular the issue of
erosion through reducing tillage effort and leaving 30% soil
cover by mulching with crop residue.
4. Involves change of practice on part of the farmer, but adoption of
CA requires a more radical shift in thinking- a new paradigm.
Different means/practices of conservation agriculture

1. Managing Topography

➢ Contour Farming
➢ Strip Farming
➢ Terracing
➢ Waterways
2. Conservation tillage

It is any tillage and planting system that maintains at


least 30% of the soil surface covered by residues after planting
to reduce water erosion
Types of conservation tillage
No tillage or Zero tillage
A practice in which soil disturbance is limited only to the spot
where the seed would be placed. Weeds are controlled by herbicides or
secondary tillage.
Reduced tillage
Little soil disturbance before sowing to break the crust, loosen
compact soil and prepare seedbed. Weed control done by herbicides or
secondary tillage.
Mulch tillage
The objective is to leave crop residue to serve as mulch. A variety
of implements are used to incorporate a part of crop residue into the soil,
the remainder is left on top.
TWO SIDES OF NO-TILL

PAYOFFS TRADE-OFFS

✓ Reduce soil erosion ✓ Transition from conventional farming

✓ Conserve water to no-till is difficult

✓ Improve soil health ✓ Necessary equipment is costly

✓ Reduce fuel and labor costs ✓ Heavier reliance on herbicides

✓ Reduce sediment and fertilizer ✓ Prevalence of weeds, disease and other

pollution of lakes and streams pests may shift in unexpected way

✓ Sequesters carbon ✓ May initially require more nitrogen


fertilizer

✓ Can slow germination and reduce


yields.
3. Providing Soil Cover
A. Mulching

Prevents splash erosion by heavy


rains and surface runoff

Improves soil texture by adding


organic matter

B. Cover crops

Recycle nutrients and water

Enhance microbial activity


4. Crop Rotation

5. Direct Planting

Planting stick ‘Jobbe’ Jab planter

6. Permanent raised bed


7. Animal Husbandry
➢Livestock is an opportunity for CA, especially for small farmers.

➢Livestock production can be integrated for recycling of nutrients.

➢Forage crops can be used for fodder and soil cover.


➢Controlled grazing is essential.
8. Specialized Equipments

Bed Planter LASER Land Leveler

No-Till Cotton Planter Animal-Drawn Direct Seeder


A comparison between traditional and conservation agriculture
Issues Traditional Agriculture (TA) Conservation agriculture (CA)
Practice Disturbs the soil and leaves a bare Minimum soil disturbance and soil surface
surface permanently covered
Erosion Wind and soil erosion maximum Minimum

Soil physical health Poor Good


Compaction Reduces compaction by Compaction can be a problem but use of
destroying biological pores mulch and promotion of biological tillage
helps to reduce this problem
Soil biological health Poor due to frequent disturbance More diverse and healthy biological
properties and populations
Water infiltration Lowest after soil pores clogged Best water infiltration
Soil organic matter Oxidizes soil organic matter and Soil organic build-up in the surface layers
causes its loss even better than TA
Weeds Controls weeds and also causes Weeds are problem especially in the early
more weed seeds to germinate stage of adoption
Soil temperature Surface soil temperature Moderated
more variable
Diesel use and cost High Low
Production costs High Low
Yield Can be lower where planting Yields same as TA but can be the highest if
delayed planting is done more timely

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