Thumbnail Image

Conservation agriculture for smallholder farmers in dryland areas, Kenya

Year of publication 2008

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 5p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Document

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The Laikipia district, in the Rift Valley of Kenya, is located on the plateau north west of Mount Kenya. Due to its leeward position, the district is significantly dry, with aridity increasing from the slopes of the mountain to the dry lowlands. Inadequate rainfall and periods of drought have caused land degradation and soil erosion, affecting the productivity of agriculture and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in these arid and semi-arid areas. Two Farmer Field Schools (FFS) established in the district introduced Conservation Agriculture (CA)principles and techniques which mitigated the impact of drought on farm production and on the environment. The goal of conservation agriculture is to maintain and improve crop yields and resilience against drought and other hazards, while at the same time protecting and stimulating the biological function of the soil.

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Document
    Labour saving technologies and practices: Conservation Agriculture 2011
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    This technology includes features of conservation agriculture, conservation tillage, conservation tillage equipment including the -hand operated jab planter- and features of cover crops. All those practices are labour saving technologies.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Document
    Soil conservation: Contour ploughing, Grenada 2008
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Contour ploughing mitigates the impacts of floods, storms and landslides on the crops by reducing soil erosion up to 50 percent, controlling runoff water, increasing moisture infiltration and retention and thus enhancing soil quality and composition. This practice describes contour ploughing and contour beds which can be constructed manually using on farm equipment.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Document
    Zero / minimum tillage in rice-wheat system in Nepal 2013
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    By tradition, in the Terai region farmers believe that wheat planting needs well-prepared and pulverized soil for high yields, carrying out several plowings and harrowing. However, after rice, land is marshy or wet and ploughing is not possible, delaying wheat planting. Zero or minimum tillage provides minimum disturbance of the soil by placing the seeds directly in furrows. Seeds are then covered with well-decomposed compost and rice stubbles left in the field. Some advantages of zero-tillage is the reduction of about 30% in the use of water, compared to conventional tillage, as well as an improvement in the physical properties of soil. In addition, by planting wheat in time, higher yields may be obtained.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.