Conservation agriculture: Case studies in Latin America and Africa
The purpose of this publication is to show how conservation agriculture can increase crop production while reducing erosion and reversing soil fertility decline, improving rural livelihoods and restoring the environment in developing countries. Soil organic matter and biological activity in the rooting zone, stimulated by continual additions of fresh organic material (crop residues and cover crops) are the basis of conservation agriculture, as described in the first chapter.
The cases demonstrate the need for policy environments, institutions, and practices to be integrated to meet the demand for food, to reduce poverty, and to utilise resources in an environmentally, socially, and financially sustainable way. They illustrate the importance of production systems that are capable of continually adapting to changing social, economic and environmental conditions. Additionally, the cases show the importance of reliable support facilities to facilitate the transition of farms from subsistence to more intensive systems of farming.
