Conservation Agriculture - Advantages and Limitations

Financial advantages for farmers:

• Greater stability in yields, higher ratio of outputs to inputs
• Reduced demand for labour
• Lower costs of farm power through reduced tillage and weeding
• Resilience to drought (improved water capture, moisture retention)
• Release of labour at key times in year

Benefits to community and society:

• More reliable and cleaner water supplies (lower treatment costs)
• Less flooding through water retention and slower run-off
• Less damage to infrastructure
• Better food and water security

Environmental advantages:

• Conserves soil and water hence better hydrology and river flows
• Reduced incidence and intensity of desertification
• Increased biodiversity
• Lower levels of soil sediments in rivers, dams and irrigation systems
• Greater carbon sequestration and retention in soils
• Reduced emissions of greenhouse gases
• Less water pollution from pesticides and applied nutrients
• Less soil compaction through reduced use of heavy farm machinery

• The “plough” has become the symbol of agriculture, many still think that agriculture is only possible through use of tillage approach.
• Most small-holder farmers rely on using their crop residues for animal feed/ fuel, reducing the availability for other agricultural practices.
• Communal grazing rights often apply in rural communities making it difficult to decide unilaterally to keep residues on the fields.
• The principal function of tillage is weed control and so, when tillage stops, weed control becomes a major factor.
• Small-holder farmers are often poorly linked to knowledge and information systems to offer them alternative approaches.
• Farmers without secure access to land may be reticent to invest their time and effort in conserving and improving the land.
• Small-scale equipment for seeding crops without tillage are not readily available in many regions.
• The principles of conservation agriculture need to be adapted to local biophysical conditions and farmer circumstances. This takes time.
• Often the policies and procedures of governments and international institutions tend to favour short-term approaches only.