Are Conservation Agriculture

practices reducing (negative)

impacts of seasonal climate

variability in Ethiopia?

Hae Koo Kim

CIMMYT-Ethiopia

Global Conservation Agriculture Program

2014.3.19

How to limit the negative effects of climate change in Africa’s

agricultural productivity?

Adaptation to climate change:

- Irrigation

- Improved new crop varieties or livestock species

(better adapted to a specific environment)

- Crop diversification

- Adoption of mixed crop and livestock systems

- Change of planting dates

Climate change

& CA

SIMLESA in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia:

• Main SIMLESA

supported by ACIAR (2010-14)

• SIMLESA expansion

supported by AusAID (2012-14)

- Implemented by federal and regional

research institute of the country under 8

research centres

- Covers 17 districts/communities

(on-station/on-farm exploratory trials)

- Different maize-legume agro-ecologies

Evaluation of different tillage practices and cropping systems

• Tillage practices

– Conservation tillage (CA)

– Conventional tillage (CP)

• Cropping systems

– Sole crop (maize/bean)

– Intercropping

– Rotation

Maize under CA vs. CP

Maize / Bean rotation

Maize/bean intercropping Bean under CA vs. CP

On farm exploratory trials

Semi-arid agroecology (Melkassa)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Ye

arl

y r

ain

fall

(m

m)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Sub-humid agroecology (Bako)

Ye

arl

y r

ain

fall

(m

m)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Biomodal rainfall (Hawassa)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

>High variability in yearly rainfall-Bako: 1290mm (890-1550mm)-Hawassa: 1015mm (750-1300mm)-Melkassa: 880mm (550-1100mm)

Seasonal climate variability

Apr May June July August Sep Oct Nov

Mo

nth

ly r

ain

fall

(m

m)

0

100

200

300

400

500

2010

2011

2012

2013

>Erratic rainfall distribution during the cropping season

• Central rift valley

• Rainfall distribution during cropping seasons

• 300-800mm

• Seasonal variability > 260mm

Seasonal climate variability

Cum

ulat

ed ra

infa

ll(m

m)

200

400

600

800

Shalla

Days after sowing

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

0

200

400

600

800

20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Meki

2010

2011

2012 264mm

292mm

389mm273mm

Boset Adamitulu

On-farm yield variability• Better

performance of

CA vs. CP in

Shalla &

Adami Tulu

• Poor

performance of

CA in Bofa

(water logging,

sandy soil)

Days between Silking and PM

40 45 50 55 60 65 70

Ma

ize

yie

ld (

kg

/ha)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Days to Physiological maturity

100 105 110 115 120 125 130

2011 2012

R2=0.96

Effects on crop physiology

• In 2011, drought after anthesis had major effect on yield

• In 2012, yield was related to overall time to physiological maturity

Biomass (stover) production

Bio

mas

s (k

g/h

a)

Yield variability

Maize

Yie

ld (

t h

a-1

)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14bCommon bean

2011

2012

2013

Sole maize Rotation Intercropping

CA CP CA CP CA CP

Sole maize Rotation Intercropping

CA CP CA CP CA CP

Sole bean

-High variability of Maize grain yield under rainfed conditions (Hawassa)

-Bean under CA provide a significant advantage under high season variability

Effect on Soil moisture

• Soil moisture

content at harvest

• Depending on CS,

the MC is different

under CA or CP

• Sole cropping vs.

intercropping

systems

• Possible better use available water by intercropping in

low moisture stress year

CP

CA CP

CA

Effect on Soil moisture

Best bet CA technologies?

-Maize/Common bean intercropping under CA-Relay cropping during low moisture stress seasons

-Rotation Maize-Soybean-Intercropping Maize/Soybean -Intercropping Maize/Haricot bean

-Rotation Maize-Haricot bean-Intercropping Maize/Forage

Diversification withLegume/forage for livestock(cowpea, groundnut…)

-Rotation -Bio fertilizer on Soybean-Min tillage and residue retention-Intercropping M/B (fertilizer + min till)

Summary• CA works well in some agroecological conditions

• Effect on soil composition/structure (top soil)

• Diversification (legume/cash crop)

• Use of CA advantages (higher water holding capacity…)

• CA adoption

– Agroecology-dependent strategy

– Adaptation of “tested” package

– Farm/Household size/composition

– Change of mindset of farmers (“pioneer spirit”)

Multiple Strategies

Technological options

Co

nse

rvat

ion

Agr

icu

ltu

re

Conventional Agriculture

High/Low Climate VariabilityIdentification of Agroecologies(Soil characteristics)

Socio-economic issues:-Farm size/typology-Household composition…

Cropping Systems

Maize

Legumes/Forages

Intercropping

Rotation

Relay/Double cropping

Rainfall amount

Adaptation to Climate change:

- Irrigation

- Improved new crop varieties

or livestock species

- Crop diversification

- Adoption of mixed crop and

livestock systems

- Change of planting dates

Food for Thoughts…• “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of

wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is

understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

• “The fear of Mother Nature might be the

beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of

Agriculture is understanding…”

• “Seeing is Believing” “Believing is Seeing”

• “Wise” use of available CA options adapted to

seasonal climate variability:

Support “Farmers’ Wisdom Agriculture”

Acknowledgements

- Feyera Liben- Goshime Muluneh- Alemayehu Zemede- Tadesse Shiferaw- Zerihun Abebe- Solomon Admassu- Solomon Jemal

- Fred Kanampiu- Mulugetta Mekuria

Let’s think creatively

for scaling out

CA technologies

across Africa!