Conservation Agriculture and Soil Fertility Improvements: Indications from Smallholder Farmers in Chafukuma, Solwezi , Zambia
Keywords:
Conventional Agriculture, Crop Residue Retention, Crop Rotations, Kansanshi Foundation, Minimum Tillage
Abstract
This study assessed the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) practices on soil fertility of smallholder farmers’ agricultural fields in Chafukuma, North Western Zambia. A total of 34 paired soil samples from adjacent agricultural fields in which CA and conventional agriculture (CV) had been practiced for at least five years were analysed for significant differences in plant available phosphorus (P), exchangeable potassium (K), total nitrogen (N), soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil reaction (pH). Smallholder farmers’ CA practices and their perceptions of CA’s effects on soil fertility were investigated through 34 semi structured interviews. Secondary data on CA was collected through desk analysis of CA publications. The study found evidence of CA associated improvements in soil fertility (Tcalc= 4.520, p < 0.0001). This improvement was attributed to the consistent use of good agronomic practices in CA fields whereas these practices were mostly absent from CV fields. The study concludes that CA improved soil fertility in agricultural fields of smallholder farmers in Chafukuma, and could be promoted in CA systems in other high rainfall areas of Zambia provided all the important agronomic practices are utilized consistently. Most of the CA associated agronomic practices could also be extended to CV fields successfully.References
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2. Erenstein, O. (2012). Crop residue mulching in tropical and semi-tropical countries: An evaluation of residue availability and other technological implications. Soil and tillage Research 67 (2), pp.115-133.
3. Giller, K.E., Tittonell, P., Rufino, M.C., van Wijk, M.T., Zingore, S., Mapfumo, P., Adjei-Nsiah, S., Herrero, M., Chikowo, R., Corbeels, M., Rowe, E.C., Baijukya, F., Mwijage, A., Smith, J., Yeboah, E., van der Burg, W.J., Sanogo, O.M., Misiko, M., de Ridder, N., Karanja, S., Kaizzi, C., K’ungu, J., Mwale, M., Nwaga, D., Pacini, C., & Vanlauwe, B. (2011). Communicating complexity: Integrated assessment of trade-offs concerning soil fertility management within African farming systems to support innovation and development. Agricultural. Systems. 104, pp.191-203.
4. Govaerts, J. Malawo, E., Lungu, T., Jayne, T., Chinyama, K. and Chilonda, P. (2009). Trends and Spatial Distribution of Public Agricultural Spending in Zambia: Implications for Agricultural Productivity Growth, Working Paper No. 26, Pretoria. Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System.
5. Gowing, J.W. and Palmer, M. (2008) Sustainable agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa: the case for a paradigm shift in land husbandry. Soil Use and Management 24(1), pp. 92-99.
6. Kabamba, H. and Muimba-Kankolongo, A. 2009. Adoption and Impact of Conservation farming on Crop Productivity Among Smallholder Farmers in Kapiri Mposhi District of Zambia, Animal and Plant Science 3 (2), pp. 205-214.
7. Ngwira, A., Sleutel, S. and De Neve, S. (2012) Soil carbon dynamics as influenced by tillage and crop residue management in loamy sand and sandy loam soils under smallholder farmers’ conditions in Malawi. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 92(3), pp.315–328.
8. Pittelkow, C.M., Liang, X., Linquist, B.A., van Groenigen, K.J., Lee, J., Lundy, M.E., van Gestel, N., Six, J., Venterea, R.T. and van Kessel, C. (2015). Productivity limits and potentials of the principles of conservation agriculture. Nature 517, pp.365–368.
9. Thierfelder, C. and Wall, P.C. (2010). Rotation in Conservation Agriculture Systems of Zambia: Effects on Soil Quality and Water Relations, Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46 (3), pp. 309-325.
10. Thierfelder, C., Rusinamhodzi, L., Ngwira, A. R., Mupangwa, W., Nyagumbo, I., Kassie, G.T., Cairns, J. E. 2015. Conservation agriculture in Southern Africa: Advances in knowledge. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 30(4), pp.328-348.
11. Tittonell, P., Scopel, E., Andrieu, N., Posthumus, H., Mapfumo, P., Corbeels, M., van Halsema, G.E., Lahmar, R., Lugandu, S., Rakotoarisoa, J., Mtambanengwe, F., Pound, B., Chikowo, R., Naudin, K., Triomphe, B., Mkomwa, S. (2012). Agroecology based aggradation-conservation agriculture (ABACO): Targeting innovations to combat soil degradation and food insecurity in semi-arid Africa. Field Crops Research 132, pp. 168-174.
12. Tittonell, P., Muriuki, A., Shepherd, K.D., Mugendi, D., Kaizzi, K.C., Okeyo, J., Verchot, L., Coe, R, and Vanlauwe, B. (2010). The diversity of rural livelihoods and their influence on soil fertility in agricultural systems of East Africa – A typology of smallholder farms. Agricultural Systems 103(2), pp.83–97.
13. Luo, Z., Wang, E. and Sun, O.J. (2010). Can no-tillage stimulate 649 carbon sequestration in agricultural soils? A meta-analysis of paired experiments. Agriculture. Ecosystems. Environment. 139, pp.224-231.
14. Umar, B.B., Aune, J.B. and Johnsen, F. H. (2011). Options for Improving Smallholder Conservation Agriculture in Zambia, Journal of Agricultural Science 3 (2), pp.50-72.
15. Umar, B.B., Aune, J.B., Johnsen, F.H., Lungu, I.O. (2012): Are Smallholder Zambian Farmers Economists? A Dual-Analysis of Farmers’ Expenditure in Conservation and Conventional Agriculture Systems, Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 36, (8), pp908-929.
16. Umar, B.B. (2017) Conservation agriculture promotion and uptake in Mufulira, Zambia- A political agronomy approach. Journal of Sustainable Development, 1 (1), pp. 156- 169.
17. Zambia Meteorological Department (2015) Daily Rainfall Records. Lusaka: Government Republic of Zambia.
18. Chomba, G.D. (2004). Factors Affecting Smallholder Farmers’ Adoption of Soil and Water Conservation Practices in Zambia. MSc. Thesis. Michigan State University.
19. Yerokun, O.A. (2008) Chemical Characteristics of Phosphorus in some Representative Benchmark Soils of Zambia, Journal of Geoderma 147, pp. 63-68.
20. Trapnell, C.G. and Clothier, J. N. 1996. The Soils, Vegetation and Traditional Agriculture of Zambia in Central and Western Zambia, Journal of Ecological Surveys 1, pp. 1932-1936.
21. Storrs, A.E.G. (1979). Know Your Trees. Ndola: The Forest Department.
22. Erdfelder, E., Faul, F. and Buchner, A. (1996). POWER: A General Power Analysis Programme. Journal of Behaviour Research Methods, Instruments and Computers, 28 (1), pp.1-11.
23. Walkley, A. and Black, I.A. 1934. An Examination of the Degtjareff Method for Determining Soil Organic Matter and a Proposed Modification of the Chromic Acid Titration Method, Journal of Soil Science 37 (1), pp. 29-38.
24. McLean, E.O. (1982) Soil pH and lime requirements. In: Page, A.L. ed. Methods of soil analysis part 2: Chemical and microbial properties. Madison. American Society of Agronomy.
25. Bremner J.M. (1965). Inorganic forms of nitrogen. Methods of Soil Analysis. Agronomy. 9, pp.1179-1237.
26. Chapman, H.D. (1965) Cation Exchange Capacity. In: Black, C.A., ed. Methods of Soil Analysis. Madison, American Society of Agronomy.
27. Bray, R.H. and Kurtz, L. T. (1945). Determination of Total and available Phosphorus in Soils, Journal of Soil Science 59, pp.39 – 45.
28. Vågen, T.G., Lal, R., Singh, B. R. (2005). “Soil carbon sequestration in sub-Saharan Africa: a review.” 16(1): 53-71.
29. Muchabi, J., Lungu, OI and Mweetwa, A.M. (2014). Conservation Agriculture in Zambia: Effects on Selected Soil Properties and Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Soya Beans, Sustainable Agriculture Research 3 (3), pp 28-36.
30. Chivenge, P.P., Murwira, H.K., Giller, K.E., Mapfumo, P. and Six, J. (2007). Long-term impact of reduced tillage and residue management on soil carbon stabilisation: Implications for Conservation Agriculture on Contrasting Soils, Journal of Soil and Tillage Research 94(2), pp.328-337.
31. Marongwe, L.S., Kwazira, K., Jenrich, M., Thierfelder, C., Kassam, A. and Friedrich, T. (2011). An African Success: The Case of Conservation Agriculture in Zimbabwe, International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 9(1), pp. 153-161.
32. Aune, J.B. and Lal, R. (1997) Agricultural Productivity in the Tropics and Critical Limits of Properties of Oxisols, Ultisols, and Alfisols, Journal of Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad) 74 (2), pp. 96-103.
33. Soils Research Team (2016) Researching Soils, Crops and Water in Zambia. Mutanda: Zambia Agriculture Research Institute.
34. Tisdale, S. l., Nelson, W. l. and Beaton, J. D. (1985) Soil and fertilizer: Pottasium. In: Tisdale, S. L. et al. eds. Soil Fertility and fertilizers. New York. MacMillan Publishing Company.
35. Landon, J.R. (Ed.). (1984). Booker Tropical Soil manual. A Handbook for Soil Survey and Agricultural Land Evaluation in the Tropics and Subtropics. London: Routledge.
36. Dumanski, J. R., Peiretti, J., Benetis, D., McGarry, D. and Pieri, C. (2006) The paradigm of conservation agriculture. Proc. World Assoc. Soil and Water Conserv, pp. 58-64.
37. CFU. (2006). Reversing Food Insecurity and Environmental Degradation in Zambia through Conservation Agriculture. Lusaka: Conservation Farming Unit.
38. CFU. (2009). Conservation Farming and Conservation Agriculture Handbook for Hoe farmers in agro-ecological regions I and IIa Flat Culture. Lusaka: Conservation Farming Unit.
Published
2021-12-16
How to Cite
1.
Umar B, Sakambuta J. Conservation Agriculture and Soil Fertility Improvements: Indications from Smallholder Farmers in Chafukuma, Solwezi , Zambia. Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences [Internet]. 16Dec.2021 [cited 12Jul.2025];5(2). Available from: https://journals.unza.zm/index.php/JABS/article/view/592
Section
Agriculture Sciences
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