Conservation agriculture in the dry Mediterranean climate

Kassam, Amir; Friedrich, Theodor; Derpsch, R.; Lahmar, Rabah; Mrabet, Rachid; Basch, Gottlieb; González-Sánchez, Emilio J.; Serraj, Rachid

doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2012.02.023

Cited by 218 publications

(126 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…This "planned" diversity and the landscape-matrix heterogeneity promotes the beneficial "associated" diversity (Altieri 1999;Duru et al 2015;Kassam et al 2012;Power 2010). These three forms of biodiversity determine the levels at which ecosystem services are provided to the agroecosystem (e.g.…”

Section: Foundations Of Biodiversity-based Agriculturementioning

confidence: 99%

Designing agroecological transitions; A review

Duru

Thérond

Fares

2015

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

334

217

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Concerns about the negative impacts of productivist agriculture have led to the emergence of two forms of ecological modernisation of agriculture. The first, efficiency-substitution agriculture, aims to improve input use efficiency and to minimise environmental impacts of modern farming systems. It is currently the dominant modernisation pathway. The second, biodiversity-based agriculture, aims to develop ecosystem services provided by biological diversity. It currently exists only as a niche. Here we review challenges of implementing biodiversity-based agriculture: managing, at the local level, a consistent transition within and among farming systems, supply chains and natural resource management. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of existing conceptual frameworks developed to analyse farming, socialecological and socio-technical systems. Then we present an integrative framework tailored for structuring analysis of agriculture from the perspective of developing a territorial biodiversity-based agriculture. In addition, we propose a participatory methodology to design this agroecological transition at the local level. This design methodology was developed to support a multi-stakeholder arena in analysing the current situation, identifying future exogenous changes and designing (1) targeted territorial biodiversity-based agriculture, (2) the pathway of the transition and (3) the required adaptive governance structures and management strategies. We conclude by analysing key challenges of designing such a complex transition, developing multi-actor and multidomain approaches based on a combination of scientific and experiential knowledge and on building suitable boundary objects (computer-based and conceptual models, indicators, etc.) to assess innovative systems designed by stakeholders.

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Section: Foundations Of Biodiversity-based Agriculturementioning

confidence: 99%

Designing agroecological transitions; A review

Duru

Thérond

Fares

2015

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

334

217

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“…The adoption of conservation agricultural practices favours a balanced distribution of fertilisers, meets crop nutrient requirements, and offers an efficient management of irrigation water (Kassam et al, 2012;Scopel et al, 2013). Among the soil management systems, reduced soil tillage can contribute to the reduction of erosion, the maintenance and/or improvement of soil fertility as well as the increase of biodiversity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These areas are often exposed to water and/or wind erosion, and desertification processes (Kassam et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of a two-year sugar beet-sweet sorghum rotation to an agronomic management approach diversified by soil tillage and nitrogen fertilisation

et al. 2014

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Conservative agriculture and nitrogen fertilisation have been evaluated for the purpose of assessing their impact on the sustainability of a cropping system based on a two-year rotation with two crops considered for the bio-ethanol supply chain: sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris) and sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench). The experimental activity started in 2009 in Foggia (Apulia, southern Italy). We discuss the results obtained in the 2010-2011 period. Soil minimum tillage (MT) vs no tillage (NT) combined with two doses of nitrogen fertilisation (75 and 150 kg ha -1 of mineral nitrogen as ammonium nitrate) were compared. The experimental system, which is still operational (soil tillage plus nitrogen fertilisation), was arranged with a split-plot design with three replicates. Treatments were applied on the same plots every year with both crops present at the same time. At the first harvest in 2010, no difference was observed. As to the second year, the comparison between NT vs MT treatments showed that sugar beet had lower total yield (35 vs 42 t ha -1 ), dry biomass (10 vs 14 t ha -1 ), and sucrose yield (6.7 vs 8.2 t ha -1 ). Total soluble solids, on average 19%, were not influenced by the experimental treatments. Nitrogen (N) control was less productive than the fertilised treatments (average between N75 and N150) in terms of total fresh root yield (32 vs 42 t ha -1 ), dry biomass (10 vs 14 t ha -1 ), and sucrose yield (6.0 vs 8.1 t ha -1 ). As with sugar beet, during the second year, also sweet sorghum sown in NT vs MT plots had a reduced yield, although the difference was more marked for fresh biomass (-35%) than for dry biomass (-20%). No interaction in terms of soil tillage nitrogen fertilisation occurred.In summary, in the first two-year period (2010-2011) of the experimental trial, no tillage soil management showed decreased yields of both crops. Sugar beet displayed a higher sensitivity to the lack of nitrogen supply than sweet sorghum. IntroductionMost areas of the Mediterranean basin are characterised by a negative water balance, a short and irregular rainy season, extreme temperatures in the summer, loss of organic matter, poor structuring of the soil, high salinity. These areas are often exposed to water and/or wind erosion, and desertification processes (Kassam et al., 2012).Some agricultural practices, mainly soil tillage and crop residue management, can exacerbate these conditions, therefore agronomic research suggests adopting techniques like no tillage and/or minimum tillage, which do not disturb the soil and retain or improve its chemical and physical properties.The adoption of conservation agricultural practices favours a balanced distribution of fertilisers, meets crop nutrient requirements, and offers an efficient management of irrigation water (Kassam et al., 2012;Scopel et al., 2013). Among the soil management systems, reduced soil tillage can contribute to the reduction of erosion, the maintenance and/or improvement of soil fertility as well as the increase of bi...

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“…An example from developing countries is the enthusiastic promotion of conservation agricultural practices for sustainability by researchers (e.g. Kassam et al 2012;Lal 2000, and some literature reviewed as part of our assessment strategy), and the reluctance or refusal of many farmers to adopt this knowledge-intensive technology, which highlights that important agro-ecological and socio-economic constraints and complexities have not been considered in the research (see Giller et al 2009 for a review on the suitability of conservation agriculture in small-holder systems in Africa).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems using simulation modelling: sustainability = 42?

et al. 2013

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Concepts of agricultural sustainability and possible roles of simulation modelling for characterising sustainability were explored by conducting, and reflecting on, a sustainability assessment of rain-fed wheat-based systems in the Middle East and North Africa region. We designed a goal-oriented, model-based framework using the cropping systems model Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM). For the assessment, valid (rather than true or false) sustainability goals and indicators were identified for the target system. System-specific vagueness was depicted in sustainability polygons-a system property derived from highly quantitative data-and denoted using descriptive quantifiers. Diagnostic evaluations of alternative tillage practices demonstrated the utility of the framework to quantify key bio-physical and chemical constraints to sustainability. Here, we argue that sustainability is a vague, emergent system property of often wicked complexity that arises out of more fundamental elements and processes. A 'wicked concept of sustainability' acknowledges the breadth of the human experience of sustainability, which cannot be internalised in a model. To achieve socially desirable sustainability goals, our model-based approach can inform reflective evaluation processes that connect with the needs and values of agricultural decision-makers. Hence, it can help to frame meaningful discussions, from which actions might emerge.

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Conservation agriculture in the dry Mediterranean climate

Cited by 218 publications

References 43 publications

Designing agroecological transitions; A review

Designing agroecological transitions; A review

Response of a two-year sugar beet-sweet sorghum rotation to an agronomic management approach diversified by soil tillage and nitrogen fertilisation

Assessing the sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems using simulation modelling: sustainability = 42?

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