By CHRISTINE MWAABA –
CLIMATE change, the environment and ecology have become issues of concern the world over and this has increasingly led various societies to employ alternative methods in the quest to sustain life.
One such programme that deals with sustenance of life is farming which often is adversely affected by ecological cycles. Farming seeks to balance the equation between climate change prevailing alternatives.
Today, a number of Zambia farmers are forced to adopt the best systems of farming because it is their main source of income including.
Farming is also critical for the majority of rural households in Zambia.
On the one hand, the agricultural sector continues to be a major factor in the economy. It is also an important provider of employment.
On the other hand, taking alternative measures that can create unimaginable opportunities for increased food production in the country is a great idea.
Of late, conservation agriculture has been promoted as being critical in enhancing food security.
This is why promoting the development of an efficient, competitive, and sustainable agricultural sector will boost food security and increase incomes of small-scale farmers.
John Tati, a farmer in Munyama area of Kabwe, says conservation farming is a blessing that has helped him increase food production.
“I cannot stop practicing conservation farming because I’m getting lots of benefits since I started. The method is easy to follow and it works,” he explained.
Since adopting this method of farming, Mr Tati has reduced on production costs, increased his yields and minimised chances of crop failure in drought times.
Mr Tati explains that among other outstanding benefit is improved land fertility because of retaining residues which reduces soil and water loss.
He says he prepares the land as soon as he harvests because the practice allows early planting at the onset of the rains.
The conservation method of farming involves planting in holes or basins which absorb early rainfall around the seeds, and improves the quality of crops.
Recently, the Conservation Farming Unit toured Kabwe during a farmer’s field day.
The unit was in the area to check on how farmers are implementing conservation farming.
Conservation Farming Unit Training Manager Cephas Mkandawire said the major aim of the conservation farming project is to empower farmers with knowledge on conservation farming methods.
Mr Mkandawire said conservation agriculture involves conserving natural resources such as soil and water resulting in improved and sustainable production.
This type of farming will improve livelihoods and incomes of rural farmers through sustainable management of agro-ecosystem productivity and diversity while minimising adverse environmental impact.
Worldwide, there are many crops grown under conservation agriculture.
It is indisputable that rain fed crops like maize, sunflower, soya beans – among others – can successfully be produced under conservation agriculture.
The intervention by the Conservation Farming Unit is to ensure that farmers in the country continue to get good results in farming on time and efficiently despite climate changes.
Kabwe Provincial Agricultural Officer Edrian Nasungwe called for conservation agriculture techniques to be adopted by farmers.
Dr Nasungwe said taking its advantage of natural ecological processes, conserved moisture contributes to soil fertility plus improved soil structure.
She said conservation farming reduces soil erosion and the occurrence of diseases and pests.
“These benefits are achieved through the application of key principles like minimum soil disturbance and use of crop mixing by a farmer,” she said.
She said this type of farming is climate friendly and is the most sustainable system for the current changes in the rainfall pattern.
She emphasised on the need by the farmers to do intercropping of maize with other legumes to increase production.
Recently, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Country Representative George Okech observed that there was a common challenge facing the region in meeting both its food needs and agricultural development goals.
“The inability to produce enough food for the region is to a large
extent a consequence of the low productivity and production levels obtained among smallholder farmers.
“Even though the cause of low productivity is multi-faceted, I hasten to say inappropriate production practices, soil degradation, socio-economic and climate shocks as well as the lack of access to yield-enhancing technologies by smallholder farmers lie at the core of this challenge,” he said.
This is unacceptable in a region that has the potential to be self-sufficient in food and to possibly be a major food exporter to the global market.
Hence the need to triple efforts aimed at supporting farmers in the region to adopt practices that would increase productivity while minimising risks.
Conservation farming has enormous potential to earn the country export revenue especially that agricultural products have a huge market across the African continent.
Mr Okech said FAO will continue to support national and regional knowledge platforms through governments and other stakeholders that are scaling up climate-smart agriculture approach in order to enhance productivity.
Conservation agriculture has the potential to safeguard food and nutrition security of farmers as well as their livelihoods.
The farmers using conservation agriculture have attested to its benefits in fragile production.
As such agriculture has continued to receive priority attention from the Zambian Government through increased budget support which is aimed at increasing agriculture productivity.
Conservation agriculture is increasing farmers’ productivity which has potential to make an important contribution to agricultural output and general economic growth of the country.
Conservation farming is a set of principles that builds on systems in agronomy, particularly on cropping methods that simultaneously boost productivity and reduce resource degradation in cropping systems.
Shifting to these helpful methods will be a more productive, efficient and environmentally sustainable way of farming.