Conservation agriculture to mitigate climate change
Course overview
Conservation agriculture holds promise for Africa where farming communities face the problems of low yields, impoverished soils, lack of capital and labour shortages brought on by the scourge of AIDS. It is a way to improve the livelihoods of millions of people and achieve sustainable agriculture over a wide area.
Conservation is not a technology but an approach to farming. It is based on three simple principles: disturb the soil as little as possible, keep the soil covered and mix and rotate crops. Farmers can choose from many different technologies to do this.
By applying these principles, they can improve their soil fertility and grow more food, using less labour at lower cost. This course will aim to help participants understand the conservation agriculture approach and choose those technologies that best suit their situation.
Course highlights
- Field practicum
- Free book: Conservation Agriculture: A manual for farmers and extension workers in Africa
You Will Learn
- What conservation agriculture is and why it is important
- How to use conservation agriculture principles in the field
- The issues and challenges that farmers and extension workers may encounter when they adopt and adapt conservation agriculture
- Ways to adapt and disseminate this approach to farming
- Experiences with conservation agriculture in real life