Conservation Agriculture Research Updates - June 2024

This 2020 paper discusses Regenerative Agriculture (RA). They looked at 28 studies to identify activities that fit the definition of RA. Convergence was found to be related to environmental enhancement, and stress socioeconomic issues that impact food security, but the latter were general and lacked ways to implement. The paper suggests that the definition of RA and approach to farming should use soil conservation as an entry point to regenerate and improve various ecosystem services.

This book chapter notes that wheat is a major food crop of the World and India. It is a major crop in the rice-wheat systems of the IndoGangetic Plains of South Asia. The chapter discusses the breeding of wheat-adapted genotypes for CA since this management system offers solutions for future food security. They suggest that capacity to germinate when seeded deep, better emergence through residue load, longer and stronger coleoptile, stronger root system architecture, early vigor, and multiple disease resistance are important in CA-adapted genotypes. They conclude that modern breeding tools like genomic-assisted breeding will play an important role in developing genotypes better adapted to CA environments. With advanced genomic tools and the availability of large genomic information, it is expected that newer QTLs will be identified and the molecular mechanism controlling CA responsive traits will be explained.

This review paper starts by saying agroecosystems sustainability is mainly challenged by unsustainable agricultural practices that lead to land degradation and amplified climate change. It also blames soil degradation and loss for 25% of World's land area deterioration. They suggest CA as a way to restore this land. They mention that global annual adoption of CA was 7 M ha yr−1. CA-based soil and crop management practices enhanced water productivity, soil organic carbon, crop productivity, and energy use efficiency over conventional practices under diverse agroecosystems in India. This study provides in-depth insights into the role of CA in restoring agroecosystem services, attaining SDGs, and ensuring global food security. 

This is a new chapter in a book devoted to "Resource Management in Agroecosystems". It promotes the use of CA to mitigate climate change, regenerate soils and ensure durable food systems. It highlights the requirement of country-specific policies and investment to achieved sustained results. They also highlight that CA implementation is challenging and context specific and requires an integrated framework and road map to enable other benefits like social equity and economic growth.

This study was done in 40 counties in Ohio, USA to assess socio-ecological factors operating on CA farms. Results show that owner farmers of the 230 selected farms had no hesitation in adopting CA as the future of farming and to address food security and mitigate climate change. 60% of the respondents do not till their field, 80% leave crop residues on the soil surface, and 97% follow crop rotations. Finally, the CA farmers have achieved 10 to > 40% fuel savings. Grazing animals were also integrated into CA systems, adding animal manure to their farms. They conclude that more farmers should be encouraged to to adopt CA practices in the future.

This is a paper from the Andean region of Ecuador where small scale farming is on steep slopes and vulnerable to erosion, soil degradation, and productivity loss making the current agricultural practices unsustainable and food security a major issue. Climate change is also going to be a negative factor in this region. Past research on CA in this region suggest that cost savings and better yields make it a better system than CT. Immediate benefits did not arise but at least CA productivity did not decline. On the medium term CA resulted in better soil health (lower erosion) and higher profits than CT. The paper points out that adoption of CA is slow due to lack of any extension, so there is a need improve communication with local farmers and effectively explain to them the benefits of new technology and CA.

This paper was included because it includes information on regenerative agriculture (RA) and permaculture (P). They promote these two practices because present farming practices have adverse impacts on natural resources, ecosystem services and sustainability of food production, especially in developing countries. The paper examines the affects of RA, P, and Smart technology (ST) on sustainable production, decision support systems, and Global food security. They state "Collectively, regenerative agriculture and permaculture are semi-closed holistic systems approach designed to reduce or eliminate dependence on external inputs" that restore and maintain natural systems. What I didn't find in the abstract was information of what management systems achieve RA or P and what impact they have on yield or farmer security.

This is a review article that discusses the importance of conservation agriculture as a long term approach for sustainable food security and a way to reverse issues of depletion of natural resources caused by long-term us of traditional tillage. The paper discusses the benefits of CA for improving the soil physical, chemical and biological properties and reversing SOM decline. They suggest that one sustainable cropping method that may reverse soil erosion, increase crop output, and improve the socioeconomic status of small landholder farmers is conservation agriculture (CA). The paper highlights the benefits and limitations of CA and various challenges in the adoption of CA.

This editorial article discusses the crucial issue of future Global food security and the need increase production by 70% to feed the 9.7 billion people estimated to fed in 2050. An FAO publication estimated that 768 million people were hungry in 2021. The author also mentions that the issue is made more difficult by the coronavirus pandemic, regional conflicts, and global environmental changes affected by climate change. The paper discusses various needs to attain food security goals including management of soil resources by sustainable means, supply and integrated management of soil nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus for sustained crop yield, and promotion of conservation agriculture practices to protect the environment while increasing food production. Climate change such as severe drought and increased flooding poses a serious challenge to soil manage-ment, and farmers must adapt to these changing environmental conditions by adopting climate- smart soil management practices.

This paper highlights the importance of soil health and reviews the literature on the role of CA in improving soil health. They suggest that conventional agricultural practices cause deterioration in soil quality, increasing its compaction, water erosion, and salinization and decreasing soil organic matter, nutrient content, and soil biodiversity, which negatively influence the productivity and long-term sustainability of the soil. They conclude that CA can reduce the negative impacts of conventional agricultural practices on soil health while conserving the production and provision of soil ecosystem services.

This paper was selected because few papers look at wheat date of planting yet no-till wheat in South Asia came about because it enabled earlier planting and better yields. This paper used a large number of on-farm surveys in the rice-wheat system of the IGP to show that wheat sowing date has in fact a central role on higher yields superseding all other management, soil and varietal factors. They estimate that that wheat yield potential will increase by 69% by adjusting earlier planting dates without affecting rice yield, irrigation requirements or profitability. What I didn't see in the abstract was the best way to plant wheat earlier is to adopt no-till wheat!!

This review article had 241 articles to assess Sustainable Intensification (SI) technologies within smallholder farms. It had multiple indicators and performance responses. Crop yields were the top indicator. It also assessed from limited articles soil C stocks, food security, gender, labor, and biodiversity. SI interventions only had positive responses in 70% of the observations. with adjacent research sites reporting contrasting results. Future studies need to be longer term and assess local adaptation.

This study tested the hypothesis that CA has contributed to the sustainability of Brazilian soybean production with positive effects on soil quality, grain yield and nutritional quality and growers profitability. They conclude that CA enhanced carbon sequestration, physical and especially biological quality of soil, which caused improved soybean grains yield, protein and flavonoids content and profit. This compares with the traditional annual soybean and maize double crop (Zea mays), that reduced soil physical quality with impacts on food security and agricultural sustainability. Sustainability of Brazilian soybean production can be increased by inserting crop rotations involving cover crops in the rotation cycle.

This paper suggests that projected food demand is jeopardized by use of conventional systems of agriculture that result in environmental degradation. They describe ways that that existing systems need to be improved to meet future food security challenges. The contend that the principles of CA system can provide a framework for a unified approach for improvement. They provide evidence that CA when flexibly applied and in ways that mimic the natural ecosystems is a best-bet approach.