Cited by 1,499Soil Management and Crop YieldAgricultural Innovations and PracticesAgriculture, Land Use, Rural Development

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Conservation agriculture and smallholder farming in Africa : the heretics ’ view

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Giller, Ken E., Witter, Ernst, Corbeels, Marc, Tittonell, Pablo·2009·Field Crops Research

DOI 10.1016/j.fcr.2009.06.017

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Abstract

Conservation agriculture is claimed to be a panacea for the problems of poor agricultural productivity and soil degradation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is actively promoted by international research and development organisations, with such strong advocacy that critical debate is stifled. Claims for the potential of CA in Africa are based on widespread adoption in the Americas, where the effects of tillage were replaced by heavy dependence on herbicides and fertilizers. CA is said to increase yields, to reduce labour requirements, improve soil fertility and reduce erosion. Yet empirical evidence is not clear and consistent on many of these points nor is it always clear which of the principles of CA contribute to the desired effects. Although cases can be found where such claims are supported there are equally convincing scientific reports that contradict these claims. Concerns include decreased yields often observed with CA, increased labour requirements when herbicides are not used, an important gender shift of the labour burden to women and a lack of mulch due to poor productivity and due to the priority given to feeding of livestock with crop residues. Despite the publicity claiming widespread adoption of CA, the available evidence suggests virtually no uptake of CA in most SSA countries, with only small groups of adopters in South Africa, Ghana and Zambia. We conclude that there is an urgent need for critical assessment under which ecological and socio-economic conditions CA is best suited for smallholder farming in SSA. Critical constraints to adoption appear to be competing uses for crop residues, increased labour demand for weeding, and lack of access to, and use of external inputs.

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Mbagwu, J. S. C. (1990) · Pédologie · Cited by 23
The Need for Integrated Weed Management Systems in Smallholder Conservation Farming in Zimbabwe
Vogel, H. (1995) · Der Tropenlandwirt · Cited by 22
Performance of cowpea under three tillage systems on an Oxic Paleustalf in southwestern Nigeria
Akinyemi, J. O. (2003) · Soil and Tillage Research · doi:10.1016/s0167-1987(03)00066-7 · Cited by 19
Effect of Tillage Methods on Weed Control and Maize Performance in Southwestern Nigeria Location
Kayode, J., & Ademiluyi, B. O. (2004) · Journal of Sustainable Agriculture · doi:10.1300/j064v23n03_05 · Cited by 17
An assessment of the sustainable uptake of conservation farming in Zimbabwe
Mazvimavi, K., Twomlow, S., Belder, P., & Hove, L. (2008) · CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) · Cited by 14
A Participatory Simulation to Facilitate Farmers' Adoption of Livestock Feeding Systems Based on Conservation Agriculture in the Uplands of Northern Vietnam
Martin, C., Castella, J., Anh, H. L., Eguienta, Y. K., & Hieu, T. T. (2004) · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · doi:10.1080/14735903.2004.9684572 · Cited by 13
Conservation tillage for sustainable crop production: results and experiences from on-station and on-farm research in natural region II (1988-1996)
Munyati, M. (1997) · Zimbabwe Science News · Cited by 13
Effects of amounts of surface mulch on physical and chemical properties of an alfisol from Nigeria
Vleeschauwer, D. D., Lal, R., & Malafa, R. (1980) · Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture · doi:10.1002/jsfa.2740310718 · Cited by 12
Key lessons from international experiences about conservation agriculture and considerations for its implementation in dry areas
Lahmar, R., & Triomphe, B. (2008) · Agritrop (Cirad) · Cited by 11
An Evaluation of five tillage systems for smallholder agriculture in Zimbabwe
Vogel, H. (1992) · Der Tropenlandwirt · Cited by 10
Eco-intensification dans les montagnes du Vietnam Contraintes à l’adoption de la culture sur couvertures végétales
Affholder, F., Jourdain, D., Morize, M., Quang, D. D., & Ricome, A. (2008) · Cahiers Agricultures · doi:10.1684/agr.2008.0199 · Cited by 10
The contribution of different fauna communities to improved soil health : A case of Zimbabwean soils under conservation agriculture
Nhamo, N. (2007) · Cited by 9
FAO’s Role in Promoting Conservation Agriculture
Benites, J. R., & Ashburner, J. E. (2003) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-017-1143-2_17 · Cited by 8
Assessing the adoption of conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe's smallholder sector
Siziba, S. (2008) · Cited by 8
Effect of fire on plant communities and soils in the humid tropical savannah of Gambela, Ethiopia
Woube, M. (1998) · Land Degradation and Development · doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-145x(199805/06)9:3 · Cited by 6
The effects of minimum tillage on weeds and yield of durum wheat in central Ethiopia
Tadesse, N. S., Ahmed, S., & Hulluka, M. (1996) · Tropical Agriculture · Cited by 5
Nitrogen dynamics in Maize Pigeonpea intercropping in Malawi
Sakala, W. D. M. (1998) · OpenGrey (Institut de l'Information Scientifique et Technique) · Cited by 3
Perspectives de la modélisation des systèmes agraires villageois. L'exemple des régions cotonnières du Mali
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Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 9

Abdalla, 2007, The response of two-sorghum cultivars to conventional and conservation tillage systems in central Sudan, AMA – Agric. Mech. Asia, Afr. Lat. Am., 38, 67
Alabi, 2004, Effect of tillage method on soil properties and performance of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Southwestern Nigeria, J. Sust. Agric. Environ., 6, 22
Bolliger, A., 2007. Is Zero-till an appropriate agricultural alternative for disadvantaged smallholders of South Africa? A study of surrogate systems and strategies, smallholder sensitivities and soil glycoproteins. PhD Thesis. University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, p. 67.
Davis, 2008, Extension in sub-Saharan Africa: overview and assessment of past and current models, and future prospects, J. Int. Agric. Ext. Educ., 15, 15
Dugue, 2004, Evolution of relationships between agriculture and livestock in the savannas of West and Central Africa. A new framework for analysis and intervention for improving modes of intervention and favouring innovation, Oleagineux, 11, 268
Mashingaidze, A.B., Govere, I., Rohrbach, D., Hove, L., Twomlow, K., Mazvimavi, K., 2006. Review of NGO Efforts to Promote Conservation Agriculture in Zimbabwe, 2005/2006 Season (unpublished, pre-edited draft).
Moyo, A., 2002. Assessment of the effect of soil erosion on nutrient loss from granite-derived sandy soils under different tillage systems in Zimbabwe. PhD Thesis University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Nyagumbo, I., 2002. The effects of three tillage systems on seasonal water budgets and drainage of two zimbabwean soils under maize. PhD Thesis, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Steiner, 1998, Sustainable management of soil resources through zero tillage, Agric. Rural Dev., 5, 64

Sorted by citations

Productivity limits and potentials of the principles of conservation agriculture
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., & van Kessel, C. (2015) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature13809 · Cited by 1,688
Crops that feed the world 6. Past successes and future challenges to the role played by maize in global food security
Shiferaw, B. A., Prasanna, B. M., Hellin, J., & Bänziger, M. (2011) · Food Security · doi:10.1007/s12571-011-0140-5 · Cited by 1,676
When yield gaps are poverty traps: the paradigm of ecological intensification in African smallholder agriculture
Tittonell, P., & Giller, K. E. (2013) · Field Crops Research · doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2012.10.007 · Cited by 1,098
Self-citation
Sustainable intensification in agricultural systems
Pretty, J., & Bharucha, Z. P. (2014) · Annals of Botany · doi:10.1093/aob/mcu205 · Cited by 1,150
Properties and Management of Soils in the Tropics
Sánchez, P. (2019) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781316809785 · Cited by 1,002

See all 1,499

Authors: Giller, K. E., Witter, E., Corbeels, M., & Tittonell, P.
Affiliations: International Center for Tropical Agriculture (KE)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE)
Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (FR)
Corresponding author: Giller, Ken E.
ORCID: Giller, Ken E.
Corbeels, Marc
Tittonell, Pablo
Venue: Field Crops Research
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2009-10
Volume: 114
Issue: 1
Pages: 23-34
ISSN: 0378-4290 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2009.06.017
OpenAlex: W2095693034
Cited by: 1,499
References: 118
Citations by year: 2026: 73 · 2025: 75 · 2024: 61 · 2023: 79 · 2022: 82 · 2021: 117 · 2020: 112 · 2019: 109 · 2018: 100 · 2017: 110 · 2016: 103 · 2015: 97 · 2014: 113 · 2013: 83 · 2012: 79
FWCI: 102.32
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
research.wur.nl
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Field Crops Research (publishedVersion)
Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
Agritrop (Cirad) (submittedVersion)
VTechWorks (Virginia Tech) (submittedVersion)
Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Topics: Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Management and Crop Yield
Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › General Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agricultural Innovations and Practices
Social Sciences › Development › Agriculture, Land Use, Rural Development
Keywords: conservation agriculture, smallholder farming, sub-Saharan Africa, technology adoption, crop residues, gender division of labor, soil fertility, soil erosion, herbicides, external inputs, agricultural productivity

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Conservation agriculture and smallholder farming in Africa : the heretics ’ view

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