Conservation Agriculture adoption in Paraguay - Essay Example

Running Header: CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE ADOPTION IN PARAGUAY TEAM MEMBERS: Loukritia Patera Diyar Saleem Brian Touray Conservation Agriculture adoption in Paraguay University of Reading March 20, 2014 Rethinking Agricultural Development - (APMA100) Abstract Conservation agriculture involves a process of soil management practice that minimizes the distractions of the soil structure, natural biodiversity and composition. The study that is described in the paper is based on 1700 farmers in Paraguay. The purpose of the study is to help household farmers adopt conservational agriculture, in order to improve on their agricultural produce. The research paper describes and analyses the set factors of development as well as the importance of conservational agriculture. These factors are of key importance in promoting agricultural development especially in the rural areas and the poor countries. These include the development of effective demand, provision of efficient output delivery systems, resources in support of extra output production, introduction of new and improved ways and methods of production, knowledge systems supporting production, government policies and practices supporting development and good external relations. Agriculture production in Paraguay was very poor. The increased market for agricultural products forced the farmers to adopt poor methods of farming such as deforestation in an effort of increasing land for production. Soil was depleted off, its mineral contents and erosion resulting from wind and water as a main concern. The paper analyses some of the strategies that were adopted in Paraguay for conservation agriculture, in order to increase agricultural produce. It also analyses the value and significance of adopting conservation agriculture as a system in Paraguay incorporating the factors of development. Keywords: conservation agriculture, conventional agriculture, erosion, output production, development, productivity, adoption strategies, biological resources Introduction The sustainable natural resource management project (PMRN) was introduced to the farmers to enhance the conservation of agriculture in Paraguay. The case study involves 17,000 farmers whose main reason was helping them improve on agriculture productivity using a number of strategies. Agriculture production in Paraguay was poor and had declined due to the policies that discouraged good agricultural production in the colonial periods. The management took an exercise whereby they analyzed characteristics of farmers in order to understand some of the factors that led to poor results of agricultural produce in Paraguay. One of the identified factors was that, a small rise in business caused by liberation together with market-oriented trade, resulted to degradation and loss of fertility in the lands. Competitive markets lead the farmers to increase their productivity as they previously used crude methods such as burning of land and deforestation to increase the land for production. As a result, soil erosion, decreased forest reserves and loss of organic matter to the soil result to water and soil erosion, low productivity of the land, high levels of carbon dioxide and water pollution from chemical and pesticide use led to a decline in productivity. The government of Paraguay had to adopt the non-tillage farming system, proven as a success in other countries such as Argentina and Brazil. The most relevant group depending on agriculture is the small holders in Paraguay representing 43 percent of the total amount of farmers (Knowler & Bradshaw 2007). Conclusion Set factors for development The seven set factors for the development are paramount in promoting agricultural development especially in the rural areas and the poor countries. As a result, they affect the increase in biological output. Among the seven set factors for the development is effective demand for biological: products in the family, community, as well as the larger nation and world. This forces the producers in agriculture production to devote their efforts. Efficient output delivery systems are imperative to ensure that the produced agricultural products reach the market for utilization. This entails utilization of different delivery systems. Resources in support of extra output production ought to be presented to ensure development in agriculture. This includes resources of land, improved seeds a well as improved technological equipment. Introduction of new and improved ways and methods of production is a key set of development to increase productivity and enhance sustainability. Knowledge systems as part of the information, techniques and skills help to organize and systemize agricultural adoption for development. The knowledge learned in books ought to be implemented and put into practice with adequate support systems. For development to be evident the government policies and practices need to be supportive. This is an important element for motivation especially in the agricultural sector as the farmers will be encouraged to increase their production. External economic relations are major influencers for development. This includes elements such as the exchange rates between countries, outside support and funds and undue dependence on exports, which influence heavily on the growth. The seven factors of development are a crucial consideration especially in agricultural development area (Derpsch & Friedrich 2009, 9). Conceptual and scientific basis of conservation agriculture Farmers worldwide are adopting conservational agriculture over the past decades. It ensures that there is a minimal soil disturbance unlike in the conventional tillage based agriculture. It also ensures the provision of permanent soil cover achieved through mulching combined with rotations. Conservational agriculture is a modern agricultural practice that when adopted will help farmers to attain their goal of sustainable agricultural production. A reduction in the tillage systems ensures that there is use of minimal fuel, reduced erosion by water and wind systems and reverses the loss of organic content associated in the soil. A set of agricultural practices normally leaves crops on the field surface increasing water infiltration as well as reducing soil erosion. This practice is essential in reducing the effects of conventionally based tillage on soil erosion, however, the practice still demands that tillage in the initial stages to take place as a structural element that is required on the soil (Derpsch et al. 2010, 24). Regardless the fact that tillage is inevitable, zero tillage practices can result in significant transition steps towards conservation of agriculture. The main aim of conservation agriculture is to conserve, develop, and ensure efficient use of natural resources. This ought to be attained through integrated management of the available soil, biological resources, as well as water resources in combination with external inputs. This contributes into environmental conservation as well as improved and enhanced agricultural production. Using conservation agriculture will ensure that there is always a permanent or a semi-permanent organic cover in the soil, as a form of mulch or growing crops. This acts as a protection of the soil from the rain, wind and the sun as well as food for the soil microorganisms that play a role of soil aeration. The soil fauna and microorganisms take over the soil tillage function as well as the nutrient balancing function. Tillage tends to disturb the entire process. Therefore, minimum or none tillage practices are recommended. Crop rotation is an essential element of conservation agriculture to avoid pest and diseases manifestation (Derpsch & Friedrich, 2009). Relevance and feasibility of promoting conservation agriculture in Paraguay Conservation agriculture was paramount in Paraguay. Agriculture production in Paraguay was poor and had declined due to the policies that discouraged good agricultural production in the recent years. The government policies and practices were not in support of agricultural production during that time. Thus, it became very difficult to produce any developments in the field of agriculture. A small rise in business due to the liberation and the market-oriented trade resulted to degradation and loss of fertility in the lands. The farmers during the time utilized the conventional based tillage system of agriculture in an effort to produce more crops for sale in the market. Competitive markets lead the farmers to increase their productivity as they used crude methods such as burning of land and deforestation to increase the land for production. In the end, poor drainage, decreased forest reserves, and loss of organic matter from the soil resulted to both water and soil erosion. Low productivity of the land, high levels of carbon dioxide and water pollution from chemical and pesticide use were effects leading to a decline in productivity. The government of Paraguay had to adopt the non-tillage farming system as a measure for conservation agriculture in order to help farmers increase their productivity. Smallholder farmers with the introduction of conservation agriculture were able to increase agriculture productivity and prevent the consequences resulting from conventional based tillage agriculture such as soil erosion. The state had to utilize knowledge systems to ensure that the smallholder farmers were aware of conservational agriculture and understand the benefits associated to adopt it. Good government policies and practices were adopted to encourage conservational agriculture, as well as agricultural production as a whole. Resources in support of extra output production provision ensured development in agriculture. This includes resources of land, improved seeds a well as improved technological equipment. Introduction of new and improved ways and methods of production is essential to improving productivity and enhancing sustainability of conservational agriculture (Pannell et al. 2006, 1407). Strategies deployed to promote adoption of conservation agriculture by household Case selected The household selected case adopted a number of strategies to ensure that the smallholder farmers on Paraguay adopted conservational agriculture. The policies that were responsible for the project were successful. The policies established encouraged the farmers to use extension plots, which provided examples to the farmers that showed and supported them with inputs, as well as applications to allow them continue utilizing and expanding the system. At the beginning of the project, to ensure rebuilding of the soil activity the project used chemical fertilizers such as NPK to increase productivity that the project provided for as many of the farmers could not afford. Other resources facilitating extra output production by the household case was the use of new and improved methods. The interaction between newly improved methods of production and provision of resources to support extra output motivated the farmers to adopt conservational agriculture in the household level (Giller et al. 2011, 100). The goals of achieving land sustainability, recuperation of soil, and the increase in yields could not be possible without information systems to the farmers at the household level. The project was used to teach the farmers new systems of conservational agriculture, associated benefits, and the right farming techniques, such as rotation farming. They also went to the extent of provision of the technicians to guide in the process, which was a key strategy in adoption of conservational agriculture. Market systems were available once the commodities were ready while others were a source of food for the family (Greiner, Patterson, & Miller. 2009, 96). Impact and Lessons learnt 1) Conservational agriculture ensures that there is a minimal soil disturbance unlike in the conventional tillage based agriculture. The main aim of conservation agriculture is to conserve, develop and make good and efficient use of natural resources 2) As a modern system of production, it ensures that there is a permanent soil cover achieved through mulching combined with rotations activity. 3) A reduction in the tillage systems ensures that there is use of less fuel, reduced erosion by water and wind systems and reverses the effects of organic matter loss associated in the soil. 4) The seven set factor for the development is crucial in promoting agricultural development especially in the rural areas and the poor countries like Paraguay. The set factors for the development were very successful in the project. When well adopted with conservational agriculture they improved agricultural production. To conclude, conservational agriculture is becoming more adopted by farmers worldwide over the past decades due to its profound good effects. It is a modern agricultural practice that when adopted appropriately will enable the farmers to attain their goal of sustainable agricultural production. The main goal of adopting conservational agriculture is ensuring conservation, improvement and efficient utilization of natural resources. This ought to be achieved through integrated management of the available soil, biological resources, as well as water resources in combination with external inputs. This contributes into environmental conservation as well as improved and enhanced agricultural production. The seven factors of development are necessary for success and implementation of conservational agriculture. They are a success as strategies deployed to facilitate adoption of conservation agriculture by household case selected (Kassam et al. 2009, 321). This forces the producers into devoting more of their energy in agriculture thus results in an increase, in the total production. The government of Paraguay had to adopt the none-tillage farming system due to positive results associated. This was as a result of, soil erosion, decreased forest reserves and loss of organic matter to the soil leading to water and soil erosion, low productivity of the land, high levels of carbon dioxide and water pollution from chemical and pesticide use leading to a decline in productivity. Recommendations 1) Government policies need to support conservation agriculture adoption through the provision procedures and policies supporting it. This is through provision of information and inputs to the small household farmers who cannot afford expenses. This includes taking into consideration elements such as the exchange rates between countries, outside support and funds and undue dependence on exports, which influence heavily on the growth. 2) Research and extension need to develop other new methods of conservational agriculture such as development of new quality of seeds; new methods of agriculture as well as new machinery and technology that will help increase productivity. 3) The private sector is supposed to work hand in hand with the government and support conservation adoption in the community. This is through provision of funds to the small-scale household farmers who cannot afford expensive inputs as well as collaboration with other non-governmental organization to enhance agriculture productivity. 4) Institutions and universities need to be in the front row in teaching on the importance of conservation agriculture and associated benefits for the farmers to embrace it. References  Derpsch, Rolf, Friedrich, Theodor, Kassam, Amir, Li, Hongwen, 2010. Current status of adoption of no-till farming in the world and some of its main benefits. International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 3, pp.1–25. Derpsch, Rolf, & Friedrich, 2009. Global Overview of Conservation Agriculture Adoption . In IV World Congress on Conservation Agriculture. pp. 1–14. Gillera, Ken, Corbeelsb, Marc, Nyamangarac, Justice, Triomphed, Bernard, Affholderb, Francois, Scolpelb, Eric, Tittonell, Pablo, 2011. A research agenda to explore the role of conservation agriculture in African smallholder farming systems. Field Crops Research, 124, pp.468–472. Giller, K.E. et al., 2011. A research agenda to explore the role of conservation agriculture in African smallholder farming systems. Field Crops Research, 124, pp.468–472. Greiner, R., Patterson, L. & Miller, O., 2009. Motivations, risk perceptions and adoption of conservation practices by farmers. 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