No Till Conference Optimising Conservation Agriculture System for Non and Semi Commercial Smallholders

Grain-SASmallholderfarmerinnovationprogramme

Optimising the ConservationAgriculturesystemfor non-commercial and

semi-commercial smallholders 2013-2017

ErnaKruger,MazwiDlamini,SylvesterSelala, ThabaniMadondo,PhumzileNgcobo

Newstaffmember:TemakholoMathebula

Interns:KhethiweMthethwa,NonKanyisoZondiandSandlieMadlala

17 villages, 11 Savings and credit

groups, 10 Local facilitators,2 farmer

centres

Matatiele; 4 villages, 3 savings and

credit groups, 1 Local facilitator

Ixopo: 4 villages, 4 Local facilitators

Creighton and Umzimkhulu

Nkandla, Cornfields, Emhlopeni

New study

area: EC and

Southern KZN-

Smallholders-CA study areas and team

New study

area: KZN

Midlands- 32

Study area:

Bergville –263

Socio-economicsituation-Bgvl

65%of participants are female. -increase in no of

male participants over time

Average hh size is 5

Ages range from 18 to >70 years. Around 60% of

participants are between 36-55 yearsof age

Income sources are social grants (72%),

employment (11%) and farming(10%)

Overall incomes per household are extremely low,

with 75% of households earning between R0-

R2000/month. The remaining 25% earn >R3 000

/month. The average income is R1875/hh/month

–a reduction from last year which was around

R2450/hh/month

Maize and beans used for hh food supply; 53% of

participants now enough for 7-12months,

increased from around 33% last season

Child support

grant

55%

Pension

17%

Employment

11%

Remittances

Farming

10%

SOURCES OF INCOME

1-3months

4-6months

39%

7-9months

38%

10-12months

15%

HOUSEHOLDFOOD SUPPLYTHROUGH CA

Partnership: MDF, KZN DARD, Lima RDF, SiyazisizaTrust,KwaNalu,

StratAct, Ubuhlebezweand Mtshezi Municipality

Villages savings and loans assocationsand organised farmers

organisations and cooperatives to work within the whole value

chain; inputs- production- storage- marketing.

Horizontal scaling model starting with a nodal village in each area

and expanding within and between villages:

2013: 3 Villages EC and 3 in Bergville (total trial participants: 50)

2014: 7 villages EC, 9 villages Bergville (Total trial participants:

100)

2015: 8 villages EC, 10 Bergville, 2 Nkandla (total trial

participants: 210)

2016: 8 Villages EC; 2 Midlands, 17 Bergville

Local capacity - Farmer volunteers, local facilitators, farmer

centres (for each node surrounded by 3-5 villages close by for

equipment and input provision awaproduction advice)

Description of Model and Process

Awareness raising events and farmers days spread across the regions

and including many different stakeholders; research , government and

agribusiness included

Presentationsat conferences, papers, book chapters,

Farmer experimentationlinked to largerlearning groups using the

Farmer Field School approach. People work together in teams, belong

to savings groups, do bulk buying and support each other with food

and marketing

Awareness raising and community learning

Farmerlevelexperimentation

Year1: Predefined with theresearch team:

Choice of planting method; hand hoes, hand planters, animal

drawn planters

Year2: Choicesand options withinthe same overall design:

Different varieties maize (white yellow, OPV, hybrid)

Different varieties and types of legumes

Early planting

Manure and fertilizer combinations

Targeted fertility regimes and pest control measures

Year3 +: Own designof experiments by participants:

Intercropping vs crop rotation options

Summer and winter cover crops

Mulching

Organic options

Different herbicide and pesticide spray regimes

Different planting times

As wellas options for year 2.

Incremental change in yr 1,2,3

Minimal soil disturbance

Soil cover

Diversity

Clockwise: Animal drawn no till

planter. ‘Weeding

wheel’.Matraccajab planter,

MBLI planter

Below: Planters

Conservation Agriculture: All three principles

Soil cover

Below: A 3year old CA plot with developing cover Far right: A ploughed

plot with no soil cover

Left: Assessing soil cover, Mulching…..

Conservation Agriculture: All three principles

Runoff muddy (195mm)

Runoff clear (42mm)

Minimal soil disturbance

Soil cover

Diversity

- Intercropping –close

spacing for canopy and

weed control

- Cover crops; summer and

winter –relay cropping and

single block plantings

Right: Maize (PAN 6479)

and bean (Dolichos)

intercrop –Smephi

Hlatshwayo -Eqeleni

Conservation Agriculture: All three principles

•Pre-spray with post emergent and contact herbicides (Round Up

and Gramoxone). Include pre-emergent herbicide such as Dual

Gold for grasses such as nutsedge

•Close spacing of tramlines: 50x50 maize, 25x10 beans

•One weeding is enough before canopy cover is reached. Must be

early weeding: 2-3 weeks.

•Cover is reached from 4-5 weeks onwards.

Intercropping and close spacing

PAN53intercropwithPAN148orUkulinga

PAN 53 –Not yet

tasselling- medium

season well adapted to

Bergville conditions

PAN 148: good cover

less dense -

Ukulinga: A bit more

rust more semi

determinate –more

volume

Mr Khulekani Dladla, Stulwane,

To ensure soil organic

matter build up

Improve soil fertility

Improved soil structure and

soil health

Reduce prevalence and

types of weeds

Management of pests and

disease

incidence and severity

Summer and wintermixes

used in relay and separately

Covercropmixes;summerandwinter

Mrs Phumelele Hongwane, scc, Ezibomvini.

Bergville

Mr TsoloaneMapheele, Khutsong,

Matatiele.

Trial summaries

Bergville

EC, SKZN

Season

2013

2014

2015

2016

2013

2014

2015

2016

No of villages

No of trial participants

212

Areaplanted (trials)

2,8

7,2

5,9

13,5

0,36

0,3

0,37

1,18

Averageyield maize

(t/ha)

3,74

3,63

4,12

5,03 (3,09)

0,95

0,7

1,37

2,52

Min and max yield

maize (t/ha)

4,3

6,7

0,6-

7,4

0,3-

11,7

0,3-

1,7

0,3-

1,8

0,5-

4,4

1,1-

5,2

Actual amount of maize

233kg

576kg

654kg

487kg

15kg

64kg

125kg

161kg

Rand replacement value

(maizemeal)

R 1 600

R 4 500

R5 500

R4 900

R103

R 500

R1 000

R1 700

Averageyield beans

(t/ha)

1,24

0,26

0,79

1,05

1,26

0,34

0,69

1,28

Trial summaries over 4 seasons; Bergville,SKZN and EC

Control averagetrial average

Average of pH3,75 4,06

Average of Acid sat (%)33,56 28,33

Average of P req

(Kg/ha) 37,50 29,44

Average of Lime req

(t/ha) 6,00 4,03

Average of Org. C %2,39 2,43

Average of N %0,14 0,15

0,00

5,00

10,00

15,00

20,00

25,00

30,00

35,00

40,00

Stulwane,2016: Soil fertility averages for control and

trial plots

•Soil samples taken for all participants when

they start; fertilizer and liming

recommendations made

•Comparison in later years to see changes

•For CA plots the pH is higher on average and

acid saturation lower than on control plots

•The required P has reduced on CA plots

•And % Org C and % N increased slightly

compared to control plots

Soil fertility results and changes over time

CA reduced the

need for fertilizer

application over

time as compared

to conventional

tillage Increased %

Organic C and

% N under CA

0,0

20,0

40,0

60,0

80,0

100,0

120,0

140,0

160,0

180,0

200,0

Bulelwa Dzinga

Dlezakhe Hlongwane

Khonzaphi Hlongwane

Mamolekeng Lebeoua

Mtholeni Dlamini

Smephi Hlatshwayo

Matsepo Futo

Simon Tsoloane

Bulelwa Dzinga

Mamolekeng Lebeoua

Matsepo Futo

Simon Tsoloane

Mtholeni Dlamini

CA intercropCA intercrop with

Control Veld

baseline

Comparison of Solivata test results and soil health scores across two years

Average of CO2 - C, ppm C (yr1)

Average of Soil health Calculation (yr 1)

Average of CO2 - C, ppm C (yr2)

Average of Soil health Calculation (yr2)

•All the Solvitatest results and the Soil Health Scores-for Control plots, CA trials and Veld baselines-

were substantially higher in the first season than the second.

•Solvitatest results and Soil Health Scores are much higher for the CA trial plots than the control

plots –for both seasons

•It works well to compare practices against each other in one season but not that well to compare

across seasons- due to the variability brought about by weather conditions

Soil health Test results: 2 seasons 2014-2015, 2015-2016

Average Maize price 2017:

R2 500/ton

Break even yield:

3,9 t/ha

Average yield:

1,4 - 4,2t/ha

Average price sugar beans;

R8 000/ton

Average yield 0,8-1t/ha

Costs of inputs

What does this

mean??

CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE PLOTS, KZN 2016

-2017

0.1= Ha PLOTS

Events

CostCosts (1ha)-2015Costs (1ha) –2016

INPUTS

lit / kg

( R / kg,l)

Seeds

maize (PAN 6479)

0,075

104

R 195,00

R 216,45

Seeds

- drybeans

(PAN 148

Gadra)

0,05

42,6

R 159,75

R 177,32

Fertilizer MAP

0,1

250

9,2

R 230,00

R 255,30

Fertilizer LAN

0,1

150

R 75,00

R 83,25

Lime

0,1

1000

R 100,00

R 111,00

Pesticides (

Decis Forte)

0,1

875

R 26,25

R 29,14

Herbicides: Roundup

0,1

109

R 65,40

R 72,59

Herbicides: Dual Gold

0,1

1,2

250

R 30,00

R 33,30

Summit/surfactant

0,1

0,2

296

R 5,92

R 6,57

Input costs per 0.1 ha

R 887,32

R 984,93

Input costs per 1 ha

R 8 873,20

R 9 849,25

We need more

than 4 tons/ha

maize to make a

profit

Biggest cost is fertilizer…. Even when micro-dosing

Need ways to reduce fertilizer needs

The next cost is seed (Here Hybrid, plus legume)

Carefully weigh up different seed types against other costs and yields.

Labour costs for weeding; ~R250/0,1ha (R50pppd x 5days), ploughing

~R500/0,1ha

Compare these prices (herbicides and pesticides)with ploughing and labour for weeding

O,1ha cost summaries

SEEDPRICES

25kg

Pesticides, herbicides

R 141,60

OPV

R 400,00

Fertilizers

R 449,55

Hybrid(generic)

R 1 150,00

Seed

R 393,77

R 2 700,00

Cost summaries; How to deal with rising costs

Not ploughing

saves a lot of

money,

Seed costs

need to be

weighed

against yield

increase

Reduce

fertilizer and

chemical use

to a minimum

Ways to

improve soil

health

VillageSavingsandloanassociations(VSLAs)

Around 15 VSLAs established across a total

of 26 villages where CA is being

implemented; so roughly 61%

Savings are for consumption smoothing,

household expenses and saving for inputs

(28%)

Overall savings is R100-R500 per person

per month.

Notwithstanding these very low incomes

participants save for inputs. Generally

these savings amount to around 10-15% of

their income

Savings groups

(inputs) Yes

28%

Savings groups

(inputs) No

72%

MEMBERS SAVING FOR INPUTS

R0-R1000

78%

R1001- R2000

R2001-R 3000

11%

R 3001-over

11%

AMOUNT SAVEDFOR INPUTS

No.

Name of Village

Name of Group

No. Of

Members

Years

active

Total monthly

saving

Total Monthly

Repayments

Total monthly

loans

Cumulative No. of

shares (3-6months)

CREIGHTON

Madzikane

Masibambane

R5,000.00

R10,280.00

R4,440.00

R18,800.00

NKANDLA

Nkandla

Maphotho

R1,900.00

R0.00

R16,200.00

R13,300.00

BERGVILLE

Ezibomvini

eZibomvini

R5,300.00

R3,020.00

R0.00

R38,500.00

Ezibomvini

Ukuzama

R16,300.00

R2,950.00

R4,330.00

R18,500.00

Eqeleni

Masithuthuke

R3,700.00

R2,840.00

R4,000.00

R31,400.00

Eqeleni

Masibambane

R5,700.00

R3,050.00

R6,000.00

R40,800.00

Stulwane

uMntwana

R7,700.00

R7,330.00

R6,600.00

R48,400.00

Mhlathuze

Siyaphambili

R2,600.00

R2,990.00

R5,500.00

R13,500.00

Acton Homes

Siyazama

R4,500.00

R11,085.00

R13,700.00

R8,400.00

Bethany

Gudlintaba

R2,600.00

R5,140.00

R2,500.00

R19,500.00

Bethany

Amangwe

R6,000.00

R8,380.00

R4,100.00

R25,200.00

Ndunwana

Phelandaba

R2,000.00

R0.00

R2,940.00

R15,500.00

Ngoba

Sakhokuhle

R4,000.00

R3,345.00

R8,800.00

R0.00

TOTAL

270

R67,300.00

R60,410.00

R79,110.00

R291,800.00

VSLAs’saveupto~R807600/year;aroundR3000/participant.

Now many smallholders involved

Working with Local Facilitators and

farmer centres important

Some participants 4 years under CA

Bergville KZN: farmer centresWe prefer to do crop rotation as the

intercrop plots are difficult to weed and the

bean yields are lower. Cowpeas are not

generally preferred. The cover crops are

great for soil health, but still struggling to

keep seed. Growing separate plots for this

now.

Seedfunding

Payment by

Centre

Inputs bought

Date

Potential profit(at

12,5% mark up)

R2900.00

8x50kg 3:2;1

2016/11/11

R1345.00

2x50kg 3:2:1,

5x50kg PAN 413

2016/11/30

R1364.30

9x50kg Pan413

2016/11/23

R1333.20

2x50kg 3:2:1,

3x50kg LAN

2016/12/06

Moneyin hand

R1666.80

2016/12/07

TOTAL

R6942.50

R850.00

3-4 years: Reduced need for herbicide no spraying on trial

plots this season

Increased organic matter, reduced fertilizer requirements -

No basal fertilizer applied-only top dressing

Reduced runoff

Increased yields and diversity

Bergville_Case studyMphumeleleHlongwane- Ezibomvini

t/ha

2016

2017

Maize (Control)

-CA

7,8

9,7

Maize Trial CA

- combined

6,93

8,3

Beans

0,25

1,81

Sunflower

0,3

0,8

•EXPERIMENTS: Inter- cropping, crop

rotation, legumes, scc, wcc

•Runoff plots: CA (1,1mm/event) vs

Conventional control (3,1mm/event)

•Infiltration: Ca (247mm/hr) vs Control

(50mm/hr)

•Soil health:

•SOLVITA; CA (68ppmC) vs CA Control (63ppmC)

moderate to high, limited need for N, Ideal state

of biological activity and adequate organic

matter

•AGGREGATE STABILITY: CA (55) CA Control (33) -

higher aggregate stability for the plots with crop

diversification-highest for inclusion of scc mixes

and Lab-Lab

•% OM: CA average (3 ,47%), Veld Baseline (2,5%)

–accumulation of organic matter in CA plots-

now higher than veld baseline benchmark

•9-30kg/ha of immediate release N in the soil in

CA plots –valued at a saving of R320-R530/ha of

N now supplied throughcropping practices that

build soil health.

(10)

M + B

(5)

Control plot

(8)

M + B

(6)

M +LL

(3) M + SCC

+WCC

Contro

l plot

(9)

M + CP

(7)

M + CP

(4)

M + B

(2)Sunn

hemp,

millet and

sunflower

(1)

M + B

Legend: M –Maize; B –Beans; CP –Cowpea; LL –Lab Lab; SCC –summer cover crop WCC –

winter cover crop

Bergville_Case study_cont

3-4 years:

Maize and sunflower intercrop

Millet

GM maize –DARD and GrainSAFDP

Own mix of runner beans and different spacing in intercrop

Bergville ContinuedSmephi Nkosi- Eqeleni

A mix of systems; household, larger

fields

OPV, hybrid and GM all being planted –

Injudicious use of herbicides

Southern KZN

We like the OPVs and hybrids becausethe

yields are similar to GM and the seed is a lot

cheaper. It is also better for eating and local

processing.

Intercropping is good as it increases the

vigour of the maize and provides and

alternative income stream

Insummary:CAisincreasingyields,improvinglivelihoodsand

improvingsoilqualityforaround300smallholderfarmersinKZN