Policies and institutions to promote the development and commercial manufacture of conservation agriculture equipment

Flashcards about Conservation Agriculture Equipment

Approximately how many hectares worldwide are under Conservation Agriculture (CA)?

About 100 million hectares

What are the primary benefits of Conservation Agriculture (CA)?

Cost, time, and energy savings, with dramatic reductions in soil erosion.

What are the principal uses for Conservation Agriculture (CA) equipment?

Planting, fertilizer placement, and weed control.

Name some national policy issues that facilitate local manufacture and provision of CA equipment.

Mechanization strategies, rural infrastructure, finance options, tax relief, and extension services.

What is the main conclusion regarding government policies related to Conservation Agriculture (CA)?

To promote CA for environmental protection and improve the supply of quality CA equipment.

What are the main elements of the “no-till” (NT) practice?

Protect the soil surface with vegetation and to sow seeds directly through the mulch.

What often diminishes the attractiveness of no-till adoption?

The high cost of equipment and herbicides.

What are some small farmer constraints to adopting Conservation Agriculture (CA), particularly from an African perspective?

Decreased yields in initial years, increased labor, gender shift of work burden, and lack of mulch.

How does soil erosion contribute to global warming?

releases vast amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere through organic matter oxidation.

What advances in technology have allowed CA systems to evolve?

Herbicide and machinery development.

What defines CA practices regarding soil?

Minimal soil disturbance and maintenance of permanent soil cover.

Besides erosion prevention, what other benefits does permanent soil cover provide?

Control of soil temperature and moisture content.

How many passes of the tractor occur when planting crops in NT (no-till)?

One pass of the tractor.

How do resource-conserving technologies (RCTs) help produce more crops at less cost?

They conserve labor, fuel, energy, and water while minimizing environmental impacts.

According to the article, what power sources can CA equipment have?

Manual, animal, or tractor powered.

What manual tool has been used for generations to plant through soil cover?

Planting sticks.

Which country is a major producer of CA machinery in Latin America?

Brazil.

What is a universally used tool for planting through mulch?

Jab planters.

What residue and cover crop management tool help crush vegetation and provide a dead vegetative mulch before no-till planting?

The knife roller.

Who are the different stakeholders in the Conservation Agriculture (CA) equipment supply chain?

Policy makers, R&D institutions, extension services, finance institutions, manufacturers, and farmers.