Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
12
Adaptation by
Smallholders in Eastern
Africa to Climate
Change through
Conservation Agriculture
Didas N. Kimaro, Hildelitha B. Msita,
Andrew Kabanza, Stefaan Dondeyne,
Jozef A. Deckers, and Jean Poesen
CONTENTS
12.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 277
12.1.1 Background ....................................................................................... 279
12.1.2 Conservation Agriculture ................................................................. 279
12.2 Land Degradation Processes in East Africa ................................................. 280
12.2.1 Interrill and Rill Erosion .................................................................. 280
12.2.1.1 Tillage Erosion ................................................................... 281
12.2.1.2 Landslides .......................................................................... 283
12.2.1.3 Soil Loss Due to Root and Tuber Harvesting .................... 285
12.2.2 Soil Fertility ...................................................................................... 285
12.2.3 Effect of Land Use on Soil and Nutrient Loss in East Africa .......... 286
12.3 Conservation Agriculture in East Africa ...................................................... 292
12.3.1 Conservation Agriculture and Farming Practices ............................ 292
12.3.2 Effect of Conservation Agriculture on Crop Productivity ............... 296
12.4 Concluding Remarks .................................................................................... 299
Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 301
References .............................................................................................................. 301
12.1 INTRODUCTION
Management of agricultural lands in East Africa has remained a matter of concern
since the German colonial times. Soil and water conservation in this area has pro-
gressed very slowly owing to farmers' poor response to interventions on conserva-
tion. Inappropriate land husbandry in the area is a result of pressure on the land
277
