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Adapting agriculture in Africa to climate change by. Jens B. Aune Department of International Environment and Development Studies Noragric Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Soil organic matter - a key to adaptation to climate change . Increase soil water holding capacity
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Adapting agriculture in Africa to climate changeby Jens B. Aune Department of International Environment and Development Studies Noragric Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Soil organic matter - a key to adaptation to climate change • Increase soil water holding capacity • Improves infiltration of water • Reduce soil temperatures • Improves soils ability to store nutrients • Aeration • Provides media for soil micro-organsims
Message from World Congressof Conservation Agriculture (2009) in India: • 2,5 tonn oforganic matter should be recycledeveryyear
Why is it difficult to recycle enough organic materials? • Biomass production is low, often below 1 t/ha • The biomass production is used for other purposes (fodder, builing materials). Low recycling of soil organic matter. • Plouging reduces the soil organic matter
How to increasebiomassproduction? • earlysowing • goodqualityseeds • correctspacing • appropriatevarieties • water harvesting/irrigation • Integrated plant protection • Integrated Plant Nutrition Management • Trees on farm land
Seed priming: • Soakingof seed for 8 hours in water • Facilitatescrop establishment • Yieldincrease 20-30 % • Feasible in pearlmillet, sorghum, cowpea, groundnuts, maizeand sesam
Effect of seed priming and micro-dosing on sorghum yields and economic return Average for 53 farmers in Kordofan State, Sudan (Dryland Coordination Group)
Seed priming and micro-dosing in Mali. Non -primed Primed Primed + micro-fertilsation Photo A. Coulibaly
Effect of crop residues and fertiliser on pearl millet grain yields Average of 9 years experiment, Niamey, ICRISAT Yamoha , Bationo 2002
Effect of crop residues and fertiliser on millet grain and straw yields Average of 9 years experiment, Niamey, ICRISAT Yamoha , Bationo 2002
Effect on fertilisation and crop residue management on pearl millet yield, Niamey, 13 years experiment Source: Bationo and Buerkert 2002
Changes in soil organic carbon in top-soil after 13 years of different soil management
Breaking the vicisous cercle low yield and decling soil organic matter content • Ensure good agronomy • Use micro-dosing of fertiliser and seed priming • Use mulch, particularly in drought prone areas • Minimise ploughing
Permanent soil cover in conservation agriculture
How to retain mulch in dryland is a challenge • Increase biomass • Increase fodder production • Demonstrate Integrated Plant Nutrition Management and conservation agriculture • Development of other types of renewable energy • Improved grazing management • Build local institution for land-use management
Integration of trees into the farmland Source: Chris Reij