Diego Valbuena|Olaf Erenstein|Sabine Homann-Kee Tui|Tahirou Abdoulaye|L. Claessens|Alan Duncan|Bruno Gérard|Mariana C. Rufino|Nils Teufel|André F. van Rooyen|Mark van Wijk
Conservation Agriculture in mixed crop–livestock systems: Scoping crop residue trade-offs in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center|Wageningen University & Research|International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics|International Potato Center|International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center|International Livestock Research Institute|Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums|Wageningen University & Research|International Livestock Research Institute
conservation agriculture ca advocated enhance soil health sustain long term crop productivity developing world one cas key principles maintenance soil cover often retaining proportion crop residues field mulch yet smallholder croplivestock systems across africa asia face tradeoffs among various options crop residue use knowledge potential tradeoffs leaving residues mulch partial objective research address knowledge gaps assessing tradeoffs contrasting settings mixed croplivestock systems paper draws village surveys 12 sites 9 different countries across subsahara africa south asia sites clustered 3 groups along combined population livestock density gradients assess current crop residue management practices explore potential challenges adopting mulching practices different circumstances results show although highdensity sites face higher potential pressure resources area basis biomass production tends substantial sites covering demands livestock feed allowing part residues used mulch mediumdensity sites although population livestock densities relatively lower biomass scarce pressure land feed high increasing pressure crop residues opportunity cost mulch lowdensity areas population livestock densities relatively low communal feed fuel resources exist resulting lower potential pressure residues area basis yet biomass production low farmers largely rely crop residues feed livestock long dry season implying substantial opportunity costs use mulch despite potential benefit smallholder farmers across density gradient introduction cabased mulching practices appears potentially easier sites biomass production high enough fulfil existing demands feed fuel sites relatively high feed fuel pressure eventual introduction ca needs complementary research development efforts increase biomass production andor develop alternative sources alleviate opportunity costs leaving crop residues mulch