Conservation tillage for sustainable agriculture: An agrarian revolution gathers momentum in Africa

Before the arrival of European agricultural technology, technologies addressing the need for more efficient capture and utilisation of resources were being developed in Africa. Land invasions and displacements, the introduction of technologies more suited to European conditions, and increased use of the mouldboard plough and hand hoe slowed and almost halted this revolution. In recent decades farmers have in some areas regained security of tenure, recognised the potential value of indigenous knowledge, and begun to understand the degradation caused by soil inversion and other ‘modern’ technologies. Conservation tillage is defined as any cropping system which results in conservation of natural or other resources, and sustainable agriculture as the use of agricultural practices which conserve water and soil and are environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable. Synergising of the will, findings and knowledge of African farmers and agriculturists with the experience and understanding of other conservation tillage researchers, advisers and practitioners throughout the world has resulted in this agrarian revolution gathering momentum. The potential contributions of conservation tillage to sustainable agriculture, and the role of the African Conservation Tillage (ACT) network in assisting and facilitating the process, and identifying and prioritising research needs, are discussed.