Gender and Conservation Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Synthesis of Evidence Posted on 20/11/2019 by Moreen Nkonge PUBLICATIONS RESOURCES // PUBLICATIONS Technical Reports Gender and Conservation Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Synthesis of Evidence Population Dynamics and Urbanization in Africa November 2019 Conservation agriculture (CA) is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as a crop farming practice characterized by simultaneous implementation of the three principles of minimal tillage and soil disturbance; minimum 30% permanent soil cover using crop residue and mulches; and crop rotation and intercropping with three or more types of crops (Brown, Llewellyn, & Nuberg, 2017). In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a partially modified practice of CA is more common. Smallholder farmers tend to adopt only one or two of the three principles. Some of the factors that affect the adoption and practice of CA by farmers include costs related to transitioning from conventional agriculture; ability to effect change; perceived change benefits; and prevailing institutional and biophysical environment. Currently, only 0.3% of farmers in Africa practice CA in ways that meet the FAO specifications and only 0.8%, if the CA principles are applied in any combination and intensity. Overall, the practice of CA is much less common in SSA compared to Australia, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and the US. Download CONTRIBUTORS Associate Research Scientist Frederick Murunga Wekesah Frederick Murunga Wekesah is an epidemiologist and a researcher. He… View Profile SIMILAR PUBLICATIONS Journal Articles Who are the male sexual partners of adolescent girls and young women? Comparative analysis of population data in three settings prior to DREAMS roll-out Journal Articles Who Are the Male Sexual Partners of Adolescent Girls and Young Women? Comparative Analysis of Population Data in Three Settings Prior to Dreams Roll-Out Briefing Papers What it takes: Meeting unmet need for family planning in East Africa Factsheet Understanding the Lived Experiences of Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents in Burkina Faso’s Central Region (English) Factsheet Understanding the Experiences of Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents in Blantyre, Southern Malawi Briefing Papers Understanding the Experiences of Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents in Blantyre, Southern Malawi Technical Reports Understanding the Experiences of Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents in Blantyre, Southern Malawi Journal Articles Timing of Sexual Debut among Unmarried Youths aged 15–24 years in sub-Saharan Africa Briefing Papers The Status of Post-Abortion Care in Kenya