IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i17p9857-d627642.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Contribution of Conservation Agriculture to Soil Security

Author

Listed:
  • Raymond Mugandani

    (Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Management, Midlands State University, Gweru 9055, Zimbabwe)

  • Liboster Mwadzingeni

    (School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Carbis Road, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa)

  • Paramu Mafongoya

    (School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Carbis Road, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa)

Abstract

Soil securitization is increasingly becoming a quintessential currency for attaining sustainable development given the mounting global concerns of land degradation, loss of biological diversity and associated ecosystem services, climate change, food insecurity, and water stress. A well-functioning soil is a panacea to address these global concerns. This paper describes the contribution of conservation agriculture (CA) to biological diversity protection, climate change adaptation and mitigation, ecosystem service delivery, food security, and water security as a potential entry point for soil securitization. Using a review of literature, we share some insights into the contribution of CA to the soil security discourse. In our review, we also make key recommendations for good practices under each soil security pillar. Thus, we conclude that empirical research is required to deepen our understanding of the benefits of CA in soil security, especially in developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Raymond Mugandani & Liboster Mwadzingeni & Paramu Mafongoya, 2021. "Contribution of Conservation Agriculture to Soil Security," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-11, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:17:p:9857-:d:627642
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/17/9857/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/17/9857/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ephraim Nkonya & Alisher Mirzabaev & Joachim von Braun (ed.), 2016. "Economics of Land Degradation and Improvement – A Global Assessment for Sustainable Development," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-319-19168-3, December.
    2. Zhang, Shijie & Zhang, Gang & Wang, Dejian & Liu, Qin & Xu, Min, 2021. "Investigation into runoff nitrogen loss variations due to different crop residue retention modes and nitrogen fertilizer rates in rice-wheat cropping systems," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    3. World Bank, 2014. "Climate Change and Water Resources Planning, Development, and Management in Zimbabwe," World Bank Publications - Reports 24096, The World Bank Group.
    4. Sergio Gomez y Paloma & Laura Riesgo & Kamel Louhichi, 2020. "The Role of Smallholder Farms in Food and Nutrition Security [Le rôle des petites exploitations agricoles dans la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle]," Post-Print hal-02611174, HAL.
    5. Nyagumbo, Isaiah & Mkuhlani, Siyabusa & Mupangwa, Walter & Rodriguez, Daniel, 2017. "Planting date and yield benefits from conservation agriculture practices across Southern Africa," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 21-33.
    6. Andrea Koch & Alex McBratney & Mark Adams & Damien Field & Robert Hill & John Crawford & Budiman Minasny & Rattan Lal & Lynette Abbott & Anthony O'Donnell & Denis Angers & Jeffrey Baldock & Edward Bar, 2013. "Soil Security: Solving the Global Soil Crisis," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 4(4), pages 434-441, November.
    7. Sergio Gomez y Paloma & Laura Riesgo & Kamel Louhichi (ed.), 2020. "The Role of Smallholder Farms in Food and Nutrition Security," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-030-42148-9, December.
    8. United Nations, 2016. "The Sustainable Development Goals 2016," Working Papers id:11456, eSocialSciences.
    9. Christian Thierfelder & Pauline Chivenge & Walter Mupangwa & Todd S. Rosenstock & Christine Lamanna & Joseph X. Eyre, 2017. "How climate-smart is conservation agriculture (CA)? – its potential to deliver on adaptation, mitigation and productivity on smallholder farms in southern Africa," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(3), pages 537-560, June.
    10. Mazvimavi, Kizito & Ndlovu, Patrick V. & Nyathi, Putso & Minde, Isaac J., 2010. "Conservation Agriculture Practices and Adoption by Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe," 2010 AAAE Third Conference/AEASA 48th Conference, September 19-23, 2010, Cape Town, South Africa 96822, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    11. Madembo, Connie & Mhlanga, Blessing & Thierfelder, Christian, 2020. "Productivity or stability? Exploring maize-legume intercropping strategies for smallholder Conservation Agriculture farmers in Zimbabwe," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    12. Nyathi, Putso & Moyo, Thinah & Posthumus, Helena & Stevens, Joe, 2020. "Impact of Social and Institutional Factors on the Uptake of Conservation Agriculture: A Case of Zambia and Zimbabwe," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(1).
    13. Lowder, Sarah K. & Skoet, Jakob & Raney, Terri, 2016. "The Number, Size, and Distribution of Farms, Smallholder Farms, and Family Farms Worldwide," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 16-29.
    14. Andrea Koch & Alex McBratney & Rattan Lal, 2012. "Put soil security on the global agenda," Nature, Nature, vol. 492(7428), pages 186-186, December.
    15. Cameron M. Pittelkow & Xinqiang Liang & Bruce A. Linquist & Kees Jan van Groenigen & Juhwan Lee & Mark E. Lundy & Natasja van Gestel & Johan Six & Rodney T. Venterea & Chris van Kessel, 2015. "Productivity limits and potentials of the principles of conservation agriculture," Nature, Nature, vol. 517(7534), pages 365-368, January.
    16. Sixolise Mcinga & Lindah Muzangwa & Kudzayi Janhi & Pearson Nyari Stephano Mnkeni, 2020. "Conservation Agriculture Practices Can Improve Earthworm Species Richness and Abundance in the Semi-Arid Climate of Eastern Cape, South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-12, November.
    17. Tien Ming Lee & Ezra M. Markowitz & Peter D. Howe & Chia-Ying Ko & Anthony A. Leiserowitz, 2015. "Predictors of public climate change awareness and risk perception around the world," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 5(11), pages 1014-1020, November.
    18. Turmel, Marie-Soleil & Speratti, Alicia & Baudron, Frédéric & Verhulst, Nele & Govaerts, Bram, 2015. "Crop residue management and soil health: A systems analysis," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 6-16.
    19. Dave S. Reay & Eric A. Davidson & Keith A. Smith & Pete Smith & Jerry M. Melillo & Frank Dentener & Paul J. Crutzen, 2012. "Global agriculture and nitrous oxide emissions," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 2(6), pages 410-416, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ramazan Çakmakçı & Mehmet Ali Salık & Songül Çakmakçı, 2023. "Assessment and Principles of Environmentally Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-27, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nawab Khan & Ram L. Ray & Hazem S. Kassem & Farhat Ullah Khan & Muhammad Ihtisham & Shemei Zhang, 2022. "Does the Adoption of Mobile Internet Technology Promote Wheat Productivity? Evidence from Rural Farmers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Raymond Mugandani & Paramu Mafongoya, 2021. "The 5As: assessing access to animal-drawn conservation agriculture planting equipment by smallholder farmers," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 4881-4898, April.
    3. Abraham, Mathew & Verteramo Chiu, Leslie & Joshi, Ekta & Ali Ilahi, Muhammad & Pingali, Prabhu, 2022. "Aggregation models and small farm commercialization – A scoping review of the global literature," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    4. Silvia Saravia-Matus & T. S. Amjath-Babu & Sreejith Aravindakshan & Stefan Sieber & Jimmy A. Saravia & Sergio Gomez y Paloma, 2021. "Can Enhancing Efficiency Promote the Economic Viability of Smallholder Farmers? A Case of Sierra Leone," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, April.
    5. Jónsson, Jón Örvar G. & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur & Nikolaidis, Nikolaos P. & Giannakis, Georgios V., 2019. "Tools for Sustainable Soil Management: Soil Ecosystem Services, EROI and Economic Analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 109-119.
    6. Anette Ruml & Martin C. Parlasca, 2022. "In‐kind credit provision through contract farming and formal credit markets," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(2), pages 402-425, April.
    7. David Oscar Yawson & Michael Osei Adu & Benjamin Ason & Frederick Ato Armah & Genesis Tambang Yengoh, 2016. "Putting Soil Security on the Policy Agenda: Need for a Familiar Framework," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-11, September.
    8. Samaneh Sadat Nickayin & Francesca Perrone & Barbara Ermini & Giovanni Quaranta & Rosanna Salvia & Filippo Gambella & Gianluca Egidi, 2021. "Soil Quality and Peri-Urban Expansion of Cities: A Mediterranean Experience (Athens, Greece)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-12, February.
    9. Peipei Yang & Wenxu Dong & Marius Heinen & Wei Qin & Oene Oenema, 2022. "Soil Compaction Prevention, Amelioration and Alleviation Measures Are Effective in Mechanized and Smallholder Agriculture: A Meta-Analysis," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-18, April.
    10. Katharina Helming & Katrin Daedlow & Bernd Hansjürgens & Thomas Koellner, 2018. "Assessment and Governance of Sustainable Soil Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-13, November.
    11. Lalani, Baqir & Aminpour, Payam & Gray, Steven & Williams, Meredith & Büchi, Lucie & Haggar, Jeremy & Grabowski, Philip & Dambiro, José, 2021. "Mapping farmer perceptions, Conservation Agriculture practices and on-farm measurements: The role of systems thinking in the process of adoption," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    12. Zack Guido & Sara Lopus & Kurt Waldman & Corrie Hannah & Andrew Zimmer & Natasha Krell & Chris Knudson & Lyndon Estes & Kelly Caylor & Tom Evans, 2021. "Perceived links between climate change and weather forecast accuracy: new barriers to tools for agricultural decision-making," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 168(1), pages 1-20, September.
    13. Adam M. Komarek, 2018. "Conservation agriculture in western China increases productivity and profits without decreasing resilience," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(5), pages 1251-1262, October.
    14. William Adzawla & Prem S. Bindraban & Williams K. Atakora & Oumou Camara & Amadou Gouzaye, 2022. "Economic Viability of Smallholder Agriculture in the Savannah and Transitional Zones of Ghana: Implications of Farm Output Commercialization and Farm Diversification," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-22, September.
    15. Cristiano Franceschinis & Ulf Liebe & Mara Thiene & Jürgen Meyerhoff & Damien Field & Alex McBratney, 2022. "The effect of social and personal norms on stated preferences for multiple soil functions: evidence from Australia and Italy," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 66(2), pages 335-362, April.
    16. Alexis H. Villacis & Jeffrey R. Alwang & Victor Barrera, 2021. "Linking risk preferences and risk perceptions of climate change: A prospect theory approach," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(5), pages 863-877, September.
    17. Komarek, Adam M. & Kwon, Hoyoung & Haile, Beliyou & Thierfelder, Christian & Mutenje, Munyaradzi J. & Azzarri, Carlo, 2019. "From plot to scale: ex-ante assessment of conservation agriculture in Zambia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 504-518.
    18. Christian Thierfelder & Pauline Chivenge & Walter Mupangwa & Todd S. Rosenstock & Christine Lamanna & Joseph X. Eyre, 2017. "How climate-smart is conservation agriculture (CA)? – its potential to deliver on adaptation, mitigation and productivity on smallholder farms in southern Africa," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(3), pages 537-560, June.
    19. Aliaa Dirani & Gumataw Kifle Abebe & Rachel A. Bahn & Giuliano Martiniello & Isam Bashour, 2021. "Exploring climate change adaptation practices and household food security in the Middle Eastern context: a case of small family farms in Central Bekaa, Lebanon," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(4), pages 1029-1047, August.
    20. Nisar, Shahida & Benbi, Dinesh Kumar & Toor, Amardeep Singh, 2021. "Energy budgeting and carbon footprints of three tillage systems in maize-wheat sequence of north-western Indo-Gangetic Plains," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:17:p:9857-:d:627642. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.