Conservation Agriculture for Africa

Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been spreading rapidly in Africa in recent years as a response to the ever increasing food insecurity, unsustainable farming and climate change challenges. The CAADP process and the recently launched Climate Change Initiative by the COMESA, EAC and SADC are among many African initiatives that are working to improve food security in Africa. CA programmes have in the past complimented efforts by African governments to address the food security situation.

The use of CA technologies, which addresses both land and water management, and productivity issues, has the potential to minimize the impact of some of the major causes of food insecurity, thus contributing to the success of food security initiatives at national, regional and the continental level.

Putting farmers at the centre of agricultural innovation and development is considered one of the effective ways towards sustainable production intensification. To support the farmer centred CA adoption, the First African Congress for Conservation Agriculture (1st ACCA) intends to bring together key CA stakeholders, including farmers and their organisations, from the continent to interact and co-own a permanent CA knowledge and information sharing platform that takes into account the needs of farmers and for increased benefits from CA technologies.

Overall Objectives of the Congress:

To provide the African thrust that will enhance the strategic inclusion of CA in the African agriculture policies and programme implementation agenda. The forum will provide unique opportunities for sharing current thinking and practice and building partnerships of farmers, practitioners, policymakers and other key actors to advocate for and promote CA.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS

• Bring together CA practitioners in Africa to meet and exchange knowledge and information on the adoption and scaling up of CA.
• Establish a permanent CA knowledge and information sharing platform.
• Enhance effective participation and consolidation of the African continent’s position on CA in preparation for the 6th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture in 2014 in Canada.

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