ADDIS ABABA– Conservation Agriculture based Sustainable Intensification (CASI) is well mainstreamed across the country and bearing fruits, said agricultural experts. Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Cropping Systems for Food Security in Easter and Southern Africa (SIMLESA) Program Leader Mulugeta Mekuria (PhD) told The Ethiopian Herald that CASI is now well accepted throughout the country. Farmers, environmentalists and government organs have now given due priority for conservation agriculture, he added.
“Currently, plus to half a million farmers practice conservation agriculture while the government is working to widen such experiences to the other farmers.” Following this, farmers are witnessing tangible progress in production and productivity after the application of conservation agriculture, he noted.
He said institutionalizing such new research driven mechanisms and directions is important to realize agricultural production and productivity, adding that, multi-stakeholders engagement is fundamental to maintain natural resource conservation such as soil.
As to him, organic means of agricultural production and productivity mechanisms are highly advisable to sustain sector’s contribution to the national economy. “CASI is a timely response to rehabilitate soil fertility by controlling erosion, acidity and solidity level in soil through curbing chemicals application in soil.
And the issue of soil is a critical agenda of everyone”, he said. For his part, SIMLESA Country Coordinator and Melkasa Agricultural Research Center Director Bedru Beshir (PhD) said that conservation agriculture has gained credibility through boosting production and productivity in which farmers are witnessing changes genuinely.
The farmers are practicing this mechanism after identified real differences from the conventional tillage system, he added. Thus, CASI is gaining attention with farmers after recognizing its positive role to increase production, soil moisture and save soil erosion, he said. He further said that free grazing, conventional/traditional tillage, shortage of inputs and lack of awareness about CASI are the major challenges to implement CASI throughout the country. Establishing and/or enforcing grazing bylaws, broadening agricultural extension packages as well as promoting such organic means of natural resource conservation pays back, he recommended.
Herald March 6/2019
BY TEWODROS KASSA
