Abstract
Half of Namibia’s population resides in rural areas, and many rely on small-scale farming. Crop production declines in the region over recent decades have been associated with the degradation of soils as a result of conventional farming methods. Conservation agriculture has been identified as a smart agricultural technique that can remedy challenges around agricultural land degradation and climatic uncertainty. This study undertook an experimental trial in farmers’ crop fields in the Zambezi Region to compare the maize yield performance of conventional and conservation agriculture methods. I collected data from experimental research plots on four participating farming clusters. Data collection commenced during the 2016/2017 cropping season and continued through the 2019/2020 cropping season. I found no statistically significant difference in the average yield of maize biomass across seasons and within the growing season between the two primary tillage systems examined (conventional mould board plough and conservation agriculture using rippers). However, there was a significant difference in the average maize grain yield across treatments (plough, ripper, and ripper intercropped) in the 2018 cropping season. My findings indicate that conservation agriculture can offer a viable alternative to conventional methods, despite implemental inconsistencies. Based on my findings, I also encourage the pursuit of longer-term studies that might better capture soil recovery processes and other long-term effects. This will help compile a more comprehensive evidence base and prepare for a potential transition to conservation agriculture in Namibia.
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Claims 4
Claim · model-written summary
There was no statistically significant difference in average maize biomass yield between conventional mould board plough and conservation agriculture with rippers, across seasons and within the growing season.
- Treatment
- conservation agriculture using ripperse0
- Outcome
- average yield of maize biomasse0
- Direction
- no statistically significant differencee0
- Comparator
- conventional mould board ploughe0
- Setting
- Zambezi Regiont1
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t1“Zambezi Region”
e0“no statistically significant difference in the average yield of maize biomass across seasons and within the growing season between the two primary tillage systems examined (conventional mould board plough and conservation agriculture using rippers)”
Claim · model-written summary
There was a significant difference in average maize grain yield across plough, ripper and ripper-intercropped treatments in the 2018 cropping season.
- Treatment
- plough, ripper, and ripper intercroppede0
- Outcome
- average maize grain yielde0
- Setting
- Zambezi Regiont1
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t1“Zambezi Region”
e0“there was a significant difference in the average maize grain yield across treatments (plough, ripper, and ripper intercropped) in the 2018 cropping season”
Claim · model-written summary
The author concludes that conservation agriculture can offer a viable alternative to conventional methods for maize despite implementation inconsistencies.
- Outcome
- viable alternative to conventional methodse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize”
e0“conservation agriculture can offer a viable alternative to conventional methods, despite implemental inconsistencies”
Claim · model-written summary
The author encourages longer-term studies that might better capture soil recovery processes and other long-term effects of conservation agriculture.
- Outcome
- longer-term studiese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“maize”
e0“I also encourage the pursuit of longer-term studies that might better capture soil recovery processes and other long-term effects”
The same questions in other papers
tillage · yield · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
286 papers in the same direction as this paper · 812 reporting no difference from an alternative
- positive
- positive
- positive
1,095 papers more in this group
See all 1,099 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.