In addition, as erosion rates are high in this rainfed area of 300 to 600 mm annual precipitation, a well-covered soil will reduce runoff and loss of top soil. Nevertheless, there are farmers in the semi -arid areas of Tunisia, who adopted the technology and experience significant benefits such as increased soil fertility and over time increasing yields. However, the purchase of a zero-tillage seeder machine appears to be a bottleneck due to high costs since they are hardly produced locally. Conservation agriculture propagates no or minimum soil disturbance/ tillage. However, the livestock competes with the concept of CA as plant residues (stubble) are normally grazed by the livestock. Tunisia is a country that experiences the previously described pattern and results of desertification and where smallholder farmers are largely dependent on livestock for income generation. Therefore, CA aims for more sustainable resource use (land and water use) and to optimize climate-resilient and integrated crop-livestock systems to sustainably intensify production in fragile dry areas. This is because soil organic matter is maintained in/on the soil and the erosive power of raindrops are broken by the soil cover. Overall, the three principles prevent land degradation and can also rehabilitate the land. In the light of this, CA has been developed, based on three leading principles: i) minimizing soil disturbances or no-tillage, ii) maintaining a permanent soil cover with mulch, and iii) adequate crop rotations. Taking the consequence and scale of degradation into account, natural resource conservation interventions are urgently required.Īs the lack of soil cover is an, if not the, essential initiating factor in the desertification process, it should be maximally addressed. This leads to less fertile soils, reducing yields and consequently deteriorates the income and lives of local farmers.
![apsim model sensitivity to phyllochron apsim model sensitivity to phyllochron](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thomas-Nordblom/publication/265239286/figure/fig10/AS:668633814536216@1536426132959/The-modular-structure-of-APSIM-illustrating-the-links-between-modules-through-the.png)
These compromised climatic conditions enhance land degradation. Furthermore, climate change leads to droughts, intensified rainfall events, increased temperature, and more extreme weather events. Land degradation is often initiated by the lack of vegetation cover as is often a consequence of overgrazing and over-ploughing (i.e mismanagement). This does not only affect the bio-physical aspects such as carbon storage, but also the lives of local land users.
![apsim model sensitivity to phyllochron apsim model sensitivity to phyllochron](https://www.mdpi.com/agronomy/agronomy-09-00242/article_deploy/html/images/agronomy-09-00242-g002-550.jpg)
Land degradation leading to desertification is an increasingly important problem in the dry land regions of the globe. CA has positive benefits on soil health and significantly reduces the needed inputs (e.g.
![apsim model sensitivity to phyllochron apsim model sensitivity to phyllochron](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/1330davidparsons-111027192652-phpapp02/95/building-a-model-based-on-apsim-that-simulates-smallholder-croplivestock-systems-david-parsons-1-728.jpg)
The documented CA focuses on a dryland mixed system, including a biennial rotation of legume and cereals with integrated livestock management. 2.1 Краткое описание Технологии Определение Технологии:Ĭonservation Agriculture (CA) is a "ready-to-scale concept" in agriculture that allows a sustainable agricultural production and mitigation of climate change.