Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

ICARDA International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas

CIMMYT Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo

INTRODUCTION

Land degradation and the deterioration of soil fertility are among the main causes of a stagnation or decline of agricultural production in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, Former Soviet Union Countries). Land degradation results in soil erosion, loss of soil nutrients and organic matter, and is a significant factor adversely affecting agricultural growth and rural poverty reduction throughout the CIS.

The situation is serious and the economic development of the CIS countries cannot afford a further destruction of the agricultural production resources. Immediate action is required. The technologies for this are available but a clear policy decision and concerted action are required to introduce sustainable and productive land husbandry practices in the shortest time possible.

Soil fertility and organic matter are declining as a result of tillage and agricultural practices that neglect to incorporate sufficient organic material into the soil. Tillage techniques which invert the soil, play a major role in this process. As a result of intensive tillage practices in the CIS, the decline in soil fertility is estimated to be as much as 50%. Soil erosion is also a major problem affecting agricultural production in the CIS. An estimated 327 million ha of land have been severely affected by wind and water erosion.

Existing practices and heavy machinery with high ground pressures are leading causes of soil erosion, soil compaction, decreased fertility, and loss of organic matter. Approximately 170 million hectares of land has been affected by soil compaction. Inflexible tillage operation procedures and a short window period for tilling and harvesting, coinciding with extreme weather, often result in tilling and plowing operations during wet periods. Ineffective machinery needs to make, on average, several passes over the soil to prepare it for seeding. Estimated production losses as a result of soil compaction differ. Conservative estimates calculate a production loss of 15 million tons of grain, two million tons of sugar beet, and 500 000 tons of maize. While others calculate a 16-27% decrease in production as a result of soil compaction, with a loss of 50 million tons in grain production alone.

Much of the agricultural machinery in the CIS is in a state of disrepair or obsolete. The use of this machinery plays a significant role in the continuation of unsustainable agriculture. A replacement of the machinery park with conventional technology requires heavy investment. However, replacing this machinery with conservation tillage equipment would help to improve agricultural production and sustainability. The farm power and thus the investment requirements for this option are likely to be considerably lower than for conventional technology.

Conservation tillage is an umbrella term which looks beyond soil preparation in the narrow sense. Its focus is on the broader concept of Conservation Agriculture, since this embraces not only the seedbed preparation but also nutrient content of soils and their structure and biological status. Such factors are important determinants of agricultural productivity as a result of farm management and land husbandry practices.

A recent paper of the World Bank highlighted constraints, opportunities, and elements for conservation tillage strategies. Nevertheless, a lot of work is needed to follow up on the elaboration and implementation of conservation tillage practices. Among others a clear policy statement is required to direct all available efforts into the development and adoption of conservation agricultural systems. This involves not only research and extension but particularly farmers' organizations, the commercial input supply sector and last but not least the international donor community. So far the efforts to rehabilitate agriculture in the CIS region are from this point of view uncoordinated, some of them even promoting unsustainable, although "modern" tillage practices which results in an inefficient use of the invested resources. In view of the magnitude of the problem this "diversity" of approaches is it doubtful whether this is affordable for the region.

Other important key issues which need close examination are the different levels of progress on the implementation of conservation tillage within the different CIS countries and a better grasp of the long-term needs when viewed against the short-term problems (e.g. machinery supply).

The workshop is part of a process to develop and implement conservation tillage national action plans in selected CIS countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Ozbekistan). The workshop intends to bring together national stakeholders as well as potential conservation tillage experts from similar agroecosystems, especially from North America, donor countries and organizations, and agricultural research centres from various CIS engaged in conservation tillage in order to identify needs, gaps and roles of partners and donors in the elaboration national conservation tillage action plans. Institutions from other countries interested in the workshop are also welcome to participate.

The Workshop will:

• Review successes and success factors, share national, regional and world-wide experiences; discuss lessons learned in promoting and supporting farmers’ improvement of land productivity; and review and improve on processes leading to expanded national actions supporting the conservation tillage, for the predominant agricultural production systems in CIS;
• Strengthen and broaden partnership mechanisms supporting the implementation of the action plans and the exchange of experiences with on-going programmes and activities among countries within the CIS, with other regions and with donors and conservation tillage partners;
• Identify principles and approaches leading to policy, social, economic and institutional improvements facilitating the dissemination and adaptation of the conservation tillage leading to sustainable agriculture.

It is expected to achieve the following:

• Common perspective and understanding of conservation tillage
• Clear definition of roles (nationals, donors, international conservation tillage experts): who is doing what, when and where
• Methods of conservation tillage developed or used by countries
• Networking and partnership for conservation tillage co-ordination

The prospective participants would be consulted by e-mail for expectations and issues they would like to discuss and how to make these discussions more effective. To help generate a sound framework for the workshop and achieve a broad consensus on its agenda, country participants, partners and donors are invited to join in the preparatory phase by communicating with our organizing committee by using Email. The "virtual" preparatory workshop would involve three components: (1) an interactive dialogue for structuring the workshop; (2) an exercise for reviewing successes and success factors, share national, regional and world-wide experiences; discuss lessons learned in promoting and supporting farmers’ improvement of land productivity; and review and improve on processes leading to expanded national actions supporting conservation tillage in the CIS; (3) a selected group of individuals for background papers preparation. Details of the programme of the electronic consultation in preparation for the workshop will be send in due course.

This workshop will consist of brief introductions followed by focused discussions on selected issues in working groups. The results from the working groups will be synthesized and presented by resource persons/reporters in plenary session.

The following set of background documents will be prepared during the electronic consultation for circulation before the workshop.

• Harare workshop report. (This report addresses a wide range of conservation tillage relevant topics)
• FAO Keynote paper (based on the joint activities between AGLS and AGSE). The keynote paper is envisaged to provide a summary of those factors which have been identified as critical in addressing the most important soil degradation issues which have been encountered during the implementation on conservation tillage in other regions, with main reference to economic technical and institutional aspects including land tenure.
• Proposal for a code of conduct for sustainable agricultural land husbandry.
• Country and donor programmes in conservation tillage and lessons to be derived from these experiences.
• Status of conservation tillage national action plans in each participating countries.

To be effective, the workshop should be attended by two senior people from each participating country (possibly a national conservation tillage programme coordinator and a representative from the concerned Government agency), and by representatives from donor countries and from international conservation tillage institutions. If practitioners with long term experience in conservation agriculture can be identified in the region, representatives from that group should be invited as well.

Prospective country participants are requested to provide at an early date, but in any case before the of end August 1999, a brief report (max. 5 pages or 2 500 words) giving an overview of the main issues, status and activities in the country in relation to conservation tillage. Donor countries and international conservation tillage institutions are also requested to prepare a brief report summarizing their experiences including success stories with regard to conservation tillage in CIS countries.

During the workshop 2 broad types of working groups are envisaged

Working Group I including country participants will discuss issues that will help them to:

• improve the national conservation tillage strategy;
• elaborate a matrix that can match their national capacities to address the established goals and identify the need for external inputs including financial resources and technical advisory services required from external donors;
• outline steps in conservation tillage plan preparation and implementation;

Working Group II composed by country participants as well as conservation tillage partners, donor countries/ organizations, and International Agricultural Research Centres from various CIS countries engaged in the conservation tillage will meet with the purpose to:

• negotiate & clarify role of donors: who is doing what, when and where;
• prepare and improve work plans taking country plans as a basis;
• assess national capacities and identify external assistance needs (it will allow countries to seek donor support for activities envisaged);
• coordinate Partnership based on country plans (the preparation of national conservation tillage work plans will involve many interest groups) ; and
• establish the immediate steps required for attainment of longer term goals

On the afternoon of the third day, provision will be made for discussions/meetings between participant countries and donors. It will be important for country participants to initiate discussions with prospective donors who will be represented during the meeting.

For further information please contact Mr. J.R. Benites (AGLS/N), e-mail Jose.Benites@fao.org and Mr. T. Friedrich, (AGSE), e-mail Theodor.Friedrich@fao.org.