An international technical workshop Investing in sustainable crop intensification: The case for improving soil health
FAO, Rome: 22-24 July 2008, Integrated Crop Management Vol.6-2008
This publication is a report of a Workshop that brought together people from a wide range of institutions - farmers, researchers, ecologists extensionists, policy makers, donors – from 40 countries who share a common concern about the non-sustainability of ways in which farm land is now being used and who are convinced that this must change. The Workshop focused on the growing evidence of success in the adoption and spread of Conservation Agriculture (CA) systems in developing countries. CA-based approaches to sustainable production intensification are highly relevant to the global response to rising food and energy prices, increasing soil and environmental degradation, pervasive rural poverty, climate change and increasing water scarcity. The main outcome of the Workshop is ‘A Framework for Action’. reflecting on actions that would help to upscale the take up of CA, thereby enabling land to be farmed more productively, profitably and sustainably.

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Visual Soil Assessment
The present publication on Visual Soil Assessment is a practical guide to carry out a quantitative soil analysis with reproducible results using only very simple tools. Besides soil parameters, also crop parameters for assessing soil conditions are presented for some selected crops. The Visual Soil Assessment manuals consist of a series of separate booklets for specific crop groups, collected in a binder. The publication addresses scientists as well as field technicians and even farmers who want to analyse their soil condition and observe changes over time.

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Siembra con labranza cero en la agricultura de conservación, C.J. Baker, K.E. Saxton, W.R. Ritchie, W.C.T. Chamen, D.C. Reicosky, M.F.S. Ribeiro, S.E. Justice y P.R. Hobbs
Este libro es una edición ampliada del volumen previo publicado en 1996 No-tillage Seeding: Science and Practice. El objetivo principal continúa siendo la descripción, en términos simples de varios experimentos internacionales diseñados para examinar las causas de los éxitos y los fracasos de la labranza cero. Este libro resume las ventajas y desventajas de la labranza cero en términos generales pero aprecia que la amplia adopción de la labranza cero ha sido ya hecha por otros. Si bien los autores han estado involucrados en el diseño de nuevos equipos, esta segunda edición no intenta promocionar ningún producto en particular pero remarca los puntos favorables y desfavorables de varias características y opciones.

Sistemas tropicales de agricultura-ganadería en la agricultura de conservación - La experiencia en Brasil, John N. Landers
Manejo Integrado de Cultivos, Volumen 5-2007
Esta publicación describe cómo la producción de pasturas, forrajes y ganado han sido integradas en los sistemas de agricultura de conservación en las zonas tropicales de Brasil. Vastas áreas de bosques fueron taladas en las áreas tropicales de Brasil para el establecimiento de pasturas que se vuelven improductivas una vez que se agota la fertilidad natural del suelo; esto conduce a la necesidad de talar más bosques.
Los sistemas integrados cultivos-ganadería con labranza cero permiten la producción sostenible de pasturas de alto rendimiento sin necesidad de recurrir a la deforestación; en este sistema el ganado convierte en ganancias las pasturas y los residuos de los cultivos. La capacidad de la pastura para incrementar la fertilidad y la actividad biológica de la capa superior del suelo es bien conocida. Se discuten los aspectos económicos del sistema y se describen en detalle sus efectos ecológicos muy positivos. Esta publicación está dirigida a los agrónomos, a los agricultores progresistas, a los extensionistas y a quienes toman decisiones sobre políticas agropecuarias en los trópicos y subtrópicos. Es de esperar que las numerosas lecciones aprendidas y las tecnologías desarrolladas en los trópicos brasileños, con las adaptaciones necesarias a las condiciones locales, puedan servir como referencia inicial para otras zonas tropicales y subtropicales.

Proceedings of the Third World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, 3-7 October 2005, Nairobi, Kenya
Copies can be obtained from ACT
P.O Box 10375 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya.
Tel: +254 20 4444252 Fax: +254 20 4451391
KARI - NARL, Waiyaki Way, Nairobi, Kenya
Website: http://www.act-africa.org
Email: info@act-africa.org

Proceedings of the FAO/CTIC Conservation Agriculture Carbon Offset Consultation,
held on 28-30 October, 2008, at the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
The proceedings as CD-ROM contain the workshop papers and power point presentations, background documents, agenda and list of participants as well as a framework for action and some short policy briefs, such as a One-page issue paper designed as a tool for conservation advocates to distribute to policymakers and influencers worldwide and a two-page summary document with background and supporting information about the importance of soil carbon sequestration in conservation agriculture

No-Till Farming Systems
WASWC Special Publication no. 3
Editors: T. Goddard, M. Zoebisch, Y. Gan, W. Ellis, A. Watson, S. Sombatpanit
http://www.waswc.org

Conservation Agriculture Case Studies - a series of case studies on conservation agriculture in 5 countries

Ghana

Kenya

Tanzania

Uganda

Zambia

This case studies on conservation agriculture are a joint project of the African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT), the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), the Swedish SIDA funded Regional Land Management Unit (RELMA in ICRAF) and FAO. The booklets throw light on controversial issues such as the challenges farmers face in keeping soil covered, in gaining access to adequate equipment, in controlling weeds, and on the challenges projects and institutions face in implementing truly participatory approaches to technology development. The series illustrates the benefits of conservation agriculture systems and the enthusiasm with which many stakeholders are taking it up.

Conservation Agriculture
A manual for farmers and extension workers in Africa
This book is published by the FAO-supported African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT) and the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR). the manual intends to:
1) explain what conservation agriculture is, and why it is important;
2) describe how to use conservation agriculture principles in the field;
3) highlight the issues and challenges that farmers and extension personnel may encounter when they adopt and adapt conservation agriculture;
4) suggest ways to adapt and disseminate this approach to farming and
5) provide examples of experiences with conservation agriculture in real life.
This manual is part of a larger effort to develop and promote conservation agriculture in Africa. It is designed to reflect the experiences and views of many conservation agriculture practitioners (farmers, researchers and support organizations) to respond to the looming hunger and environmental degradation in sub-Saharan Africa.
The manual is jointly produced and supported by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA); The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and FAO.

Proceedings of the Workshop on Conservation Agriculture in Southern Africa Harrison’s Conference Centre, cnr 12th Avenue and Wessels Street, Rivonia, Johannesburg April 2nd and 3rd, 2007.