FAO promotes the adoption of Conservation Agriculture principles (minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotations) that are universally applicable in all agricultural landscapes and cropping systems.

FAO’s support to member countries includes:

1. Designing, formulating and planning national strategies and policies that provide incentives for farmers to adopt Conservation Agriculture practices and invest in sustainable agricultural mechanization. This allows farmers – especially smallholders – to move away from inefficient agronomic management practices and manual labour to appropriate levels of mechanization that offer higher returns.
2. Training farmers, service providers and extension agents on Conservation Agriculture practices and sustainable mechanization. Developing and disseminating training materials and guides to raise awareness and to incorporate into agricultural universities’ curricula and government programmes.
3. Implementing location-specific practices and identifying suitable crops to improve production systems that are resilient to the effects of climate change, as well as identifying existing or potential markets for inputs and/or outputs.
4. Increasing agricultural production by implementing Conservation Agriculture practices in support of national priorities linked to food and nutrition security.