L'agriculteur montre la différence entre sa parcelle conduite en agriculture de conservation et celle voisin conduite en agriculture conventionelle, indiquant les signes d'érosion dans la parcelle voisin. (Donia Jendoubi)

Agriculture de Conservation (Tunisia)

Semis direct

Description

L’agriculture de conservation est une technologie basée sur trois principes : la perturbation minimale du sol, la couverture permanente des sols et la diversification de cultures en rotations ou séquences.

Vu les problèmes de dégradation des terres par l’érosion hydrique et le baisse de la fertilité chimique et biologique des sols qui ont conduit à une diminution des rendements des grandes cultures, l’agriculture et lors d’une réunion avec les représentants du ministère de l’agriculture ou un groupe étranger a présenté l’agriculture de conservation comme alternative à la dégradation des terres et l’amélioration de sa fertilité, il s’est convaincu de l’utilité de cette technologie et il a testé l’application de l’agriculture de conservation avec ses trois principes dans ses terres avec l’appui d’un groupe d’experts français du CIRAD à travers l’agence française de développement AFD et le centre technique des céréales en Tunisie.
En faite l’agriculture de conservation consiste à éliminer le labour de la terre et le remplacer par un désherbage chimique pour éliminer les mauvaises herbes et de semer directement par un semoir spécial appelé semoir de semis direct. Ensuite l’agriculture conduit ses cultures comme il le faisait auparavant après récolte, l’agriculture doit laisser une partie des résidus des cultures sur le sol pour le couvrir durant l’été, la période ou il n’y a pas des cultures. L’agriculture de conservation exige aussi l’élimination de la monoculture et le diversification des cultures qu’on appelle rotation ou séquence des cultures des différentes familles.

Location

Location: Krib, Siliana, Tunisia

No. of Technology sites analysed: single site

Geo-reference of selected sites
  • 9.35889, 36.08762

Spread of the Technology: evenly spread over an area (approx. 1-10 km2)

In a permanently protected area?:

Date of implementation: 1999; 10-50 years ago

Type of introduction
Photo de semoir de semis direct. (Donia Jendoubi)
Réalisation d'un profil du sol dans la parcelle conduite en Agriculture de Conservation. (Houcine Angar)

Classification of the Technology

Main purpose
  • improve production
  • reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
  • conserve ecosystem
  • protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies
  • preserve/ improve biodiversity
  • reduce risk of disasters
  • adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
  • mitigate climate change and its impacts
  • create beneficial economic impact
  • create beneficial social impact
Land use

  • Cropland
    • Annual cropping: cereals - other, vegetables - other, Céréales, légumineuses alimentaires, fourragères, cultures industriels, et cultures pérennes.
    • Perennial (non-woody) cropping
    Number of growing seasons per year: 2
  • Grazing land
    • Ranching
    • Cut-and-carry/ zero grazing
    • Improved pastures
    Animal type: cattle - dairy, goats, sheep
      SpeciesCount
      cattle - dairy200
      poultry10
    Water supply
    • rainfed
    • mixed rainfed-irrigated
    • full irrigation

    Purpose related to land degradation
    • prevent land degradation
    • reduce land degradation
    • restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land
    • adapt to land degradation
    • not applicable
    Degradation addressed
    • soil erosion by water - Wt: loss of topsoil/ surface erosion, Wg: gully erosion/ gullying, Wm: mass movements/ landslides, Wr: riverbank erosion, Wo: offsite degradation effects
    • soil erosion by wind - Et: loss of topsoil, Ed: deflation and deposition, Eo: offsite degradation effects
    • chemical soil deterioration - Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content (not caused by erosion)
    • physical soil deterioration - Pc: compaction, Pk: slaking and crusting, Pi: soil sealing, Pw: waterlogging, Ps: subsidence of organic soils, settling of soil, Pu: loss of bio-productive function due to other activities
    • biological degradation - Bc: reduction of vegetation cover, Bh: loss of habitats, Bq: quantity/ biomass decline, Bf: detrimental effects of fires, Bs: quality and species composition/ diversity decline, Bl: loss of soil life, Bp: increase of pests/ diseases, loss of predators
    • water degradation - Ha: aridification, Hs: change in quantity of surface water, Hg: change in groundwater/aquifer level, Hp: decline of surface water quality, Hq: decline of groundwater quality, Hw: reduction of the buffering capacity of wetland areas
    SLM group
    • rotational systems (crop rotation, fallows, shifting cultivation)
    • improved ground/ vegetation cover
    • minimal soil disturbance
    SLM measures
    • agronomic measures - A1: Vegetation/ soil cover, A2: Organic matter/ soil fertility, A3: Soil surface treatment, A4: Subsurface treatment
    • vegetative measures - V2: Grasses and perennial herbaceous plants, V4: Replacement or removal of alien/ invasive species
    • management measures - M2: Change of management/ intensity level, M3: Layout according to natural and human environment, M4: Major change in timing of activities, M5: Control/ change of species composition

    Technical drawing

    Technical specifications
    Le dessin technique montre une partie de la parcelle qui est cultivée, dont le sol est couvert par les cultures. Une deuxième partie est parcouru par le semoir de semis direct, dont le sol est couvert par les résidues de la culture précédente.
    Author: Houcine Angar

    Establishment and maintenance: activities, inputs and costs

    Calculation of inputs and costs
    • Costs are calculated: per Technology area (size and area unit: 1 hectare)
    • Currency used for cost calculation: Dinar Tunisien
    • Exchange rate (to USD): 1 USD = 2.5 Dinar Tunisien
    • Average wage cost of hired labour per day: 20 Dinar Tunisien.
    Most important factors affecting the costs
    L'augmentation des prix des intrants.
    Establishment activities
    1. Désherbage chimique au lieu du labour (Timing/ frequency: Novembre)
    2. Semis direct (Timing/ frequency: Novembre)
    3. Premier apport de fertilisation azotée (Timing/ frequency: Décembre)
    4. Désherbage chimique (Timing/ frequency: Janvier)
    5. Deuxième apport de fertilisation azotée (Timing/ frequency: Mars)
    Establishment inputs and costs (per 1 hectare)
    Specify input Unit Quantity Costs per Unit (Dinar Tunisien) Total costs per input (Dinar Tunisien) % of costs borne by land users
    Labour
    ouvriers personne/jour 2.0 8.0 16.0 100.0
    Equipment
    location tracteur heure 6.0 18.0 108.0 100.0
    location semoir heure 1.0 45.0 45.0 100.0
    location moisonneuse heure 1.25 30.0 37.5 100.0
    location presse paille balle 120.0 0.4 48.0 100.0
    Plant material
    semences quintal 1.7 60.0 102.0 100.0
    Fertilizers and biocides
    herbicides litre 3.0 20.0 60.0 100.0
    fertilisation azotée quintal 2.5 22.0 55.0 100.0
    Total costs for establishment of the Technology 471.5
    Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD 188.6
    Maintenance activities
    n.a.

    Natural environment

    Average annual rainfall
    • < 250 mm
    • 251-500 mm
    • 501-750 mm
    • 751-1,000 mm
    • 1,001-1,500 mm
    • 1,501-2,000 mm
    • 2,001-3,000 mm
    • 3,001-4,000 mm
    • > 4,000 mm
    Agro-climatic zone
    • humid
    • sub-humid
    • semi-arid
    • arid
    Specifications on climate
    Average annual rainfall in mm: 450.0
    Name of the meteorological station: Station propre à l'exploitant.
    Semi aride supérieur.
    Slope
    • flat (0-2%)
    • gentle (3-5%)
    • moderate (6-10%)
    • rolling (11-15%)
    • hilly (16-30%)
    • steep (31-60%)
    • very steep (>60%)
    Landforms
    • plateau/plains
    • ridges
    • mountain slopes
    • hill slopes
    • footslopes
    • valley floors
    Altitude
    • 0-100 m a.s.l.
    • 101-500 m a.s.l.
    • 501-1,000 m a.s.l.
    • 1,001-1,500 m a.s.l.
    • 1,501-2,000 m a.s.l.
    • 2,001-2,500 m a.s.l.
    • 2,501-3,000 m a.s.l.
    • 3,001-4,000 m a.s.l.
    • > 4,000 m a.s.l.
    Technology is applied in
    • convex situations
    • concave situations
    • not relevant
    Soil depth
    • very shallow (0-20 cm)
    • shallow (21-50 cm)
    • moderately deep (51-80 cm)
    • deep (81-120 cm)
    • very deep (> 120 cm)
    Soil texture (topsoil)
    • coarse/ light (sandy)
    • medium (loamy, silty)
    • fine/ heavy (clay)
    Soil texture (> 20 cm below surface)
    • coarse/ light (sandy)
    • medium (loamy, silty)
    • fine/ heavy (clay)
    Topsoil organic matter content
    • high (>3%)
    • medium (1-3%)
    • low (<1%)
    Groundwater table
    • on surface
    • < 5 m
    • 5-50 m
    • > 50 m
    Availability of surface water
    • excess
    • good
    • medium
    • poor/ none
    Water quality (untreated)
    • good drinking water
    • poor drinking water (treatment required)
    • for agricultural use only (irrigation)
    • unusable
    Water quality refers to:
    Is salinity a problem?
    • Ja
    • Nee

    Occurrence of flooding
    • Ja
    • Nee
    Species diversity
    • high
    • medium
    • low
    Habitat diversity
    • high
    • medium
    • low

    Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

    Market orientation
    • subsistence (self-supply)
    • mixed (subsistence/ commercial)
    • commercial/ market
    Off-farm income
    • less than 10% of all income
    • 10-50% of all income
    • > 50% of all income
    Relative level of wealth
    • very poor
    • poor
    • average
    • rich
    • very rich
    Level of mechanization
    • manual work
    • animal traction
    • mechanized/ motorized
    Sedentary or nomadic
    • Sedentary
    • Semi-nomadic
    • Nomadic
    Individuals or groups
    • individual/ household
    • groups/ community
    • cooperative
    • employee (company, government)
    Gender
    • women
    • men
    Age
    • children
    • youth
    • middle-aged
    • elderly
    Area used per household
    • < 0.5 ha
    • 0.5-1 ha
    • 1-2 ha
    • 2-5 ha
    • 5-15 ha
    • 15-50 ha
    • 50-100 ha
    • 100-500 ha
    • 500-1,000 ha
    • 1,000-10,000 ha
    • > 10,000 ha
    Scale
    • small-scale
    • medium-scale
    • large-scale
    Land ownership
    • state
    • company
    • communal/ village
    • group
    • individual, not titled
    • individual, titled
    Land use rights
    • open access (unorganized)
    • communal (organized)
    • leased
    • individual
    Water use rights
    • open access (unorganized)
    • communal (organized)
    • leased
    • individual
    Access to services and infrastructure
    health

    poor
    x
    good
    education

    poor
    x
    good
    technical assistance

    poor
    x
    good
    employment (e.g. off-farm)

    poor
    x
    good
    markets

    poor
    x
    good
    energy

    poor
    x
    good
    roads and transport

    poor
    x
    good
    drinking water and sanitation

    poor
    x
    good
    financial services

    poor
    x
    good

    Impacts

    Socio-economic impacts
    Crop production
    decreased
    x
    increased

    crop quality
    decreased
    x
    increased

    fodder production
    decreased
    x
    increased

    fodder quality
    decreased
    x
    increased

    animal production
    decreased
    x
    increased

    risk of production failure
    increased
    x
    decreased

    product diversity
    decreased
    x
    increased

    production area (new land under cultivation/ use)
    decreased
    x
    increased

    land management
    hindered
    x
    simplified

    expenses on agricultural inputs
    increased
    x
    decreased

    farm income
    decreased
    x
    increased

    diversity of income sources
    decreased
    x
    increased

    economic disparities
    increased
    x
    decreased

    workload
    increased
    x
    decreased

    Socio-cultural impacts
    food security/ self-sufficiency
    reduced
    x
    improved

    health situation
    worsened
    x
    improved

    cultural opportunities (eg spiritual, aesthetic, others)
    reduced
    x
    improved

    recreational opportunities
    reduced
    x
    improved

    community institutions
    weakened
    x
    strengthened

    national institutions
    weakened
    x
    strengthened

    SLM/ land degradation knowledge
    reduced
    x
    improved

    situation of socially and economically disadvantaged groups (gender, age, status, ehtnicity etc.)
    worsened
    x
    improved

    Ecological impacts
    water quantity
    decreased
    x
    increased

    water quality
    decreased
    x
    increased

    harvesting/ collection of water (runoff, dew, snow, etc)
    reduced
    x
    improved

    surface runoff
    increased
    x
    decreased

    excess water drainage
    reduced
    x
    improved

    groundwater table/ aquifer
    lowered
    x
    recharge

    evaporation
    increased
    x
    decreased

    soil moisture
    decreased
    x
    increased

    soil cover
    reduced
    x
    improved

    soil loss
    increased
    x
    decreased

    soil accumulation
    decreased
    x
    increased

    soil crusting/ sealing
    increased
    x
    reduced

    soil compaction
    increased
    x
    reduced

    nutrient cycling/ recharge
    decreased
    x
    increased

    soil organic matter/ below ground C
    decreased
    x
    increased

    acidity
    increased
    x
    reduced

    vegetation cover
    decreased
    x
    increased

    biomass/ above ground C
    decreased
    x
    increased

    plant diversity
    decreased
    x
    increased

    invasive alien species
    increased
    x
    reduced

    animal diversity
    decreased
    x
    increased

    beneficial species (predators, earthworms, pollinators)
    decreased
    x
    increased

    habitat diversity
    decreased
    x
    increased

    pest/ disease control
    decreased
    x
    increased

    flood impacts
    increased
    x
    decreased

    landslides/ debris flows
    increased
    x
    decreased

    drought impacts
    increased
    x
    decreased

    impacts of cyclones, rain storms
    increased
    x
    decreased

    emission of carbon and greenhouse gases
    increased
    x
    decreased

    fire risk
    increased
    x
    decreased

    wind velocity
    increased
    x
    decreased

    micro-climate
    worsened
    x
    improved

    Off-site impacts
    downstream flooding (undesired)
    increased
    x
    reduced

    downstream siltation
    increased
    x
    decreased

    groundwater/ river pollution
    increased
    x
    reduced

    buffering/ filtering capacity (by soil, vegetation, wetlands)
    reduced
    x
    improved

    wind transported sediments
    increased
    x
    reduced

    damage on neighbours' fields
    increased
    x
    reduced

    damage on public/ private infrastructure
    increased
    x
    reduced

    impact of greenhouse gases
    increased
    x
    reduced

    Cost-benefit analysis

    Benefits compared with establishment costs
    Short-term returns
    very negative
    x
    very positive

    Long-term returns
    very negative
    x
    very positive

    Benefits compared with maintenance costs
    Short-term returns
    very negative
    x
    very positive

    Long-term returns
    very negative
    x
    very positive

    Climate change

    Gradual climate change
    annual temperature increase

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    seasonal temperature increase

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    Season: dry season
    annual rainfall decrease

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    seasonal rainfall decrease

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    Season: wet/ rainy season
    Climate-related extremes (disasters)
    local rainstorm

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    local thunderstorm

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    heatwave

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    cold wave

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    extreme winter conditions

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    drought

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    land fire

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    landslide

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    epidemic diseases

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    insect/ worm infestation

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    Other climate-related consequences
    extended growing period

    not well at all
    x
    very well
    reduced growing period

    not well at all
    x
    very well

    Adoption and adaptation

    Percentage of land users in the area who have adopted the Technology
    • single cases/ experimental
    • 1-10%
    • 11-50%
    • > 50%
    Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many have done so without receiving material incentives?
    • 0-10%
    • 11-50%
    • 51-90%
    • 91-100%
    Number of households and/ or area covered
    12000 ha
    Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?
    • Ja
    • Nee
    To which changing conditions?
    • climatic change/ extremes
    • changing markets
    • labour availability (e.g. due to migration)
    • la dégradation du mulch nécessite plus d'azote.

    Conclusions and lessons learnt

    Strengths: land user's view
    • Conservation et amélioration de la fertilité et propriétés physico-chimiques et biologiques du sol.
    • Stabilisation des rendements des cultures.
    • Améliorer la biodiversité végétale et animale.
    • Diminuer la pollution des nappes souterraines.
    • Coservation de l'eau dans le sol.
    Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
    • Conservation du sol contre l'érosion hydrique et amélioration de sa fertilité et propriétés physico-chimique et biologique du sol.
    • Réduction des couts de production des cultures.
    • Amélioration de la marge brute.
    • Séquestration du carbonne dans le sol.
    • Réduction de l'utilisation de l'énergie.
    Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
    • L'utilisation d'un herbicide total (gluphosate). Remplacement de l'herbicide par un désherbage mécanique par les rouleaux ou le paturage.
    • Cout de semoir de semis direct pour les petits agriculteurs. Subvention spécial pour l'achat de semoir et association des agriculteurs pour l'utilisation en commun de semoir.
    • Pas de législation qui encourage l'adoption. Octroi des subventions et encouragements.
    • Manque de vulgarisation et sensibilsation. Plus de sensibilisation et de vulgarisation pour accompagner les agriculteurs.
    Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome
    • Nécissité d'une bonne technicitö de la part des agriculteurs. Il faut accompagner techniquement les agriculteurs désireux d'adopter cette technologie.
    • Faiblement adoptö en Tunisie. Il faut beaucoup du travail pour étendre cette bonne pratique et il faut6 établir une stratögie national pour le développement de l'agriculture de conservation.

    References

    Compiler
    • Donia Mühlematter
    Editors
    • Donia Mühlematter
    • Houcine Angar
    Reviewer
    • Donia Mühlematter
    • Alexandra Gavilano
    Date of documentation: Mei 16, 2018
    Last update: Aug. 21, 2019
    Resource persons
    Full description in the WOCAT database
    Linked SLM data
    Documentation was faciliated by
    Institution Project
    Links to relevant information which is available online
    This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareaAlike 4.0 International