1.2 Coordonnées des personnes-ressources et des institutions impliquées dans l'évaluation et la documentation de la Technologie

Nom du ou des institutions qui ont facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de la Technologie (si pertinent)

CDE Centre for Development and Environment (CDE Centre for Development and Environment) - Suisse

1.3 Conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées

Le compilateur et la(les) personne(s) ressource(s) acceptent les conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées:

Oui

1.5 Référence au(x) Questionnaires sur les Approches de GDT (documentées au moyen de WOCAT)

2.1 Courte description de la Technologie

Définition de la Technologie:

A cropping system which allows to plant the seeds directly into the soil without ploughing. The soil is covered with plant remainders.

2.2 Description détaillée de la Technologie

Description:

The farm portaited is located in a hilly area near Bern. It is cooperating with an other farm of the village so that in total 32 ha of arable land are cultivated. All crops except for potatoes and sugar beets are produced within the no-tillage system. So the area cultivated with the no-tillage system is about 26 ha. The farm is producing mainly fodder (maize, wheat) for pigs. Beside this potatoes and sugar beets are produced to be sold. A typical crop rotation consists of a root crop, followed by a winter grain and a green manure. There are major meadows, too.

No-tillage characterizes a cultivation system without ploughing or any other reworking of the soil. After the previous crop (Maize, grain) has been harvested, a total herbicide is applied and the seeds are brought directly into the soil with a special machine. A metal disk carves a narrow slit into the surface. Then the seeds are brought into the soil pneumatically. Finally, the slit is closed again by two wheels pressing on the surface.

The no-tillage system is used to reduce soil degradation, especially erosion. It enables a permanent cover of the soil surface, which reduces sealing and crusting. Since they are not disturbed by ploughing anymore, there are more earthworms in the soil. Their activity can slowly reduce compaction and improve the soil structure. This leads to better infiltration rates and also to a higher water storage capacity. Less water remains on the soil surface, so soil loss can be reduced.

The no-tillage system requires a special direct seeding machine. This machine is very expensive, so most farmers don’t buy it on their own but task a contractor with the seeding. On the other hand, certain machines from conventional agriculture are not needed anymore (plough, harrow, rotary tiller etc.). Furthermore, working hours and fuel can be saved. In some cantons of switzerland no-tillage agriculture is also subsidised. For this reason, the method holds economic advantages, too.

In the beginning crop yield may be reduced by up to 10%. The rebuilding of the soil structure requires a certain time, depending on the state of the soil at the time of transition. However, this was not the case for the farm portaited here: Already in the first year there were very good crop yields, although the probability for crop loss is higher in the no-tillage system. Competition between the crops and weeds can be too strong if the total herbicide is applied under wet conditions. In addition drying of the soil in spring is often delayed. Thus the plants may face too wet conditions.

2.3 Photos de la Technologie

2.5 Pays/ région/ lieux où la Technologie a été appliquée et qui sont couverts par cette évaluation

2.6 Date de mise en œuvre de la Technologie

Si l'année précise est inconnue, indiquez la date approximative: :

• il y a entre 10-50 ans

2.7 Introduction de la Technologie

Spécifiez comment la Technologie a été introduite: :

• au cours d'expérimentations / de recherches

Commentaires (type de projet, etc.) :

modern direct seeding was developed since the 1950s after the development of modern herbicides.

3.2 Type(s) actuel(s) d'utilisation des terres, là où la Technologie est appliquée

Commentaires:

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Soil erosion, soil compaction at different dephts

Future (final) land use (after implementation of SLM Technology): Cropland: Ca: Annual cropping

3.4 Approvisionnement en eau

Approvisionnement en eau des terres sur lesquelles est appliquée la Technologie:

• pluvial

3.5 Groupe de GDT auquel appartient la Technologie

• perturbation minimale du sol

3.6 Mesures de GDT constituant la Technologie

3.7 Principaux types de dégradation des terres traités par la Technologie

Commentaires:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion, Bc: reduction of vegetation cover, Bl: loss of soil life

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Pc: compaction

Main causes of degradation: crop management (annual, perennial, tree/shrub) (unprotected soil surface in conventional agriculture), Heavy / extreme rainfall (intensity/amounts), education, access to knowledge and support services (Tradition. In general ploughing is not questioned.)

3.8 Prévention, réduction de la dégradation ou réhabilitation des terres dégradées

Spécifiez l'objectif de la Technologie au regard de la dégradation des terres:

• prévenir la dégradation des terres
• réduire la dégradation des terres

Commentaires:

Main goals: prevention of land degradation

Secondary goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Dessin technique de la Technologie

4.2 Informations générales sur le calcul des intrants et des coûts

autre/ monnaie nationale (précisez):

Swiss Franc

Indiquez le taux de change des USD en devise locale, le cas échéant (p.ex. 1 USD = 79.9 réal brésilien): 1 USD = :

1,08

4.3 Activités de mise en place/ d'établissement

	Activité	Calendrier des activités (saisonnier)
1.	Buy a direct seeding machine

4.4 Coûts et intrants nécessaires à la mise en place

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% des coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Equipements	Direct seeding machine	Machine	1,0	278000,0	278000,0	100,0
Coût total de mise en place de la Technologie					278000,0
Coût total de mise en place de la Technologie en dollars américains (USD)					257407,41

Commentaires:

Duration of establishment phase: 0 month(s)

4.5 Activités d'entretien/ récurrentes

	Activité	Calendrier/ fréquence
1.	Appliance of total herbicide (glyphosat)	1 per growing period
2.	Seeding	1 per growing period
3.	spreading of snail poison	1-3 per growing period

4.6 Coûts et intrants nécessaires aux activités d'entretien/ récurrentes (par an)

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% des coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Main d'œuvre	Seeding	ha	1,0	185,0	185,0	100,0
Main d'œuvre	Spreading of snail poison	ha	1,0	46,0	46,0	100,0
Engrais et biocides	Biocides	ha	1,0	56,0	56,0	100,0
Autre	Appliance of herbicide	ha	1,0	93,0	93,0	100,0
Coût total d'entretien de la Technologie					380,0
Coût total d'entretien de la Technologie en dollars américains (USD)					351,85

Commentaires:

New direct seeding machines usually cost $45'000. The farmer portraited bought a second hand machine for $27800. To calculate the costs it was assumed that all work is outsorced to a contracter (which is not usually the case). One growing period per year was assumed, in reality it 1-2. Worksteps which are the same in direct seeding and conventional agriculture were not included. The following worksteps are additional to conventional agriculture (working hours, costs): Appliance of total herbicide ((0.75h, $149), direct seeding (0.5h, $185), spreading of snail poison (0.5h, $83). The following steps are not needed anymore: ploughing (2.5h, $260), harrowing (1.25h, $185), conventional seeding (1h, $102). So in total about 3.75h and $130 can be saved per ha and growing period. Besides this, direct seeding is subsidised in the Canton Bern. The subsidies sum up to $250-$500 per ha and year for a period of 5 years. These subsidies are an important reason for the growing popularity of conservation agriculture in Switzerland. The most important income source for Swiss farmers are direct subsidies, which are about $1400 per ha and year. To get these subsidies, farmers have to fulfill ecological criteria.

4.7 Facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts

Décrivez les facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts :

The most important factor is whether a direct seeding machine can be rented in locally, because this represents a major investment.

5.1 Climat

5.2 Topographie

5.3 Sols

Si disponible, joignez une description complète du sol ou précisez les informations disponibles, par ex., type de sol, pH/ acidité du sol, capacité d'échange cationique, azote, salinité, etc.

Soil texture is medium (loamy/silty and sandy)
Soil fertility is high
Soil drainage/infiltration is good
Soil water storage capacity is high

5.4 Disponibilité et qualité de l'eau

Commentaires et précisions supplémentaires sur la qualité et la quantité d'eau:

Availability of surface water: good, medium

5.5 Biodiversité

5.6 Caractéristiques des exploitants des terres appliquant la Technologie

Indiquez toute autre caractéristique pertinente des exploitants des terres:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly common / average land users

Difference in the involvement of women and men: In Switzerland there are mostly men who apply the technology. However, the decision making usually takes place at the household level, including both men and women.

Population density: 50-100 persons/km2

Annual population growth: negative

Off-farm income specification: Many farmers in Switzerland have significant off farm income. But this seems to be independent of the technology applied.

5.7 Superficie moyenne des terres utilisées par les exploitants des terres appliquant la Technologie

5.8 Propriété foncière, droits d’utilisation des terres et de l'eau

Propriété foncière:

• individu, avec titre de propriété

Droits d’utilisation des terres:

• loué
• individuel

Droits d’utilisation de l’eau:

• communautaire (organisé)

Commentaires:

Population growth in Switzerland is about 0.6% per year. In the commune discussed here it's about -0.6%.

5.9 Accès aux services et aux infrastructures

6.1 Impacts sur site que la Technologie a montrés

Impacts socio-économiques

Production

Disponibilité et qualité de l'eau

Revenus et coûts

Impacts socioculturels

Impacts écologiques

Cycle de l'eau/ ruissellement

Sols

Biodiversité: végétale, animale

Autres impacts écologiques

6.2 Impacts hors site que la Technologie a montrés

6.3 Exposition et sensibilité de la Technologie aux changements progressifs et aux évènements extrêmes/catastrophes liés au climat (telles que perçues par les exploitants des terres)

Changements climatiques progressifs

Changements climatiques progressifs

	Saison	Augmentation ou diminution	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
températures annuelles		augmente	pas connu

Extrêmes climatiques (catastrophes)

Catastrophes météorologiques

	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
pluie torrentielle locale	bien
tempête de vent locale	pas connu

Catastrophes climatiques

	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
sécheresse	bien

Catastrophes hydrologiques

	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
inondation générale (rivière)	pas connu

Autres conséquences liées au climat

Autres conséquences liées au climat

	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
réduction de la période de croissance	pas bien

6.4 Analyse coûts-bénéfices

Quels sont les bénéfices comparativement aux coûts de mise en place (du point de vue des exploitants des terres)?

Quels sont les bénéfices comparativement aux coûts d'entretien récurrents (du point de vue des exploitants des terres)?

Commentaires:

In this case study, the farmer bought a direct seeding machine on his own. This is why short-term returns are negative.

6.5 Adoption de la Technologie

De tous ceux qui ont adopté la Technologie, combien d'entre eux l'ont fait spontanément, à savoir sans recevoir aucune incitation matérielle, ou aucune rémunération? :

• 11-50%

Commentaires:

80% of land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

Comments on acceptance with external material support: There is the possibility to get subsidies during the first 5 years of appliance. But resources are limited and therefore not everybody gets them.

20% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

There is a moderate trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: The total area of conservation agriculture is small in Switzerland. But growing rates are quite high.

6.7 Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités de la Technologie

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue de l'exploitant des terres
Soil erosion is greatly reduced. How can they be sustained / enhanced? For crops which are not tolerant to direct seeding, other soil conservation techniques should be applied.
The risk of soil compaction is reduced. How can they be sustained / enhanced? Heavy machinery should only be used under dry conditions.
Soil structure is improved due to more earthworms. How can they be sustained / enhanced? Enough organic material needs to be available.
Working hours and fuel consumption is highly reduced, since no reworking of the soil is needed anymore. How can they be sustained / enhanced? The time saved should be used to enhance production.

6.8 Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques de la Technologie et moyens de les surmonter

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue de l’exploitant des terres	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
Direct seeding machines are very expensive and the second hand market is not well developed yet.	Contractors can be tasked with the seeding or the investments can be shared.
The risk of crop failure is enhanced.	Very good planning of crop rotation. The date of sowings should be chosen carefully. Crops should be checked for snails regularly.

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
Worldwide application of glyphosate could possibly lead to resistant weeds.	With an adequate crop rotation and good timing of the worksteps glyphosate is not needed sometimes.
The public is very sensitive towards the application of chemical substances. In contrast, the broader public is not familiar with the advantages of conservation agriculture.	Scientific knowledge should be adressed to a broader public.

7.1 Méthodes/ sources d'information

7.2 Références des publications disponibles

Titre, auteur, année, ISBN:

Wirz Handbuch. Betrieb und Familie. Für das landwirtschaftliche Unternehmen. LBL Lindau. 112 Jahrgang. Wirz Verlag Basel.2006.

Disponible à partir d'où? Coût?

Tel: +41 61 264 64 50CHF 22.-

7.3 Liens vers les informations pertinentes en ligne

Titre/ description:

Sturny et al. Direktsaat und Pflug im Systemvergleich – Eine Synthese. AGRARForschung 14 (8): 332-337. 2007.

URL:

http://www.vol.be.ch/site/lanat-3155-syntheseartikel.pdf