Conservation Agriculture

Conservation agriculture is a set of farming practices aimed at maintaining or enhancing agricultural productivity by protecting soil from erosion and degradation, as well as improving its biodiversity and overall quality, and preserving natural resources like air and water, all while optimising crop yields. The key principles of conservation agriculture include minimal soil disturbance through either reduced or no-till farming, permanent soil cover using cover crops or crop residues, and crop diversification. Conservation agriculture contributes to climate change mitigation and adaptation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing soil carbon sequestration, and increasing the resilience of farming systems to climate variability.