Conservation agriculture has no significant impact on sheep digestive parasitism

Conservation agriculture (CONS A) is a sustainable agriculture system based on crop rotation with no tillage. It has various environmental advantages compared to conventional agriculture (CONV A): decreased water evaporation, erosion, and CO2 emissions. In this first study of its kind, we aim to evaluate the impact of this type of agriculture on sheep gastrointestinal parasites. Two lamb groups aged between 5 and 10 months were randomly included to graze separately on CONS A and CONV A pastures. Each group was composed of two batches of three lambs, and these were followed up for two rearing months. Liveweight, hematological parameter variation, and digestive parasites were studied. At the end of the study period, lambs were slaughtered the carcass yield was determined, and a helminthological autopsy was performed on the digestive tracts of the animals to estimate different parasitological indicators. There was no difference between lambs reared on CONS A and those reared on CONV A for all parasite indicators (infestation intensity, abundance, and prevalence). The same trend was also obtained for hematological parameters, liveweight evolution, and carcass yield. These results prove that there is no impact of CONS A on the sheep's digestive parasitism. Further studies are needed to support these findings on larger animal samples and to investigate the impact of conservation agriculture on other parasite species. Similar studies could also be conducted on ruminant species

Assessing complementary synergies for integrated crop–livestock systems under conservation agriculture in Tunisian dryland farming systems

The aim of this paper is twofold. The first objective is to measure the technical efficiency of mixed crop-livestock (CL) smallholder producers operating under conservation agriculture systems in Tunisian rainfed areas. The second objective is to explore complementarities, synergies, and economies of diversification across the different production system components of these crop-livestock producers using the cross-partial derivative framework of output variables in the distance function. A simple random sampling process was employed to select and survey 59 CL smallholders operating under conservation agriculture. The collected data were analyzed using a stochastic input distance function in which synergies were estimated based on the second cross-partial derivative concept of output variables in the distance function. Results show that technical inefficiencies are significant in integrated crop-livestock systems, and there is evidence that economic diversification provides a productivity buffer against climate change threats. As a sustainable intensification strategy, this integrated system also offers a potential advantage. The results further contribute to the debate on crop diversification vs. specialization. Although an enhanced system integration could be a financially and ecologically viable option for mixed crop-livestock systems, more pathways for profitable and viable diversification of cereal-based or orchard-based systems remain to be explored

Refinement and Scaling of Inclusive Agroecological Innovations for Livestock Management, Crop Rotations, and Soil Conservation in Semi-arid South Mediterranean Regions

The objective of this work is to i) present a socio-technical package of agroecological interventions that are already being tested for this type of mixed farming system in the semi-arid area of Tunisia, and ii) illustrate the scope and mechanisms for scaling up this package. Results further illustrate the key factors that have led to a change in attitude and behaviour among local actors and farmers towards a better co-generation, co-sharing, and adoption of agroecological principles at farm, community, and landscape levels. This work was presented at the Tropentag 2022 conference in Prague Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague/Czech Republic: September 14-1

Context Assessment for Agroecology Transformation in the Tunisian Living Landscape

The purpose of this Context Assessment is threefold: first, to characterize the environmental, social and economic and political contexts of the Tunisian ALL; second, to understand the data and information currently available in sub-region of the ALL, and third to characterize the extent to which agroecological principles are already being employed locally at the ALL levels. This report constitutes a basis of information and discussion to conduct the impact assessment. It is also valuable to all WPs in the Initiative as it provides critical quantitative or qualitative data and information regarding capacities assessment, policy influence, and other environmental attributes which can guide the initiative implementation and impact in 2023/2024. The present Context Assessment in Tunisia has been elaborated from primary and secondary sources of data. The primary sources of data are issued from focus groups and formal and informal interviews conducted in the targeted area between June and December 2022, as part of WP1 and WP4 activities. The secondary sources of data came from previous research and development projects, in addition to formal and grey literature or technical reports and policy documents. This report will be enriched with a household survey planned during the first quarter of 2023. This report contributes to Output 2.1. Baseline – current conditions of agricultural systems of small holder farmers in each ALL, Output 1.1 on establishment of the ALL, Output 4.1 on the identification of policies and local institutions and their role in the AE pathways

Perceptions and sociocultural factors underlying adoption of conservation agriculture in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean region is facing major challenges for soil conservation and sustainable agriculture. Conservation agriculture (CA), including reduced soil disturbance, can help conserve soils and improve soil fertility, but its adoption in the Mediterranean region is limited. Examining farmers’ perceptions of soil and underlying sociocultural factors can help shed light on adoption of soil management practices. In this paper, we conducted a survey with 590 farmers across Morocco, Spain and Tunisia to explore concepts that are cognitively associated with soil and perceptions of tillage. We also evaluated differences in perceptions of innovation, community, adaptive capacity, and responsibility for soil. We found that farmers’ cognitive associations with soil show awareness of soil as a living resource, go beyond agriculture and livelihoods to reveal cultural ties, and link to multiple levels of human needs. Beliefs about the benefits of tillage for water availability and yield persist among the surveyed farmers. We found that openness towards innovation, perceived adaptive capacity and responsibility for soil were associated with minimum tillage, whereas community integration was not. Education, age and farm lifestyle were also associated with differences in these perceptions. CA promotion in the Mediterranean should emphasize the multiple values of soil, should demonstrate how sufficient yields may be achieved alongside resilience to drought, and be tailored to differing levels of environmental awareness and economic needs across north and south

Marginal Value of Irrigation Water in Wheat Production Systems of Central Tunisia

Recent studies on the economics of agricultural water management in Tunisia report a low water productivity of some presently widely cultivated crops such as durum wheat. The objective of this study is to estimate water productivity and marginal value of irrigation water applied to durum wheat in central Tunisia, region of Kairouan. We develop a production function, in which the irrigation revenue of farmers per hectare is expressed in terms of the used water volume in addition to other production factors. Results show that 31.7 % of farmers were applying water volumes above the economic optimal volume (more than 2900 mm/ha). Moreover, 50 % of farmers were found to be applying less irrigation water than this optimal volume. Applying water above the optimal volume means that the benefit farmers generate from each supplementary unit of irrigation water is lower than the market price of irrigation water currently applied in the region (0.110 TND/m3). Water is then wasted. However, using less water than this optimal volume means that farmers can make further supplementary irrigations and generate more benefit from it (extra-yield). The study also shows that most of farmers in the study area are not performing the irrigation scheduling and the appropriate irrigation doses. Improving these irrigation performances will surely preserve the water resources and enhance the food security in Tunisia

Deficit Irrigation of Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf): Effects on Total Dry Matter Production, Light Interception and Radiation Use Efficiency Under Different Nitrogen Rates

On-farm trial was conducted from 2005 to 2008 to test the hypothesis that reduction of total dry matter (TDM) in crops can occur after a decreased radiation use efficiency (RUE) due to shortage of nitrogen and irrigation, we applied three irrigations treatments (D1, D2 and D3) and four nitrogen rates (N1, N2, N3 and N4). Photosynthetic active radiation absorbed or cumulative light interception (PARabs) and RUE of Durum wheat were measured. Results showed that D1N1 treatment recorded the highest LAI, PARabs, TDM and RUE. The maximum LAI was obtained 140 DAS (days after sowing) under treatment D1N2 (6.42) and the lowest LAI at the same phase belonged to treatment D2N4 (3.86). At the harvest, the maximum of TDM was 1487 g m-2 recorded under treatment D1N1. The minimum value obtained was 930 g m-2 under treatment D3N4. Also, PARabs was improved under D1N1 and D1N2 treatments. With reduced N application rates and irrigation doses, PARabs was decreased and the lowest values were observed under D3N4 condition. The RUE, varied from 1.55 g MJ-1 (D1N1) to 1.24 g MJ-1 (D3N4), was affected and decreased under deficit irrigation and low nitrogen conditions. In conclusion, the results of this study seem to show that D1N1 and D1N2 treatments can be beneficial for Durum wheat under field conditions in semi arid zone of Tunisia, for the purpose of improving RUE and maximizing grain yield

Visioning workshops in the Tunisian agroecologial living landscapes (ALL): Preliminary Data Sets of the Visioning Approach

Within the “Transdisciplinary co-creation of innovations in Agroecological Living Landscape-ALL” Work Package (WP) of the Transformational Agroecology Across Food, Land and Water Systems Initiative (AE-I) , it is proposed to use/apply participatory methods to build collectively a vision of the desired agroecological pathways in each ALL. This activity aims at developing the most suitable agroecological transition pathways in each ALL identified and agreed upon among actors. The Visioning activity was collectively conducted by ICARDA, and its national partners involved in the AE-I under the supervision with all the WP leaders in Tunisian and the support of the “Transdisciplinary co-creation of innovations in Agroecological Living Landscapes” work package WP1 and the “Strengthening the policy- and institutional-enabling environment” work package (WP5) leaders and co-leaders in the first phase of the implementation. This technical report restitutes the primary data collected during the Visioning approach that will support further analysis in the coming months to support the next steps of codesigning and co implementing the technical and organizational agro-ecological innovative packages with the stakeholders in the Tunisian ALL