No Till Farming (PA Technology)

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Name of technology example: Type
No Till Farming
No-till.jpg
☐ Energy Efficiency
☐ Renewable Energy
Alternative Methodology
Description No-till farming (also called zero tillage or direct drilling) is a way of growing crops or pasture from year to year without disturbing the soil through tillage. No-till is an agricultural technique which increases the amount of water that infiltrates into the soil and increases organic matter retention and cycling of nutrients in the soil. In many agricultural regions it can eliminate soil erosion. It increases the amount and variety of life in and on the soil, including disease-causing organisms and disease suppression organisms. The most powerful benefit of no-tillage is improvement in soil biological fertility, making soils more resilient. Farm operations are made much more efficient, particularly improved time of sowing and better trafficability of farm operations.

No- tillage trials in Latin America were first started in 1971 by the Instituto de Pesquisas Agropecuarias Meridional, IPEAME, in Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil, in co-operation with a GTZ (German aid) project.

Technology for the Application of
☐ Solar Biomass Biofuel
☐ Biogas ☐ Wind ☐ Geo-Thermal
☐ Hydro ☐ Energy Efficiency
☐ Other: /
Primarily Relevant for the following Agricultural Value Chain Steps
☐ Mechanization ☐ Efficiency of Operation ☐ Processing
☐ Transportation ☐ Controlled Atmosphere ☐ Controlled Temperature
☐ Mechanical Sorting ☐ Preservation
Other: Alternative methodology
Primarily Relevant for the following Agricultural Value Chain Activities
☐ Grinding ☐ Hauling and conveying ☐ Sorting
☐ Seedbed Preparation ☐ Milling ☐ Tearing
☐ Planting ☐ Washing ☐ Mixing
☐ Pumping ☐ Heating ☐ Drying
☐ Irrigation ☐ Cooling ☐ Animal feeding
☐ Fertilizing ☐ Venting ☐ Animal health and Welfare
☐ Pest Management ☐ Lighting ☐ Packing and branding
☐ Cutting ☐ Sanitation
Other: Alternative methodology
Primarily Implemented in the following Commodity Groups
Cereals ☐ Fruits and vegetables ☐ Nuts and berries
Forage ☐ Dairy products ☐ Meat products
Oil Seeds ☐ Roots and Tubers ☐ Eggs
Pulses ☐ Fiber Crops ☐ Forestry
☐ Sugars ☐ Stimulants ☐ Spices
☐ Other: /
Region & Country of
Development
Region

☐ Africa
☐ South Asia
☐ East Asia & The Pacific
☐ Europe & Central Asia
Latin America & The Caribbean - Brazil
☐ Middle East & North Africa
☐ North America
☐ N/A: /
Region & Country of
Current Deployment
Worldwide

Africa
South Asia
East Asia & The Pacific
Europe & Central Asia
Latin America & The Caribbean
Middle East & North Africa
North America
☐ N/A: /
Region & Country of
Potential Deployment
Worldwide

Africa
South Asia
East Asia & The Pacific
Europe & Central Asia
Latin America & The Caribbean
Middle East & North Africa
North America
☐ N/A: /
Manufacturers
Economics Studies have found that no-till farming can be more profitable if performed correctly. Less tillage of the soil reduces labour, fuel, irrigation and machinery costs;
Technology Development Level At present more than 124 million ha of no-tillage worldwide;
Required Maintenance Technical Level Basic: Technology can be maintained through its life cycle with common tools and a universally understood maintenance manual;
Required Infrastructure for Deployment Low: Technology can be developed with less common tools, low development level supporting technologies and moderately trained personnel;
Required Resources during manufacture
Required Resources during operation Fuel, machinary, water;
Deployment
Level
Research and development;
Deployment Capability and Potential The technology can be widely deployed limited only by education;
Requirements for Deployment Education and trainings;
Relevance for Autonomy and Food Security Service independent: can be serviced onsite, requires energy and technology inputs;
Environment Impacts (emissions) Low, when machinary will be operated with renewables; Soil will be more vital and is thus a CO2-sink; No-till has carbon sequestration potential through storage of soil organic matter in the soil of crop fields.
Conformity with Bio- Cybernetic System Rules High;
Additional information / Comments No comments.
Internal Reference
Additional Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-till_farming

http://www.hrwc.net/notill.htm

http://www.fao.org/ag/ca/CA-publications/China_IJABE.pdf

http://www.ifpri.org/pressrelease/agricultural-technologies-could-increase-global-crop-yields-much-67-percent-and-cut-foo

http://www.rolf-derpsch.com/en/no-till/historical-review/