Flat to Gentle

Changing harvest time refers to adjusting harvest time to focus on optimal moisture conditions, thereby avoiding losses from mould, decay and possible disease, while also considering optimal maturity of the crop. This approach encourages the reduction in potential losses of ripened grain and increases potential higher quality grain for consumption or market. Harvesting of crops when physiologically mature can minimise losses during transportation to the homestead. Physiological harvesting refers to the time when a grain (fruit, etc.) can be separated from its parent plant and continues to ripen over time. Farmers should consider planting earlier or later or consider planting faster or slower maturing varieties to avoid issues of post-harvest loss. This is a climate smart practice because it reduces potential losses of ripened grain, increase the quality of grain harvested, and is overall a more efficient use of resources, all while mitigating the spread of diseases and reducing GHG emissions.

Best Practice Harvesting Techniques are formalised harvesting practices intended to reduce breakage and bruising of crops during collection and storage. These techniques minimise harvest losses and maintain the quality of the produce. To maximise this approach, factors such as moisture content, cleanness of the grain, colour, odour and potential pest infestation need to be considered during harvest periods. Considering each of these factors will increase grain value as quality standards are directly related to grain price. Harvesting can be performed manually or mechanically, with obvious cost implication of employing the latter.

Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) is a technique of restoring degraded land and monitoring restoration of the land involving the systematic regeneration and management of trees and shrubs from tree stumps, roots and seed. Degraded arid land often features left over indigenous plants, which if maintained and promoted to grow can improve pasture and crop lands while simultaneously encouraging re-growth of seeds, roots and shrubs. Key to this practice is the existence of living stumps, tree roots and seed that, if encouraged, will regrow. The land is protected from being completely cleared or further grazed and this allows trees to grow without disturbance. Once the stumps and trees start to grow, pruning and trimming of trees is required to allow space between trees and promote healthy long tree trunks. Once the trees have matured, intercropping can take place or livestock can be re-introduced to graze.

While requiring some investment in terms of effort, FMNR has climate smart advantages such as controlling rainfall/irrigation run-off, supporting water quality improvements, providing sources of timber or fodder, supporting habitant regeneration for pollinator insect species, acting as sun shade, and reducing soil erosion.

Agroforestry is a land management practice that combines the planting and management of trees and shrubs with crops and pasture, providing benefits of soil health, crop yields, resilience to climate change, biodiversity and economic opportunities. Agroforestry encompasses numerous practices, including silvo-pasture, agro-silvo cultural, and agro-silvo-pastural. One such successful agroforestry practice is silvo-pasture – the planting of trees and shrubs within livestock grazing pasture lands. Not to be confused with agrosilvopasture (combination of crops, shrubs/trees and livestock, silvopasture is the combination of trees and shrubs with pastural grazing land. The trees can be regularly or irregularly placed, and in addition to improving soil conditions in pasture lands, also provide production of protein-rich tree fodder for on farm feeding and for cut-and-carry fodder production. If growing larger species of tree, coppicing can also produce timber for building materials and firewood.

Boundary planting, also known as live fence planting, is a technique used to protect crops from the interference of people and animals that can disturb plant growth. Trees/shrubs are a good example of this approach as they can form a shield when planted along the boundaries of the garden or surrounding a planted field. The trees/shrubs act as wind break to shield plants against strong winds causing physical damage to plants themselves, or the removal of soil (erosion). Additional benefits include the use of branches for firewood or building materials, and the other parts of trees can be used as fodder, fruit or leave harvested for consumption, or for medicinal use. Tree/shrub spacing is critical, as trees that have dense canopies can conversely cause destructive down-drafts, negating the intended benefits. Boundary planting helps limit global warming by mitigating GHG emissions through reducing harmful gases such as, carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere and releasing oxygen.

System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an agro-ecological practice for increasing the productivity of irrigated rice cultivation by changing the management of water, plants, soil and nutrients. SRI promotes the growth of root systems, increases the abundance and diversity of soil organisms by keeping the soil moist but not flooded, and provides frequent aeration and conditioning of soil with organic matter. This agro-ecological practice stimulates plant growth by transplanting young seedlings, avoiding disturbance to roots and providing crops with wider spacing to encourage greater root and canopy growth. The agricultural methodology is based on well-founded agro-ecological principles which have been successfully adapted to upland rice and have shown increased productivity over current conventional planting practices.

Alternate wetting and drying also called intermittent flooding is a technique developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to control water consumption in rice fields (CGIAR 2014). This technology saves water throughout the year in areas of variable rainfall. It is designed as a pick-up water system in cases when water consumption is cut. Water levels are monitored and controlled by the removal of excess water, leaving enough water to sustain crops. Alternate wetting and drying reduces greenhouse gas emissions especially methane, which is emitted from flooded rice fields (FAO 2016). The drying phase helps to sustain and develop plant roots. Moreover, costs on fuel used for irrigation are reduced.

Rainwater harvesting is an agricultural technique of collecting and storing rainwater or runoff in tanks or natural reservoirs. This practice is mostly practiced in arid or semi-arid areas with temporal and spatial variability of rainfall mostly lost as surface runoff or evaporation. Runoff is harvested and utilised as a preventative measure for soil erosion, as well as a water management strategy for irrigating crops and for livestock water. This technique enables farmers to capture and store rainwater during times of plenty for use during times of scarcity. Rainwater harvesting is a technology that maximises the use of existing freshwater resources and is a useful technology for water resource planners and managers in both governmental and non-governmental organisations, institutions and communities.

A permeable rock dam is a water harvesting technique where flooding rain water is collected in valley bases or other depressions to irrigate crops later/elsewhere, filling in gullies, controlling water flows, increasing crop production and reducing soil erosion.. Permeable rock dams are long and relatively shallow to reduce erosion while accumulating silt and distributing water. They comprise of long low rock walls with smooth crests so that water can spread to avoid overflow from the dam. However, this technology is site specific; it cannot be practiced in areas where there are no rocks/stones and means of transporting these building materials. The impoundment of silt prior to runoff entering a watercourse can be beneficiary to downstream users and can contribute to improved water quality in the catchment

Half-moon Pits are water harvesting techniques that assists crop growth in harsh climatic conditions, improving water and nutrient availability, promoting biodiversity and restoring the fertility of the degraded soil. The technique is similar to Zai pits in terms of its purpose. Half-moons are semi-circular wide-open basins used to collect runoff water. The mouth of the half-moons must face a slope where rainwater will flow during precipitation events. Water will be trapped in the pit to irrigate crops. Stones are used to support the half-moon curve to avoid being washed away during rain. The amount of fertilisers required in farming systems decreases when this technique is adopted by farmers. Areas with lots of rainfall are not suitable for this technique as it may lead to water logging effect.