No-till (NT) farming, as part of a Conservation Agriculture (CA) system, has been practiced for more than 30 years in southern Africa. In contrast to other regions, and with the exception of South Africa, it has been mostly on smallholder farms, which are more diverse and complex. Tailoring CA systems to the needs and agro-ecologies of smallholder farmers in southern Africa has been a major effort by various research and development organizations with a lot of publicized biophysical benefits. However, despite these large promotional efforts and research to better understand the processes and merits of applying the basic principles of CA, its adoption has so far remained low given the large investments and attention received over the years. This book chapter summarizes historical developments around NT agriculture, current status and future directions needed to enhance adaptation and adoption.

Text in English