From dust bowl to rice bowl

Conservation agriculture has a vital role to play in sub-Saharan Africa’s food security for a population projected to rise to 2 billion by 2050.

AfricaRice and CIRAD are developing cropping systems based on conservation agriculture principles for the agronomic management of biotic  stresses in rice such as pest, diseases, and weeds. “Our aim is to co-design with local farmers cropping systems that can provide plant rotection with minimum inputs,” said Olivier Husson, CIRAD/AfricaRice systems agronomist.