Conservation Agriculture

Brief

Wageningen University’s Plant Production Systems group conducts research into crop production and soil management in developing countries. Taskscape was contracted to create media content exploring debates within conservation agriculture for smallholder farmers in Africa, specifically, the tensions between no-till and low-till practices, which some communities follow for cultural and religious reasons, and more conventional approaches that could possibly support soil health while increasing yields. At the time, many communities practising conservation agriculture were experiencing low yields, contributing to food insecurity and financial hardship.

Activity

• Produced web-documentary-style videos examining cultural and scientific perspectives on conservation agriculture
• Filmed with farming communities and researchers in the field across several African nations

Outcomes

• Videos were shared with communities and stakeholders online and at events, including on the ground in local communities and international conferences, to support informed discussion of trade-offs between approaches