By: Professor Johann Strauss - Senior Scientist at the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and Extraordinary Associate Professor in the Department of Agronomy, Stellenbosch University; and Shelly Fuller, Sustainable Agriculture Programme Manager at WWF-SA

There is now global consensus that plough-based farming, which is still widely practised, has unsustainable foundations. Ploughing and the removal of crop residues after harvest leave soil exposed to wind and rain, leading to gradual soil erosion. In South Africa, this tillage approach has led to excessive rates of soil degradation, increasing our vulnerability to climate change. Daneel Rossouw, Head of Sales for Agriculture at Nedbank Commercial Banking, explores how conservation agriculture (CA) could significantly improve the sustainability of South African agriculture.

The 3 key elements of CA – minimum tillage, crop diversification and permanent cover – make it doubly valuable in our warming world: not only in reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, but also in mitigating climate-related events such as prolonged droughts and heavy rainfall. CA also improves soil health and fertility by conserving organic matter and minimising erosion, allowing soils to retain water and nutrients more effectively. This makes crops more resilient to extreme weather and improves water infiltration and retention, reducing the need for irrigation and boosting drought resistance.

Converting to CA requires first correcting any deficiencies in the soil and negating any compacted layers. Unfortunately, the machinery required for this process is expensive, but can be rented and is readily available. Although the conversion is not capital-intensive, it is management-intensive, which means that farmers need to be prepared to be actively involved on the farm. However, it is important to balance any initial costs or additional time and effort required against the savings in costs – such as water, fertiliser, pesticides and machinery – and higher yields that this farming system brings, both of which lead to greater profitability in the long term.

Yet, despite the clear benefits of the practice, only 25% of South Africa's arable land is farmed under CA principles, according to the latest research from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for 2021. However, the study also shows that the area under CA production in South Africa increased by 366% from 2016 to 2019, suggesting that the uptake of CA on the continent is accelerating. The slower uptake could be because, unlike in Europe and the United States, where there are government programmes to incentivise CA adoption, the transition in South Africa has been producer driven.

CA safeguards environmental and business resilience

Another obstacle may be that, in contrast to organic or free-range produce, there is currently no certification that makes CA produce more desirable to consumers or allows producers to sell their produce at a premium. However, CA farmers who undertake carbon assessments can demonstrate that their produce has a lower carbon footprint, which has positive implications from both a business and environmental resilience perspective. This is especially true as policies like the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism – essentially a carbon tariff – are implemented. 

In addition, consumer demand for responsibly produced goods continues to grow. For example, a 2022 Nielsen report found that 73% of global consumers would definitely or probably change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact, while 64% of respondents in the 2024 Simon-Kucher Global Sustainability Study consider environmental sustainability one of their top 3 purchasing considerations.

However, it could be argued that the biggest incentives currently for switching to CA are the reduced input costs and lower risks on a whole-farm basis through increased yields and cropping intensities, resulting in higher and more stable yields. For example, in a 2023 study conducted with the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, wheat production at the Langgewens and Tygerhoek research farms was studied from 2002 to 2020 to estimate the environmental and economic impacts of switching from conventional wheat production to the zero-till and no-till systems of CA. The results show that CA wheat production is more profitable and environmentally friendly when compared with conventional tillage, with the production of 1 kg of wheat at Langgewens showing that zero-tillage and no-tillage are 113% and 55% more efficient, respectively, than conventional tillage.

In addition to the financial and efficiency benefits, the study also demonstrated how CA increases a farm's resilience to climate change by improving nutrient cycling, water efficiency and soil structure, as well as reducing soil erosion, weeds, pests and diseases. Comparing 100% conventional tillage wheat production with CA systems, the study indicated a R269.2–402.5 million reduction in environmental damage.

Arm yourself with knowledge to reap the benefits of CA

Barriers to the adoption of CA in South Africa appear to be a lack of knowledge and a reluctance to change, and it requires a major mindset change and some upfront adjustments before the rewards can be reaped. At Nedbank, we believe our role goes beyond simply financing the transition to a more sustainable and climate-resilient future, so we are using our expertise and understanding of the sector to raise awareness of sustainable agriculture practices like CA. To this end, we sponsored the insightful 9th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture (recently held in Cape Town), the Veeplaas Climate-Smart Ambassador project and the Milk Producers' Organisation (MPO) Stewardship Awards. Similarly, we have worked with WWF-SA for decades to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability among producers, companies and communities. 

Conservation agriculture is a topic we will be discussing extensively on our stand at NAMPO Cape in Bredasdorp from 11 to 14 September 2024. We invite you to visit our stand to meet our agricultural specialists, debate these and other matters, and enjoy a wine tasting, courtesy of our partners in sustainable agriculture, Boland Cellars.