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Updated: Jan 29, 2026
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Spatial Multiobjective Optimization of Agricultural Conservation Practices using a SWAT Model and an Evolutionary Algorithm
Published on: December 9, 2012
13.5K
Conservation agriculture and climate resilience
Jeffrey D Michler1, Kathy Baylis2, Mary Arends-Kuenning2
1Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
|February 12, 2019
Summary
Conservation agriculture (CA) shows no yield gains in normal rainfall but mitigates climate change impacts during extreme weather. Policy should promote CA for its resilience benefits, addressing low farmer adoption rates.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Economics
- Climate Change Adaptation
- Agronomy
Background:
- Agricultural productivity is crucial for economic and food security, facing threats from climate change.
- Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies, like conservation agriculture (CA), are promoted but lack rigorous impact evidence.
- Existing studies on CA are limited by selection bias, hindering understanding of its true effects on yield and resilience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To rigorously evaluate the impact of conservation agriculture (CA) on crop yields under varying rainfall conditions.
- To assess CA's effectiveness in mitigating climate change impacts, specifically extreme rainfall variability (shortfalls and surpluses).
- To identify factors influencing the adoption of CA by farmers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized panel data from Zimbabwe to analyze the performance of CA.
- Employed econometric techniques to control for the endogenous adoption decision of CA.
- Compared CA yields during average rainfall years versus years with extreme rainfall events.
Main Results:
- Conservation agriculture (CA) adoption did not result in yield gains during years with average rainfall; some cases showed yield losses.
- CA significantly mitigated the negative impacts of both rainfall deficits and surpluses, enhancing climate resilience.
- Lower yields during normal rainfall seasons may explain the limited uptake of CA among farmers.
Conclusions:
- Conservation agriculture (CA) offers significant climate resilience benefits by buffering against extreme rainfall variability.
- The lack of yield increases in normal years is a potential barrier to CA adoption.
- Policy interventions should emphasize and promote the climate resilience advantages of CA to encourage wider adoption.
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