Summary
This study examines the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) on soil organic carbon and associated fractions in smallholder farming systems in northern Malawi, using a paired farm design across 30 sites. Soil samples were collected at contrasting depths from CA and conventional tillage fields to assess differences in total SOC, carbon fractions, bulk density, and broader physico-chemical properties. The paper contributes field-based evidence on whether CA practices in sub-Saharan African contexts can measurably improve SOC stocks and soil structural quality compared to conventional tillage, an area where the evidence base has previously been limited.
UK applicability
This study is conducted in a smallholder sub-Saharan African context with distinct soils, climate, and farming systems, limiting direct transferability to UK conditions. However, the findings on conservation agriculture's effects on SOC fractions and soil structure are broadly relevant to UK policy discussions around minimum tillage, soil health monitoring, and carbon sequestration in arable systems.
Key measures
Total soil organic carbon (SOC); SOC fractions (labile and stable pools via fractionation); bulk density (g/cm³); soil physico-chemical properties (pH, texture, nutrient status); soil depth comparisons
Outcomes reported
The study measured soil organic carbon (SOC) and its fractions, bulk density, and physico-chemical properties across paired conservation agriculture and conventional tillage farms at multiple soil depths in Mzimba district, northern Malawi.
Topic tags
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