.:: Lao Knowledge Base on Conservation Agriculture ::.
DMCs are new cropping systems that have been developed and disseminated in developing countries by CIRAD and partners since 1985 (L. Séguy and S. Bouzinac). DMCs are classified within the broad agroecological category. They aim to enhance farming cost-effectiveness and sustainability in an environment-friendly manner by simultaneously implementing several principles in the field:- Eliminating tillage and planting crops by direct seeding, whereby seeds are sown directly in untilled soil. Only a small furrow or seed hole of sufficient depth and width is opened using specially designed tools, thus ensuring good soil cover and seed contact with the soil.
- Permanent plant cover: the soil is permanently covered with dead or live plant cover.
- Crop sequences or rotations in association with cover plants.
The way these principles are combined in the field may vary depending on the local situation: agroecological environment, farmers’ resources and objectives, etc. These systems can be adapted to a wide range of environments and thus adopted by different categories of farmers, even the poorest. They have been successfully implemented in various countries worldwide (e.g. Brazil, Laos, Madagascar, Cameroon, Tunisia, etc.).
