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The literature on no-till (NT) farming systems has typically relied on cross-sectional analyses that apply a binary lens to the adoption decision. There is increasing acknowledgment that such an approach masks the realities of farmers’ adoption. In resource-limited contexts, for example, uptake has been documented to regularly happen in a partial or even a periodic manner. Dynamically, this situation becomes even more complex, as most farmers revisit their production decisions with every new cropping season. The promised environmental benefits of NT farming systems (such as conservation agriculture) depend precisely on their continuous application. Thus, beyond promoting uptake, effective policy making should strive towards transforming current patterns of disadoption and periodic adoption into long-term adoption (i.e. ‘true’ NT). A modern approach to agricultural policy aims to tie incentives to environmental outcomes. In this context, a viable policy tool is payment for ecosystem services where payments are conditional on the farmers’ continued use of NT. The benefits that sensitive agricultural management provides to society may justify this type of incentive. Committing policy makers towards this endeavor – not just land managers and development organizations – will be crucial. |
