Farmer's guide to cereals and pastures

in the cereal zone

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FARMING ZONES IN WANA
Farming zones in WANA	Overview of the zone	GUIDE FOR FARMERS AND EXTENSION AGENTS	TECHNICAL BACKUP FOR EXTENSION PROGRAMS	POLICY MAKERS AND PROJECT PLANNERS
HIGH RAINFALL ZONE ABOVE 500 mm	Pasture and forestry	Increased pasture and livestock production	Cultivar selection	Tenure in the High rainfall zone
CEREAL ZONE 500 mm to 200 mm	Medic overview Deep ploughing overview	YOU ARE HERE	What cultivar? How does your medic grow?	Arable areas tenure Policy ideas
MARGINAL ZONE 250 mm to 150 mm	Development objectives	Pasture and livestock improvement	What cultivar for the marginal zone?	Tenure and grazing management
RANGELAND Below 200 mm	Rangeland overview	Action plan for flockowners Water harvesting	What cultivar in the rangeland?	Rangeland tenure Desertification

GUIDE FOR FARMERS AND EXTENSION AGENTS
The rotations compared	The cereal crop
Medic pasture	Farmer training kits
Zaghouan 4 rotation

FOUR COMMON ROTATION ON THE GROUND IN THE WANA REGION
SEASON	CEREAL - FALLOW	CEREAL - MEDIC (Traditional rotation)	CEREAL - VETCH	CEREAL - GRAIN LEGUME.
AUTUMN	Cereal crop sown	Cereal crop sown	Cereal crop sown	Cereal crop sown
WINTER	Cereal crop grows	Cereal crop grows	Cereal crop grows	Cereal crop grows
SPRING	Cereal crop matures	Cereal crop matures	Cereal crop matures	Cereal crop matures
SUMMER	Cereal crop harvested Stubble grazed by livestock	Cereal crop harvested Stubble grazed by livestock	Cereal crop harvested Stubble grazed by livestock	Cereal crop harvested Stubble grazed by livestock
AUTUMN	Weeds germinate naturally	Medic regenerates from seed produced 18 months earlier. No cultivation of the land required.	Land cultivated and sown to vetch or similar forage legumes.	Land cultivated and sown to grain legume such as lentils or chick peas.
WINTER	Weeds grazed. Low stocking rate.	Medic pasture grazed. High stocking rate.	Grazed or more often left for hay.	Grain legumes grow.
SPRING	Land cultivated for fallow	Medic grazed. Pods produced for future regeneration.	Cut for hay.	Grain legumes mature.
SUMMER	Bare soil vulnerable to erosion.	Pods and stubble grazed.	Stubble grazed.	Harvested. Stubble grazed.
AUTUMN	Cereal cycle begins again.	Cereal cycle begins again	Cereal cycle begins again	Cereal cycle begins again

THE COMMON ROTATIONS OF the WANA REGION COMPARED
CHAPTER HEADING	SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
Sustainability.	Soil erosion is the main sustainability issue for farming in the cereal zone of the WANA region. The impact of the four rotations on soil erosion is examined.
Fallow for moisture storage	The possible benefits of moisture storage still lingers on as an issue with many farmers. This chapter shows how moisture storage (if it occurs) cannot justify the use of a long cultivated fallow.
Cost of production	Costs and returns are the major determinants of farmers profits. The cost of production for each rotation is examined both for small and large farmers.
Returns	Returns relate to the level of output and price. This chapter looks mainly at output.
Risk of failure and loss	For small farmers with few resources and financial reserves risk is particularly import. A balance needs to be struck between high profits and risk.
The control of weeds in the rotation	Each rotation has an inherent level of weed control. Other weed control measures can be applied (see later chapters) but the natural ability of the rotation to "clean" the land or otherwise is an important part of the decision making process.
Labour requirements	The amount of labour and the time it is used are an important aspect of each rotation.
Capital	This chapter looks at the capital requirements for each rotation but machinery is treated separately (see below)
Machinery resources	Machinery is a special part of the general capital requirements. It is particularly difficult for small farmers.
Conflict with cereals	We have assumed that the starting point for most farmers is the growing of a cereal crop. We have examined the conflict between the requirement of the cereal crop and the new crop, new forage or pasture being introduced into the rotation.
Suitability for small farmers.	Small farmers are resource poor. In this chapter we have selected the aspects of the above comparisons that would be appropriate for small farmers.
Making a choice	This chapter provide a framework for selecting a combination of the four rotations and other variations.
Zaghouan 4 Rotation	The Zaghouan 4 rotation is not included in the comparison. It is an innovation from Tunisia that cleverly overcomes many of the problems of medic on small farms.

THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF MEDIC PASTURE.
CHAPTER HEADING	SUMMARY
Budget for medic	A simple budget showing the costs and returns from a medic pasture is an effective means of convincing farmers of the benefits of medic.
Planning the area of medic	If the extremes of over-grazing and under-grazing can be avoided medic pasture has a much greater chance of success. Planning the area of medic in relation to the flock size is a most effective means of improving grazing management.
Establishment of medic using seed	Establishing medic pasture using seed has been the tradition in the WANA region over the last 25 years and in Australia for 80 years or more. It is difficult and costly, particularly for small farmers who lack the proper equipment.
Establishment of medic using pods	Establishing medic pasture using pods is an innovation that offers many potential benefits particularly for small farmers. The method was first developed by ICARDA in Syria in the 1990's and forms the basis of the Zaghouan 4 rotation in Tunisia. Its potential in the WANA region is considerable.
Establishment of medic on the parcour	The parcour or rough grazing land occupies more than half of the cereal zone in the WANA region. Pasture establishment using medic seed has been difficult but pods may be a better option.
Grazing the green medic	Grazing the green medic is vital to make a profit from the pasture, to control weeds and to produce ample supplies of pods for future years. Farmers in the WANA region have developed innovations that take their grazing management to higher levels of efficiency than those achieved in Australia.
Grazing the dry medic pods	Pods provide a valuable feed supply in summer and are needed for regeneration. Farmers must find a balance between feeding their sheep and the regeneration of the pasture.
Measuring the medic pods	Measuring the pods on the ground is an important part of grazing management. We have made it a separate topic so it can be printed and used as an extension guide for farmers.
Decision time in the autumn	The medic pasture has completed its first year. The pasture regenerates with the autumn rains. Farmers must decide whether to cultivate the land for cereals (the classic medic - cereal rotation) or leave it for another year or more. The options are discussed.
Making hay from medic	Making hay from medic is not as simple as it may seem. This chapter discusses the options and innovative rotations for medic hay production.
Profit from livestock	Turning the medic pasture into livestock profits is the objective. This chapter shows how live-weights of sheep are increased, death rates reduced and lambing percentages increased. The new flock structure is more efficient and produces greater returns.
How does your medic grow?	A check list of possible failures and what to do about them.

Better cereal yields and lower cost production
CHAPTER HEADING	SUMMARY
Cultivating the land, seeding and applying fertiliser	This is a practical guide to the use of shallow cultivation for seed bed preparation and seeding. Shallow cultivation is essential for cereals after medic in order to ensure regeneration. It is a low cost means of seeding for cereal, grain legumes and vetches.
Costs and and returns for shallow cultivation	This chapter provides the economic justification for shallow cultivation.
Deep ploughing bad for profits	Deep plough and cultivation is entrenched in the WANA region. The technology is wasteful and costly.
Deep ploughing - an overview	This is an overview of deep ploughing and shallow cultivation.
A buyer's guide to scarifiers	Once the decision has been made to use shallow cultivation it is absolutely essential to have the proper implements. These are simple and cheap. Their basic design principles are described.
Weed control	Cultivation, hay production and rotations are the main methods of controlling weeds in the WANA region. Herbicides have a role. Practical problems are discussed.
Making sense of fertilisers	The response of cereals to nitrogen fertiliser in the WANA region is erratic. This is explained and strategies developed to overcome the problem. Phosphate placement can also increase yield responses.
Harvesting cereal crops	Mechanical harvesting is the main method of harvesting cereals in the WANA region. The machines imported from Europe and North America perform badly as they are designed for high yielding, damp crops. Australian adaptions will improve efficiency in low to medium yielding crops with short, brittle straw.
Stripper	Even a modified harvester will not work efficiently on small farms, around olive trees and with many types of cereal crops. The stripper is a genuine small scale machine suited to these conditions.
Tractor weights	Using shallow cultivation will often require more weight on tractors. Why and how?
Machinery ownership on small farms	Small farmers often employ contractors to carry out cultivation, seeding and harvesting. This is expensive and various forms of group ownership provide a low-cost alternative.

FARMER TRAINING KITS

These training kits are based on a series of film strips published by FAO. They have been revised. The original filmstrips are no longer available from FAO.

FAO also published a booklet which contained a black and white print of each colour photo and a caption. The booklet was available in English, French and Arabic.

While the booklets are also out of print it is possible to obtain photocopies from the FAO publishing section which may be of assistance to translators.

Training Kit No. 1. WHY GROW MEDIC?
Number of photos	Description	Suggested means of distribution.
Photos No 1 to 5 Go to Kit No 1.1	The failure of the fallow cereal rotation to provide adequate feed for sheep in winter and spring.	These are useful flip charts for extension agents.
Photos No 6 to 12 Go to Kit No 1.2	Medic as an alternative. More feed. Heavier sheep. Regeneration. Low cost cereals.	These are useful flip charts for extension agents.
Photos No 13 to 23 Go to Kit No 1.3	What is medic? Where does it grow?	These are useful flip charts for extension agents.
Photos No 24 to 33 Go to Kit No 1.4	Getting started with medic	These are useful flip charts for extension agents.
Photos No 34 to 42 Go to Kit No 1.5	Shallow cultivation for the cereal crop	These are useful flip charts for extension agents.
Photos No 43 to 55 Go to Kit No 1.6	Better soil structure and less erosion with medic pasture.	These are useful flip charts for extension agents.

Training Kit No. 2.
ESTABLISHING A MEDIC PASTURE USING SEED
Number of photos	Description	Suggested means of distribution.
No 1 to 5 - Go to No 2.1	A short summary of the "Why Grow Medic?" kit.	Useful points for discussion but duplicates earlier material.
No 6 to 13 Go to No 2.2	The resources needed to sow a medic pasture using seed.	These points can be discussed with farmers. Printing the photos is probably not necessary.
No 14 to 35 Go to No 2.3	The preparation of the land and sowing of the medic seed.	There are many practical techniques demonstrated. These photos could be printed in the form of a small booklet "How to sow medic?" or alternatively larger prints could be used as a flip chart.

Training Kit No. 3.
HOW DO YOU GRAZE MEDIC PASTURE?
Number of photos	Description	Suggested means of distribution
No 1 to 29 Go to No 3.1	A guide to grazing medic in the first season.	This is a useful starting point for grazing medic pasture. These photos could be printed as a booklet or as a flip chart.
No 30 to 43 Go to No 3.2	A quick summary of grazing medic pasture.
No 43 to 51 Go to No 3.3	MEASURING MEDIC PODS IN SUMMER These eight photos explain how to count medic pods using a sampling disc. The same disc method can be used to count seedlings in a new medic pasture. It can also be used to measure grain loss behind the cereal harvester.	This photos guide is essential for many purposes in the medic system. It can be printed as a fact sheet on a few pages or a poster for display.
No 52 to 55 Go to No 3.4	REGENERATION AND HARD SEED These photos explain the regeneration of medic from hard seed.	Can be printed as a fact sheet or poster.

Training Kit No 4
CEREALS AND MEDIC IN ROTATION
Number of photos	Description	Suggested means of distribution
No 1 to 7 Go to No 4.1	Cereals and medic in rotation. The basic implements needed for shallow cultivation are described.	These photos make a good back up to the Buyers' guide to scarifiers
No 8 to 17 Go to No 4.2	Preparing the seedbed for cereals.	These are useful flip charts for extension agents.
No 18 to 26 Go to No 4.3	Sowing the cereals and fertiliser.	These are useful flip charts for extension agents.
No 27 to 30 Go to No 4.4	The dangers of deep ploughing a medic pasture.	These are useful flip charts for extension agents.
No 31 to 43 Go to No 4.5	Managing the cereal crop.	These are useful flip charts for extension agents.