1
2
Supplementary Table 1: CA based cropping systems tested in Malawi and Mozambique over four seasons
(2010/11-2013/14
mid-altitude agro-ecology (Malawi)
low-altitude agro-ecology (Malawi)
1. Farmers check – conventional ridge and furrow system sole
maize system
2.CA+dibble stick sole maize + no herbicide
1. Farmers check- conventional ridge and furrow sole
maize system
2. CA+ Basins + maize/pigeon pea intercrop
3. CA+ dibble stick sole maize + herbicides
3. CA+ dibble stick maize/pigeon pea intercrop
4. CA + dibble stick + herbicides+ maize/soybean rotation
4. CA+ dibble stick sole maize
5. CA+ dibble stick maize-groundnuts rotation
3
central region (Mozambique)
4
5
6
7
north western region (Mozambique)
1.Farmers check – flat hoe prepared seedbed
1. Farmers check- ridge and furrow sole maize system
2.CA basins sole maize
2. CA Basins maize sole
3.CA jab planter sole maize
3. CA dibble stick maize sole
4.CA basins maize /cowpea rotation
4. CA basins/dibble stick maize/common beans rotation 1
5 CA basins maize-cowpea intercrop
5.CA basins /dibble stick maize/common beans intercrop1
1.
Note: CA basins were used in Chiphole community while CA dibble stick system was used for these treatments in
Kabango community.
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Supplementary Table 2: Regression coefficients from yield stability analysis under different
cropping systems in the (a) mid-altitude region, (b) central and north-western Mozambique (2010/112013/14).
(a) mid-altitude region (Kasungu, Lilongwe and Mchinji)
Cropping System
Conventional ridge and furrow check
CA Dibble stick sole maize and no herbicide
CA Dibble stick sole maize with herbicides
CA Dibble stick maize/soyabean rotation with herbicides
(b) central and north western regions of Mozambique
i. central region (Sussundenga and
Cropping System
Gorongosa)
R2
Slope
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Slope
0.66a
0.66a
0.66a
0.66a
ii. north western region
(Kabango and Chiphole)
R2
Slope
Conventional flat hoe check
0.84
1.00a
0.80
0.87a
CA jab planter sole maize
0.84
1.00a
-
-
CA basins sole maize
0.84
1.00
a
0.80
0.87a
CA basins maize-cowpea intercrop
0.84
1.00a
-
-
0.84
a
-
-
CA basins cowpea/maize rotation
15
16
R2
0.49
0.49
0.49
0.49
1.00
CA dibble stick maize sole
0.80
0.87a
N.B. Means in the same column followed by different superscript letters are significantly different at p<0.05.
24
List of Supplementary Figures
25
Supplementary Figure 1: Location of SIMLESA study sites in Malawi and Mozambique.
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
Supplementary Figure 2: Measured mean seasonal site rainfall for the four agro-ecological regions of Malawi
and Mozambique over four cropping seasons from 2010/11-2013/14.
53
NB: Each bar represents a mean of 6 farmers in each district and season
Supplementary Figure 3: Mean maize yields over four cropping seasons in Mozambique’s central region in
two districts of Gorongosa and Sussundenga.
NB: Error bars denote lsd(0.05) for comparing means within each district.
Supplementary Figure 4: Linear regressions of cropping system maize yields against Site and Season mean in
Mozambique’s central region sites from 2010/11 to 2013/14.
N.B: Error bars denote lsd(0.05) for separation of means from each site and season. Labels for each site show season and
total rainfall in mm. Treatment regression equations followed by the same superscript letter are not significantly different
at p<0.05.
Supplementary Figure 5: Linear regressions of cropping system maize yields against Site and Season mean in
Mozambique’s Angonia district region sites from 2010/11 to 2013/14.
N.B: Error bars denote lsd(0.05) for separation of means from each site and season. Labels for each site show season and
total rainfall in mm. Treatment regression equations followed by the same superscript letter are not significantly different
at p<0.05
Supplementary Figure 6: Comparisons of relative advantages of different conservation agriculture cropping
systems against conventional farmer practices over four cropping seasons in four agro-ecologies of (a) Malawi
mid-altitude agroecology (Lilongwe, Mchinji and Kasungu districts) (b) Malawi lowlands (Balaka, Ntcheu and
Salima districts) (c) Mozambique central region (Sussundenga and Gorongosa districts) and (d) Mozambique
north western region (Angonia district).
N.B: Data points above the 1:1 line suggest a relative advantage of the respective CA cropping system while those above
the 1:2 indicate CA yields that were more than double those of the respective conventional farmer practice
54
55
Supplementary Figure 1: Location of SIMLESA study sites in Malawi and Mozambique.
Supplementary Figure 2: Measured mean seasonal site rainfall for the four agro-ecological regions of Malawi and Mozambique over four cropping seasons from 2010/112013/14.
NB: Each bar and respective error bars represents a mean and standard error of the mean of 6 farmers in each district and season.
4-yr mean maize grain yield (kg ha-1)
63
3500
3000
Farmers check
CA basins sole maize
CA jab planter sole maize
CA basins maize-cowpea intercrop
CA basins cowpea/maize rotation
2500
2000
b
b
ab
ab
a
b
b
b
a
a
1500
1000
500
0
Gorongosa
Sussundenga
District (site) name
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
Supplementary Figure 3: Mean maize yields over four cropping seasons in Mozambique’s central region in
two districts of Gorongosa and Sussundenga.
N.B: Error bars denote l.s.d (0.05) for comparing means within a district (site) and same letters above each bar within a
district denote no significant differences at p<0.05.
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
Supplementary Figure 4: Linear regressions of cropping system maize yields against Site and Season mean in
Mozambique’s central region sites from 2010/11 to 2013/14.
N.B: Error bars denote lsd (0.05) for separation of means from each site and season. Labels for each site show season and
total rainfall in mm. Treatment regression equations followed by the same superscript letter are not significantly different
at p<0.05.
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
Supplementary Figure 5: Linear regressions of cropping system maize yields against Site and Season mean in
Mozambique’s Angonia district region sites from 2010/11 to 2013/14.
N.B: Error bars denote lsd (0.05) for separation of means from each site and season. Labels for each site show season and
total rainfall in mm. Treatment regression equations followed by the same superscript letter are not significantly different
at p<0.05.
(a)
(c)
(b)
(d)
Supplementary Figure 6: Comparisons of relative advantages of different conservation agriculture cropping systems against conventional farmer practices over four cropping
seasons in four agro-ecologies of (a) Malawi mid-altitude agro-ecology (Lilongwe, Mchinji and Kasungu districts), (b) Malawi lowlands (Balaka, Ntcheu and Salima districts), (c)
Mozambique central region (Sussundenga and Gorongosa districts) and (d) Mozambique north western region (Angonia district).
N.B: Data points above the 1:1 line suggest a relative advantage of the respective CA cropping system while those above the 1:2 indicate CA yields that were more than double those of the
respective conventional farmer practice.