Conservation agriculture, a sustainable farming practice combining no or minimum soil disturbance, crop diversification, and soil cover, can benefit humans and the biophysical environment. However, less than half of Sub-Saharan African countries implement conservation agriculture, and the majority of smallholder farmers are using unsustainable practices. Research and field trials on conservation agriculture adaptation to soil and agroecological conditions are vital for increasing adoption of conservation agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the change in soil chemical properties and soil biology from implementation of conservation agriculture, (ii) assess cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) yield and variability under conservation agriculture compared to the conventional farming practice, and (iii) evaluate differences in soil chemical properties, soil biology, and crop yields under conservation agriculture in savannah and forest ecosystems compared to conventional agriculture in smallholder farming in the province of Maniema in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Soils under conservation agriculture had 6.5 times more (p < 0.001) earthworms, 23% and 10% greater (p < 0.05) concentrations of soil phosphorus and potassium, respectively, and 100% greater (p < 0.001) cowpea yield than soils under conventional agriculture. Measured across all sites, conservation agriculture and conventional cowpea yields had coefficients of variation of 25% and 16%, respectively. This study showed for the first time that conservation agriculture implementation contributes to soil health and food security associated with smallholder farming in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

保护性农业是一种可持续的农业实践，结合了无或极少的土壤干扰、作物多样化和土壤覆盖，可以造福人类和生物物理环境。然而，只有不到一半的撒哈拉以南非洲国家实施保护性农业，大多数小农采用的是不可持续的做法。关于保护性农业适应土壤和农业生态条件的研究和田间试验对于在撒哈拉以南非洲增加采用保护性农业至关重要。本研究的目的是 (i) 评估实施保护性农业后土壤化学性质和土壤生物学的变化，(ii) 评估豇豆 ( Vigna unguiculataL. Walp.) 与传统农业实践相比，保护性农业的产量和变异性，以及 (iii) 评估与小农农业中的传统农业相比，大草原和森林生态系统的保护性农业在土壤化学特性、土壤生物学和作物产量方面的差异在刚果民主共和国马涅马省。与常规农业土壤相比，保护性农业土壤中蚯蚓数量增加 6.5 倍 (p < 0.001)，土壤磷和钾浓度分别增加 23% 和 10% (p < 0.05)，豇豆产量增加 100% (p < 0.001)农业。在所有地点测量，保护性农业和传统豇豆产量的变异系数分别为 25% 和 16%。