Christian Thierfelder

Christian Thierfelder
OccupationsPrincipal cropping systems agronomist and academic
Academic background
EducationM.S., Agriculture
Ph.D., Agriculture
Alma materChristian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany
University of Hohenheim, Germany
Academic work
InstitutionsInternational Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

Christian Thierfelder is a cropping systems agronomist and researcher in Africa. He is a principal scientist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), a center of the Consultative Group of International Agriculture Research (CGIAR). His research areas include Conservation Agriculture Systems and their impact on crops, soils, environments, and smallholder livelihoods in southern Africa.

Education

Thierfelder completed his Master's degree in Agriculture at the Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel in 1998.[1] Following this, he went to Cali, Colombia, where he conducted his Ph.D. research with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture[2] and earned his PhD from the University of Hohenheim in 2003.[1]

Career

Thierfelder has conducted research at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in southern Africa.[2] He started as an adjunct scientist and post-doctoral fellow at CIMMYT from 2004 to 2007, followed by a senior research fellowship at CIAT from 2007 to 2009. Since 2009, he has held the roles of associate scientist, senior scientist,[1] and principal scientist at CIMMYT.[3] He is also a principal cropping systems agronomist at CIMMYT, focusing on Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with some activities in Namibia.[4]

As part of his research career, Thierfelder has also been involved in projects, including Facilitating the Widespread Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Maize-Based Farming Systems in Eastern and Southern Africa;[5] Zimbabwe R4 Rural Resillience Initiative;[6] and Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems in Zambia.[7]

Research

Thierfelder's research focused on Conservation Agriculture (CA), a cropping system based on minimum tillage,[8] surface crop residue retention, and crop diversification.[9] His work examines soil and plant processes, environmental impacts, and the adaptation of CA to smallholder farming systems in Southern Africa, particularly Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.[10][11] He has shown that CA, regenerative agriculture, and nature-based solutions (NBS) improve soil moisture, water infiltrationand crop performance during dry periods.[12] while also emphasizing agroecological approaches that integrate sustainable soil fertility management, biodiversity promotion, and targeted management strategies.[13] His research highlights climate change–related risks to crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa[14] and the need to adapt African farming systems,[15] with more recent work focusing on climate-smart[16] and appropriate-scale mechanization and related business models for smallholders, particularly women and youth.[17][18]

Selected articles

  • Thierfelder, Christian; Wall, Patrick C. (2009). "Effects of conservation agriculture techniques on infiltration and soil water content in Zambia and Zimbabwe". Soil and Tillage Research. 105 (2): 217–227. Bibcode:2009STilR.105..217T. doi:10.1016/j.still.2009.07.007.
  • Johansen, C.; Haque, M.E.; Bell, R.W.; Thierfelder, C.; Esdaile, R.J. (2012). "Conservation agriculture for small holder rainfed farming: Opportunities and constraints of new mechanized seeding systems". Field Crops Research. 132: 18–32. Bibcode:2012FCrRe.132...18J. doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2011.11.026.
  • Cairns, Jill E.; Hellin, Jon; Sonder, Kai; Araus, José Luis; MacRobert, John F.; Thierfelder, Christian; Prasanna, B. M. (2013). "Adapting maize production to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa". Food Security. 5 (3): 345–360. doi:10.1007/s12571-013-0256-x. hdl:10568/33345.
  • Thierfelder, Christian; Rusinamhodzi, Leonard; Ngwira, Amos R.; Mupangwa, Walter; Nyagumbo, Isaiah; Kassie, Girma T.; Cairns, Jill E. (2015). "Conservation agriculture in Southern Africa: Advances in knowledge". Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. 30 (4): 328–348. doi:10.1017/S1742170513000550. hdl:10568/76603.
  • Powlson, David S.; Stirling, Clare M.; Thierfelder, Christian; White, Rodger P.; Jat, M.L. (2016). "Does conservation agriculture deliver climate change mitigation through soil carbon sequestration in tropical agro-ecosystems?". Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 220: 164–174. Bibcode:2016AgEE..220..164P. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2016.01.005.
  • Steward, Peter R.; Dougill, Andrew J.; Thierfelder, Christian; Pittelkow, Cameron M.; Stringer, Lindsay C.; Kudzala, Maxwell; Shackelford, Gorm E. (2018). "The adaptive capacity of maize-based conservation agriculture systems to climate stress in tropical and subtropical environments: A meta-regression of yields". Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 251: 194–202. Bibcode:2018AgEE..251..194S. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2017.09.019.
  • Harrison, Rhett D.; Thierfelder, Christian; Baudron, Frédéric; Chinwada, Peter; Midega, Charles; Schaffner, Urs; van den Berg, Johnnie (2019). "Agro-ecological options for fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda JE Smith) management: Providing low-cost, smallholder friendly solutions to an invasive pest". Journal of Environmental Management. 243: 318–330. Bibcode:2019JEnvM.243..318H. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.05.011. hdl:10568/103986. PMID 31102899.
  • Komarek, Adam M.; Thierfelder, Christian; Steward, Peter R. (2021). "Conservation agriculture improves adaptive capacity of cropping systems to climate stress in Malawi". Agricultural Systems. 190 103117. Bibcode:2021AgSys.19003117K. doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103117. hdl:10568/113023.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Dr. Christian Thierfelder". researchw.com. 3 January 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Christian Thierfelder". loop.frontiersin.org. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Conservation Agriculture Transforming Farming in Southern Africa". ipsnews.net. 5 December 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Christian Thierfelder". staging.cimmyt.org. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Facilitating the Widespread Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Maize-Based Farming Systems in Eastern and Southern Africa". www.sidalc.net. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Evaluation of R4 Rural Resillience Initiative in Masvingo and Rushinga Districts in Zimbabwe January 2018 – June 2021". World Food Programme. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems in Zambia (SIFAZ)". CIMMYT. 2 June 2025. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  8. ↑ Branca, Giacomo; Cacchiarelli, Luca; Haug, Ruth; Sorrentino, Alessandro (July 2022). "Promoting sustainable change of smallholders' agriculture in Africa: Policy and institutional implications from a socio-economic cross-country comparative analysis". Journal of Cleaner Production. 358 131949: 7. Bibcode:2022JCPro.35831949B. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131949.
  9. ↑ Entz, Martin H.; Stainsby, April; Riekman, Marla; Mulaire, Theresa Rempel; Kirima, John Kimathi; Beriso, Frew; Ngotio, Deogratias; Salomons, Michael; Nicksy, Jess; Mutinda, Mueni; Stanley, Katherine (October 2022). "Farmer participatory assessment of soil health from Conservation Agriculture adoption in three regions of East Africa". Agronomy for Sustainable Development. 42 (5): 2. Bibcode:2022AgSD...42...97E. doi:10.1007/s13593-022-00824-1.
  10. ↑ Ngwira, Amos R.; Aune, Jens B.; Mkwinda, Symon (June 2012). "On-farm evaluation of yield and economic benefit of short term maize legume intercropping systems under conservation agriculture in Malawi". Field Crops Research. 132: 155. Bibcode:2012FCrRe.132..149N. doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2011.12.014.
  11. ↑ Cairns, J.E.; Sonder, K.; Zaidi, P.H.; Verhulst, N.; Mahuku, G.; Babu, R.; Nair, S.K.; Das, B.; Govaerts, B.; Vinayan, M.T.; Rashid, Z.; Noor, J.J.; Devi, P.; San Vicente, F.; Prasanna, B.M. (2012). "Maize Production in a Changing Climate". Advances in Agronomy. 114: 23. Bibcode:2012AdAgr.114....1C. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-394275-3.00006-7. ISBN 978-0-12-394275-3.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: periodical has ISBN (link)
  12. ↑ Kumar, Prashant; Debele, Sisay E.; Sahani, Jeetendra; Rawat, Nidhi; Marti-Cardona, Belen; Alfieri, Silvia Maria; Basu, Bidroha; Basu, Arunima Sarkar; Bowyer, Paul; Charizopoulos, Nikos; Jaakko, Juvonen; Loupis, Michael; Menenti, Massimo; Mickovski, Slobodan B.; Pfeiffer, Jan; Pilla, Francesco; Pröll, Julius; Pulvirenti, Beatrice; Rutzinger, Martin; Sannigrahi, Srikanta; Spyrou, Christos; Tuomenvirta, Heikki; Vojinovic, Zoran; Zieher, Thomas (June 2021). "An overview of monitoring methods for assessing the performance of nature-based solutions against natural hazards". Earth-Science Reviews. 217 103603: 13. Bibcode:2021ESRv..21703603K. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2021.103603.
  13. ↑ Kenis, Marc; Benelli, Giovanni; Biondi, Antonio; Calatayud, Paul-André; Day, Roger; Desneux, Nicolas; Harrison, Rhett D; Kriticos, Darren; Rwomushana, Ivan; van den Berg, Johnnie; Verheggen, François; Zhang, Yong-Jun; Agboyi, Lakpo Koku; Ahissou, Régis Besmer; Ba, Malick N; Wu, Kongming (25 May 2023). "Invasiveness, biology, ecology, and management of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda". Entomologia Generalis. 43 (2): 24. doi:10.1127/entomologia/2022/1659. hdl:10568/125378.
  14. ↑ Shiferaw, Bekele; Tesfaye, Kindie; Kassie, Menale; Abate, Tsedeke; Prasanna, B.M.; Menkir, Abebe (June 2014). "Managing vulnerability to drought and enhancing livelihood resilience in sub-Saharan Africa: Technological, institutional and policy options". Weather and Climate Extremes. 3: 73. Bibcode:2014WCE.....3...67S. doi:10.1016/j.wace.2014.04.004. hdl:10568/75929.
  15. ↑ Mupangwa, Walter; Nyagumbo, Isaiah; Mutsamba, Eleanor; Mhlanga, Blessing; Mataruse, Jefias (20 October 2018). "Maize responses to reduced tillage, different plant residue mulch and nitrogen fertiliser on granitic sandy soils of Zimbabwe". South African Journal of Plant and Soil. 35 (5): 375. Bibcode:2018SAJPS..35..367M. doi:10.1080/02571862.2018.1438673.
  16. ↑ Matunhu, Jephias; Mago, Stephen; Matunhu, Viola (16 February 2022). "Initiatives to boost resilience towards El Niño in Zimbabwe's rural communities". Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies. 14 (1): 6. doi:10.4102/jamba.v14i1.1194. PMC 8905472. PMID 35284044.
  17. ↑ Ngoma, Hambulo; Mukamuri, Billy; Silva, João Vasco; Baudron, Frédéric (January 2025). "Heterogenous correlates of mechanization use and rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe: A quantile regression analysis". Food Policy. 130 102795: 2. doi:10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102795.
  18. ↑ Baudron, Frédéric; Sims, Brian; Justice, Scott; Kahan, David G.; Rose, Richard; Mkomwa, Saidi; Kaumbutho, Pascal; Sariah, John; Nazare, Raymond; Moges, Girma; Gérard, Bruno (August 2015). "Re-examining appropriate mechanization in Eastern and Southern Africa: two-wheel tractors, conservation agriculture, and private sector involvement". Food Security. 7 (4): 889–904. doi:10.1007/s12571-015-0476-3.
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