How have countries like Brazil and Argentina managed to double grain production while at the same ti

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How have countries like Brazil and Argentina
managed to double grain production while at the
same time protecting their environment? Lessons
to be learned in Europe.

• 1st International Conference on Sustainable
  Agriculture , Assesment and outlook. Dec. 10,
  2008
• IAD, Institut de LAgriculture Durable, Paris

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You may be expecting a complicated analysis to
this question
But the answer is simple

• Switching to Conservation Agriculture/No-till
  practices

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What is Conservation Agriculture/No-till?
A production system that a) keeps the soil
permanently covered with plant residues,
b) avoids any tillage operation by seeding
directly into the residues of the previous crops,
c) practices crop rotations (cover crops)
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No-tillage crop production is the new
agricultural paradigm
Seeding and harvesting at the same time
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No-Till System Adoption Benefits
96 less soil erosion.
66 less fuel use.
Maintenance or improvement of soil carbon
(organic matter).
Higher water use efficiency.
Increase in soil fertility.
Lower production costs.
Higher production stability and higher yield
potential.
Increased cropped area.
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This is a unique agricultural production system,

• because it has been possible to develop a
  technology that is economically, socially and
  environmentally sustainable!

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Between 1991 and 2004 Brazil doubled its grain
production while cropped area grew by only 9
25 Mill. Há in 06
Grain production in Brazil
Expansion of No-till area in Brazil
1991
COOPLANTIO/CONAB, 2002 and FEBRAPDP,2002
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Extent of no-till adoption in Argentina
20 Mill. Há in 06
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150 increase in grain production from 87/88 to
07/08 while cultivated area grew only 53
Argentina
AAPRESID

• In the last 20 years, there was a remarkable
  growth of the total production, increasing a
  150.
• At the same time, the cultivated surface area
  increased only a 53.
• The major increase was due to the increase of
  productivity. Soybean was the most dynamic crop.

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Impact of CA/No-tillage in MERCOSUR
No tillage systems have reversed the former
trend of declining crop productivity and lead to
an economically, ecologically and socially
sustainable form of commercial cropping in South
America. (CIMMYT, 2002)
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Conservation Agriculture/No-till

• has expanded to about 105 Million ha worldwide
  since its beginning (early 1960s).

It grew from 45 Million ha in 1999 to 105 Million
ha in 2008, that is about 6 Million ha per year
in the last 10 years.
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Worldwide Cons.Ag/No-till adoption (Million ha)
North America 38
Rest of the world 6
South America 49
Australia 12
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Europe is an underdeveloped continent in terms of
adoption of CA/No-till technologies.
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Why has adoption been so slow in Europe?

• Seldom there has been institutional support
• Little political support
• Universities do not teach CA/No-tillage
• Little support from research institutes
• Lack of knowledge of the extension service
• Little promotion of CA/No-till technologies
• Subsidies in the EU hinder adoption
• Important forces are against the system
• Mindset of farmers (stick to old paradigms)

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Situation in Argentina and Brazil

• No-till has full institutional and also
  political
• support
• Universities teach CA/No-tillage
• Research institutes do research CA/No-till
• Extension agents have the know how
• Farmers organizations promote CA/No-till
• There are no subsidies to production in SA
• No forces are against the system any more
• Farmers have accepted the new paradigms

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• The unprecedented growth of CA/No-till in South
  America was mainly driven by farmer
  organizations, e.g.,
• AAPRESID in Argentina (Rosario)
• FEBRAPDP in Brazil (Ponta Grossa)
• FEPASIDIAS in Paraguay (Bella Vista)
• AUSID in Uruguay (Montevideo)
• and backed up by research institutes.

(Derpsch, 2008)
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The challenge in Europe is

• to establish adequate policies to enhance adoption

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In South America it was essential

• to establish close links to all the important
  stakeholders in promoting adoption but especially
  work with farmer organizations

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In Europe it is essential

• to establish close links to all the important
  stakeholders and especially to work with farmer
  organizations, e.g., APAD, APOSOLO, AEAC/SV,
  FINCA, ECAF, etc.

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Main barriers to overcome for adoption

• Adequate policies to promote adoption
• Mindset (tradition, prejudice)
• Subsidies in the EU
• Knowledge on how to do it (know how)

• Availability of adequate machines
• Availability of adequate herbicides

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These barriers must be overcome by

• Politicians
• Public administrators
• Farmers
• Researchers
• Extension agents and
• University professors

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CONCLUSIONS

• The South American experience has shown that if
  adequate policies are put in place and
• if adequate technologies are made available to
  farmers (e.g. CA/No-till), it is possible to
  obtain what is called the triple bottom line,
• Economic, Social and
• Environmental Sustainability,
• while at the same time increasing production.

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In AgricultureEconomy and Ecology do NOT need
to be in conflict.

• Conservation Agriculture/No-till is a good
  example of farming systems where economy and
  ecology are in harmony.

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Sound soil management is essential, in our
continued quest to increase the production of
food, while maintaining and improving the
environment, and mitigating the effects of
climate change.
(Rattan Lal)
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If this message is understood then we are making
progress towards a more sustainable agriculture
in this world.
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Thank you for your attention.
www.rolf-derpsch.com
Rolf Derpsch Conservation Agriculture
No-tillage Consultant Asunción, Paraguay