Conservation agriculture, the best practice against climate change

Conservation agriculture

Image - Interempresas.net

Agriculture is a very necessary activity for each of us. Thanks to her, we can always have the food basket full. However, it is one of the ones that sends the most emissions into the atmosphere. Only Spain is responsible for 15% of them, which is a lot if we take into account that the world average stands at 14%.

Temperatures in the country will gradually increase due to climate change, and this will pose an increasing challenge for farmers, especially those in the Mediterranean region. Erosion, lack of rainfall and prolonged heat could cause them many losses. To avoid dramatic consequences, new practices are being applied, such as conservation agriculture.

What is conservation agriculture?

This type of activity is very interesting, since it is very beneficial both for agriculture itself and for the environment. It is therefore a practice that aims to conserve, improve and make more efficient use of natural resources through controlled management of soil, water, biological agents and external inputs.

Thus, the farmer who adopts this practice what he is going to do is everything possible to care for and protect the land you work by rotating crops, using chemical fertilizers only when strictly necessary, and covering the soil with native wild herbs or plant debris to protect it from erosion.

What benefits does it have?

With all this, several important benefits are achieved, which are the following:

  • Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) by not using agricultural machinery so many times. In Spain, 52,9 million CO2 would be saved.
  • Soil erosion is avoided by 90% according to a study carried out by the Spanish Association of Living Soils Conservation Agriculture (AEAC.SV).
  • 20% increase in energy improvement compared to conventional tillage, reaching 50% depending on the type of crop and area.
  • Allows save up to 24% on supplies.

Cultivated trees

Thus, organizations in defense of the environment, such as Alianza por el Clima, Greenpeace, Fundación Renovables or Amigos de la Tierra, are committed to this practice that allows food to be produced so that the planet can be cared for.


Be the first to comment

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*

  1. Responsible for the data: Miguel Ángel Gatón
  2. Purpose of the data: Control SPAM, comment management.
  3. Legitimation: Your consent
  4. Communication of the data: The data will not be communicated to third parties except by legal obligation.
  5. Data storage: Database hosted by Occentus Networks (EU)
  6. Rights: At any time you can limit, recover and delete your information.