Conservation Agriculture can be used to prevent future soil erosion, but innovation is needed.
Rodríguez et al. ’22 [Belén Cárceles Rodríguez, Víctor Hugo Durán-Zuazo, Miguel Soriano Rodríguez, Iván F. García-Tejero, Baltasar Gálvez Ruiz, Simón Cuadros Tavira; Researcher at Instituto de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera, Head of the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Soil with experience coordinating research at the EU level, Researcher at Instituto de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera, Researcher at Andalusian Institute of Teaching and Agricultural with experience studying water use efficiency, Researcher at Universidad de Cordoba; 11-23-22; “Conservation Agriculture as a Sustainable System for Soil Health: A Review”; MDPI; https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/6/4/87; Accessed 7-2-23; SD ]
The main challenge of conserving and improving soil health is guaranteeing its long-term productivity and environmental sustainability. As was reviewed, CA systems can be implemented to minimize negative socioeconomic and environmental consequences associated with soil degradation by enhancing soil health and promoting the sustainability and multifunctionality of agroecosystems.
To meet the global challenges of food security and environmental conservation, CA has been identified as one of the technological options for a sustainable intensification of agriculture. CA systems have clear advantages over conventional agricultural systems in improving soil health and the efficient use of natural resources, reducing the environmental impacts of agricultural activities, saving inputs, reducing the cost of production, etc.
Regarding the implementation of CA practices, there are a number of restrictions and challenges that must be addressed in order to increase their adoption on a large scale:
- Unavailability of appropriate equipment and machines, especially for small- and medium-scale farms;
- Use of crop residues for livestock feed and fuel;
- Lack of knowledge about the benefits of CA and how to implement CA;
- Farmer mind-sets that limit the adoption of CA due to traditions or prejudices;
- Lack of technical and financial support from governments, international organizations, and/or extension agencies;
- Technical problems that can arise with the adoption of CA practices such as inadequate weed management, nutrient stratification, lower N availability, development of surface crust, etc., which can translate into a decrease in yield and can motivate farmers to abandon the system.
To overcome these constraints and increase the performance of CA worldwide, it is essential that CA systems be well-adapted to specific agronomic, environmental, social, and economic conditions. Consequently, it is necessary to carry out the following measures, among others:
- Improve the availability of machinery and supplies of plant nutrition;
- Identify and eliminate sociocultural barriers to CA adoption;
- Improve locally adapted management, such as appropriate crop rotations or the frequency and optimal timing of strategic tillage;
- Increase institutional support, research, efficiency of extension services, and information dissemination mechanisms.
Finally, in order to guarantee the long-term productivity and environmental sustainability of agroecosystems, it will be vital to develop new tools and methodologies to assess soil quality and health that can be used to evaluate and guide soil management decisions.