As concerns about global sustainable food production and environmental protection increase, attention is focused on one of our most important resources: soil. Crucial for agriculture, healthy soils not only support food security, but also support numerous ecosystem services is essential to maintaining life on Earth. Unfortunately, traditional agricultural methods involving extensive excavation and flipping of soil are the main factor in soil degradation, resulting in a significant reduction in land productivity. A transformative study published in the journal Soil Safety sheds light on the reversal of this trend through the adoption of conservation agriculture (CA).
Dr. Rolf Derpsch from Germany, Professor Amir Kassam and Dr. Don Reicosky from the University of Reading in the UK led the study, retiring from the USDA-ARS in the United States, and retired with Dr. Theodor Friedrich in Germany and a global expert group. From Brazil, Portugal and Spain, the basic principles of nature in maintaining soil productivity were studied. Their work gains insight into how these principles can be applied to fostering global sustainable agricultural systems.
“Using minimal soil disturbances, allowing the soil to cover plant residues and using various crops in rotation is crucial to protect the soil from degradation and maintaining its productivity,” Dr. Friedrich stressed. These protect agriculture The basic elements of this paper mimic natural ecological processes, thereby reducing erosion, improving soil water capacity, and improving soil fertility and biodiversity. Extensive research and practical applications across over 205 million hectares of global research and practices show that CA can reduce the negative impacts of climate change and strengthen agriculture, thereby ensuring a more sustainable future for food systems.
The team regards tillage and mechanical soil damage as important factors in soil damage. “The farming habits that keep the soil naked and lack crops violate nature’s guidance to maintain soil health,” said Dr. Friedrich. This practice destroys soil structure and depletes water and nutrient cycles essential. A little organic matter. Although these methods seem to be beneficial in the short term, they cause reduced soil fertility and make the land more susceptible to environmental stress over time.
Adoption of conservation agriculture marks a major transformation in traditional agricultural technology. It emphasizes the importance of knowledge and innovation in achieving long-term sustainability. Dr. Friedrich also mentioned: “To maintain food production and minimize environmental damage, we must pay close attention to the natural rules of the world’s soil and the management of its agricultural productivity.”
The implications of this study are profound. They stressed the need to rethink agricultural practices to make them more in line with ecological principles. For those involved in policy, research and agriculture, the findings provide clear guidance for actions. Policies that promote conservation practices have the potential to transform agricultural landscapes into production and sustainable systems.
In short, facing challenges of climate change and growing food demand, the strategies outlined in conservation agriculture show a promising future. As Dr. Friedrich stressed, conservation agriculture can adapt to many different practices from conventional agriculture to organic agriculture. However, the three principles of CA are the basis for the sustainability of any land management system. This approach is designed not only to protect our soil resources, but also to ensure a flexible supply of healthy foods. Moving forward, which is crucial for all stakeholders of natural rules detailed in this critical study, is essential to consider the lessons learned from natural rules.
Journal Reference
Rolf Derpsch, Amir Kassam, Don Reicosky et al., “Soil productivity and the natural law of conservation of agriculture”, Soil Safety, 2024. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soisec.2024.100127
About the Author
Protecting agricultural experts
Retired Senior FAO Agricultural Official and Representative
Theodor FriedrichGerman national, born in Venezuela, graduated from the University of Göttingen/Germany Master’s degree. in the College of Agriculture (Ager Anon) and in Agricultural Engineering (Sc. Agr). Since 1982, he has worked in the field of international agricultural development in agricultural extension, research and university lectures, and has directed cooperative projects in Latin America, Europe and Asia. From 1994 to 2012, Friedrich served as a senior FAO/Roman official in agricultural mechanization and sustainable crop production systems, such as regulations on pesticide application technologies, and the protection of sustainable development of agricultural production by protecting agriculture , with about 30 years of practical experience in this topic, on this topic, working in more than 75 countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia, with more than 200 publications. He was involved in the establishment of the term “protected agriculture”, its definition and the creation of the FAO program, promoting global conservation agriculture, which includes publications, conferences, support for regional CA organizations and field projects, and the World Congress on Conservation of Agriculture. From 2012 to 2018, and from 2018 to 2020 in Bolivia, he served as FAO representative for Cuba. In 2020, he retired to Germany and is still active in protecting agriculture.
