Catalonia could face a deterioration in the quality of its crops if nothing is done to address the impact of climate instability, as it is affecting the agricultural yield of the Mediterranean regions by between 32% and 36%, as reported by the Spanish Association of Agriculture of Living Soils (AEAC.SV).
The AEAC has presented the study 'Benefits of Conservation Agriculture', which warns that rising temperatures and decreasing rains, which are increasingly torrential, "poses a risk to the soil that is suitable for cultivation," which is affected by increased erosion and the loss of soil quality.
Moving away from the model of conventional agriculture, the agricultural association proposes the implementation of Conservation Agriculture as a measure to protect the soil from erosion, as it is a direct sowing technique that avoids the tillage and facilitates the protection of its natural fertility by retaining carbon.
This technique, which according to the study can result in average energy savings of up to 20% (depending on the region and crop, it could reach up to 50%), is only effective if 30% of the soil is covered after sowing to protect it from erosion and the risk of pests, diseases or weeds.
Catalonia allocates almost 20% of its agricultural area to Conservation Agriculture, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment; a figure that should increase to 60% to have almost total control on soil degradation and avoid water erosion.
The study denounces the conventional agriculture model, which has contributed, among other things, to the fact that 16% of the European acreage is affected by water erosion; a fact that brings to mind the commitments of international agreements such as the COP21 of Paris 2015 or the Strategy 4 per 1000 to curb climate change.
This agricultural practice, based on keeping the soil covered with a vegetative protective cover, could compensate for up to 112% of the CO2 emissions of Spanish agriculture; a relevant factor if one takes into account that 9% of greenhouse gases emitted by the EU come from agriculture.
According to the report, Conservation Agriculture contributes to keeping carbon in the soil while promoting biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems, which, together with the erosion that the plant cover is able to stop on the ground, can reduce soil losses by up to 90%, depending on the surface.
As for its economic benefits, the study points out that it would increase the competitiveness of farms by reducing costs and improving the profitability of crops with a better implementation of this technique.
Source: EFE
