Barley and oat cultivation has new agricultural climate risk zoning

They were published in the Official Gazette of the Union this Thursday (17/11) the ordinances, from 357 to 375, of Agricultural Climate Risk Zoning (Zarc) for the cultivation of barley and oats in a rainfed and irrigated production system.  

Zoning aims to reduce risks related to climate problems and allows producers to identify the best time to plant, taking into account the region of the country, the culture and different types of soil. 

The agrometeorological model considers elements that directly influence the development of agricultural production such as temperature, rainfall, relative air humidity, water available in the soil, crop water demand and geographic elements (altitude, latitude and longitude).  

The production of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) for brewing purposes is influenced by the climate, the genetic characteristics of the cultivar and the crop management practices adopted. Oats (Avena spp.) are temperate plants, which can be cultivated in different climatic conditions and for different purposes, such as the production of grains for human and animal food, forage and soil cover, in addition to serving as green manure and as an inhibitor of invasive infestation (allelopathy).  

Farmers who follow Zarc's recommendations are less subject to climate risks and will still be able to benefit from the Agricultural Activity Guarantee Program (Proagro) and the Rural Insurance Premium Subsidy Program (PSR). Many financial agents only release rural credit for crops in zoned areas.  

Access to Zarc's callsigns

Rural producers and other agribusiness agents can access official information from Zarc through tablets and smartphones, in a more practical way, facilitating guidance regarding the federal government's agricultural policy programs. The Zarc Plantio Certo mobile app, developed by Embrapa Agricultura Digital (Campinas/SP), is available in app stores: iOS e Android   

The Zarc results can also be consulted and downloaded through the platform “Risk Indication Panel”.