ILPF contributes to decarbonization and soil health

To disseminate to society that soil conservation is essential to guarantee food security, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) established World Soil Day on December 05th. The date is remembered in several countries.

For researcher Alberto Bernardi, from Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste (São Carlos – SP), healthy soil is synonymous with high yield for the producer and is fundamental for food security. He explains that to be considered healthy, the soil needs to have a well-developed structure, adequate organic matter content, and physical, chemical and biological properties favorable to crop growth. Practices such as Crop-Livestock-Forest integration (ILPF) can promote the improvement of soil quality and, in addition, contribute to increasing the environmental services of this resource, which often go unnoticed.

Regulation of water supply, control of greenhouse gas emissions, carbon storage, nutrient cycling, maintenance of biodiversity and biological control are some of the environmental advantages provided by well-managed soil.

Integrated systems are strategies recommended by Embrapa to increase agricultural productivity and produce sustainably, with a focus on decarbonization. The production of grains, pastures and forests in the same area can provide several environmental services: carbon sequestration, increase and conservation of biodiversity and improvement of soil, water and air quality. “The adoption of these sustainable management practices also generates several socioeconomic benefits, particularly for small and medium-sized producers, whose means of production depend directly on the soil resource”, explains Bernardi.

Even with all these benefits, soils are not always conserved. There are too many degraded areas to be managed properly and become healthy. Science can contribute through technologies already available to the sector. Technological solutions such as integrated systems, a little more complex, but economically viable; practices of biological nitrogen (N) fixation, biological control and direct planting contribute to the sustainability of the soil and, consequently, the planet.

Bernardi recommends: avoiding and minimizing erosion and acidification; prevent and reduce compaction; increase water infiltration and storage; increase the organic matter content; favor nutritional balance and nutrient cycling; prevent and mitigate salinization; prevent and avoid contamination; and, preserve and increase biodiversity. Thus, sustainable management guarantees healthier soil and, as a result, the food security expected by FAO.

ODS

The strategies recommended by Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste to increase productivity and correctly manage the soil with sustainability contribute to two of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture; SDG 13 - Adopt urgent measures to combat climate change and its impacts.