PERSPECTIVE -- Civilization began with agriculture. When our nomadic ancestors began to settle and grow their own food, human society was forever changed. Not only did villages, towns and cities begin to flourish, but so did knowledge, the arts and the technological sciences.
And for most of history, society's connection to the land was intimate. Human communities, no matter how sophisticated, could not ignore the importance of agriculture. To be far from dependable sources of food was to risk malnutrition and starvation.
In modern times, however, many in the urban world have forgotten this fundamental connection. Insulated by the apparent abundance of food that has come from new technologies for the growing, transportation and storage of food, humanity's fundamental dependence on agriculture is often overlooked.
The upcoming World Food Summit serves as an important opportunity to reconsider the fundamental importance of agriculture - and the degree to which the global and independent nature of human society today requires a re-thinking of our attitudes and approaches to world food production and distribution.
Scheduled to be held from 13-17 November in Rome, the Summit seeks a renewal of an international commitment made in 1974 to eradicate "the most basic problem of mankind: food insecurity." The pledge was made at the first World Food Conference, which recognized that all people have a right to an adequate diet. Governments agreed to end hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity within a decade.
Since that resolution, progress toward food security has been made. In many nations, agricultural production has increased, food purchasing power has risen, and diets have improved.
However, advancement has been far from even. In 88 countries, a significant portion of the population - some 800 million people worldwide - continue to suffer from deficient diets. What is more, the drive toward food security has slowed in recent years. The rate of growth in agricultural production is declining; world grain reserves have fallen to record lows; the demand for imported grain is increasing; and commitments of aid to agricultural development have decreased. This against a backdrop of expanding world population, intensifying demands on agricultural resources, and a growing recognition that the agri-food system is not sustainable.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is sponsoring the Summit, has expressed "deep concern" regarding the current and future status of the world's agri-food system, and called for immediate action at the national and international levels to attack the "root causes" of persistent food insecurity.
But what are the "root causes" of food insecurity? What policies and actions will contribute to eradicating food insecurity everywhere?
While there are obviously significant environmental and technical causes of food shortages, more significant are the underlying social causes. By many accounts, overall world food production is currently enough to provide everyone with a healthy and well balanced diet.
Yet fractured and unjust social systems, armed conflict, and narrowly nationalistic attitudes contribute greatly to inadequacies in food production, transportation, storage and distribution. It is no coincidence that nations suffering most from chronic malnutrition and food insecurity are also the most disrupted by war or civil strife.
Effective and lasting solutions to problems related to food insecurity will be found in policies and actions that pay adequate attention to those processes of development that aim primarily toward strengthening the human fabric of communities and revitalizing their institutions.
In talks and letters made some 80 years ago, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, outlined a bold vision for a unified global society that, rather than side-stepping the fundamental importance of agriculture, upholds the central importance of the farmer, the local community and its governing institutions in providing for the health and well-being of all of the members of society.
In this vision, spiritually motivated individuals contribute to strong families, organizations, corporations, administrative institutions and communities, animated by a new global ethic founded on universal spiritual principles such as unity, justice, equity, moderation and peacefulness. As working principles, these spiritual qualities enhance social cohesion.
More significantly, in relation to the question of food security, 'Abdu'l-Baha indicated that solutions to socioeconomic problems begin at the village level. "The fundamental basis of community is agriculture, tillage of the soil," 'Abdu'l-Bahá said in 1912.
He advocated the establishment of community-based, elected institutions responsible for the development and regulation of resources, for social services, and for investment. Decision-making would be carried out through an enhanced consultative process involving all-inclusive participation of community members and the open, frank, and courteous airing of views. A full and fair consultative process contributes to community ownership of development. Participatory processes that are "owned" by the community are more effective, leading to self-reliance rather than dependency.
This vision goes beyond the prescription to "think globally, act locally." For while it emphasizes the proper development of the individual's intellectual, physical and spiritual capacities and his or her actions as the key to community revitalization, it also promotes the kind of institutions and systems of governance that are necessary to connect the individual and his or her actions firmly to a global and interdependent civilization. The impulse toward globalism is more than merely a state of mind.
This vision promotes an ethic of human solidarity that implies the precedence of the general welfare of humanity over national, racial, class, gender, and personal interests. The alleviation of human suffering becomes a universal goal, regardless of where that suffering occurs. Accordingly, effective global institutions are required to manage fair and equitable trade arrangements, equitably allocate resources, and ensure that prosperity is shared. These principles ensure that effective and appropriate technical solutions to food insecurity are developed and shared with those nations and people most in need.
For Bahá'ís, a community is more than the sum of its members. It is a comprehensive unit of civilization composed of individuals, families, and institutions that are originators and encouragers of systems, agencies, and organizations that work together with a common purpose for the welfare of people both within and beyond its own borders.
Ultimately, it is only through enhanced processes of social development which recognize the fundamental value of spiritual principles in education, community organization, and the application of technology that true food security can be established. It is necessarily a long term solution, but lays a firm foundation for a sustainable and secure food supply for all. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
Wednesday, 26 April 2017
EUROPE'S MEAT AND DAIRY FARMING VULNERABLE AS CLIMATE CHANGE WORSENS WATER SCARCITY.
ROME, April 26 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Water scarcity
half a world away caused by climate change could push up prices
for meat and diary products in Europe by disrupting supplies of
soybean, which is widely used as feed for livestock, researchers
said Wednesday.
half a world away caused by climate change could push up prices
for meat and diary products in Europe by disrupting supplies of
soybean, which is widely used as feed for livestock, researchers
said Wednesday.
The European Union sources most soybean from outside the
28-nation bloc - mainly from Argentina, Brazil and the United
States, according to an EU-funded study by Dutch-based NGO Water
Footprint Network (WFN).
28-nation bloc - mainly from Argentina, Brazil and the United
States, according to an EU-funded study by Dutch-based NGO Water
Footprint Network (WFN).
But 57 percent of soybean imports are from regions that are
highly vulnerable to water scarcity, exposing Europe to possible
shocks in supply, said Ertug Ercin, the study's co-author.
highly vulnerable to water scarcity, exposing Europe to possible
shocks in supply, said Ertug Ercin, the study's co-author.
"The highest risk that the European meat and dairy sector
will face due to climate change and weather extremes lies
outside its borders," he said in a statement.
will face due to climate change and weather extremes lies
outside its borders," he said in a statement.
About two thirds of the global population already live in
areas experiencing water scarcity at least one month a year,
according to the United Nations.
areas experiencing water scarcity at least one month a year,
according to the United Nations.
The problem is set to intensify with global warming, which
is expected to affect rain patterns and cause more frequent
droughts, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says.
is expected to affect rain patterns and cause more frequent
droughts, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says.
Water in soybean farming areas could become insufficient
leading to lower production and higher prices, which would push
up costs of meat and dairy products in Europe, Ercin said.
leading to lower production and higher prices, which would push
up costs of meat and dairy products in Europe, Ercin said.
Imports of other products like rice, sugar cane, cotton,
almonds, pistachios and grapes could be similarly affected,
according to the report.
almonds, pistachios and grapes could be similarly affected,
according to the report.
"The EU's economy is dependent on the availability of water
in other parts of the world for many crops," said Christopher
Briggs, WFN executive director. "That makes it vulnerable to
increasing water scarcity and drought." BY UMBETO BACCHI
in other parts of the world for many crops," said Christopher
Briggs, WFN executive director. "That makes it vulnerable to
increasing water scarcity and drought." BY UMBETO BACCHI
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
BUHARI TASKS NIGER DELTA YOUTHS ON AGRICULTURE.
President Buhari,who was represented by the Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, made the appeal yesterday at the 20th anniversary of Nigerian Agip Oil Company’s Green River Project Farmers Day in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, also urged them to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only served to destroy the country’s ecosystem and economy.
According to President Buhari said, “I wish to acknowledge the unrelenting efforts of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, who in their bid to prove that oil production and agriculture can coexist, has for the past 29 years supported their host communities to focus on agriculture through the GRP, a corporate social responsibility initiative which has resulted in sustainable development in these communities.
I appeal to the people of the Niger Delta region to embrace peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation. I urge you to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only serve to destroy our ecosystem and economy.”
“The present administration is committed to doing everything possible to support the people of the Niger Delta to achieve their potential in agriculture which is far more than its endowments in oil and gas.”
PMB said the focus of his administration was to redirect attention to agriculture in its entirety and empower Nigerians in a productive and sustainable manner.
He said the process entailed treating agriculture as a business to create wealth and provide employment and take the country from being an import dependent country to a self – sufficient nation with surplus for export to earn foreign exchange. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
BUHARI TASKS N/DELTA YOUTHS ON AGRICULTURE.
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the people of the Niger Delta region to shun illegal pipeline vandalisation and oil theft and seek wealth creation through peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation.
President Buhari,who was represented by the Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, made the appeal yesterday at the 20th anniversary of Nigerian Agip Oil Company’s Green River Project Farmers Day in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, also urged them to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only served to destroy the country’s ecosystem and economy.
According to President Buhari said, “I wish to acknowledge the unrelenting efforts of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, who in their bid to prove that oil production and agriculture can coexist, has for the past 29 years supported their host communities to focus on agriculture through the GRP, a corporate social responsibility initiative which has resulted in sustainable development in these communities.
I appeal to the people of the Niger Delta region to embrace peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation. I urge you to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only serve to destroy our ecosystem and economy.”
“The present administration is committed to doing everything possible to support the people of the Niger Delta to achieve their potential in agriculture which is far more than its endowments in oil and gas.”
PMB said the focus of his administration was to redirect attention to agriculture in its entirety and empower Nigerians in a productive and sustainable manner.
He said the process entailed treating agriculture as a business to create wealth and provide employment and take the country from being an import dependent country to a self – sufficient nation with surplus for export to earn foreign exchange. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO TAKE URGENT ACTION ON AGRICULTURE
In his address at the National Economic Council Retreat on the economy held at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Buhari noted that food production in the country have become abysmally low and they require urgent action.
“Today, both the peasant and the mechanized farmers agree with the general public that food production and self-sufficiency require urgent government action. For too long government policies on agriculture have been half-hearted, suffering from inconsistencies and discontinuities. Yet our real wealth is in farming, livestock, hatcheries, fishery, horticulture and forestry.
“From the information available to me the issues worrying the public today are rising food prices, such as maize, corn, rice and garri; lack of visible impact of government presence on agriculture; lack of agricultural inputs at affordable prices, Cost of fertilizers, pesticide and labour compound the problems of farming. Extension services are virtually absent in several states; imports of subsidized food products such as rice and poultry discourage the growth of domestic agriculture; wastage of locally grown foods, notably fruit and vegetables which go bad due to lack of even moderate scale agro-processing factories and lack of feeder roads.”
These problems I have enumerated are by no means exhaustive and some of the solutions I am putting forward are not necessarily the final word on our agricultural reform objectives:
• First, we need to carry the public with us for new initiatives. Accordingly the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the States should convene early meetings of stakeholders and identify issues with a view to addressing them.
• Inform the public in all print and electronic media on government efforts to increase local food production to dampen escalating food prices.
• Banks should be leaned upon to substantially increase their lending to the agricultural sector. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should bear part of the risk of such loans as a matter of national policy.
• States should increase their financial support through community groups. The appropriate approach should be through leaders of community groups such as farmers cooperatives.
• Provision of feeder roads by state governments to enable more effective evacuation of produce to markets and processing factories.”
The president recalled that when he was a schoolboy in the 1950’s the country produced one million tons of groundnuts in two successive years. “The country’s main foreign exchange earners were groundnut, cotton, cocoa, palm kernel, rubber and all agro/forest resources.
“Regional Banks and Development Corporations in all the three regions were financed from farm surpluses. In other words, our capital formation rode on the backs of our farmers. Why was farming so successful 60 years ago? The answers are simple: access to small scale credits, inputs (fertilizers, herbicides etc) and Extension services. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
WE MUST GO BACK TO AGRICULTUREAS OIL REVENUE SHRINKS.
The president gave the charge at an audience with Kanayo Nwanze, the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Friday.
“It’s time to go back to the land. We must face the reality that the petroleum we had depended on for so long will no longer suffice. We campaigned heavily on agriculture, and we are ready to assist as many want to go into agricultural ventures,’’ he said.
Mr. Buhari pledged that his administration would also cut short the long bureaucratic processes that Nigerian farmers had to go through to get any form of assistance from government.
He told the IFAD President that improvement of the productivity of farmers, dry season farming and creative ways to combat the shrinking of the Lake Chad will also receive the attention of his administration.
“There is so much to be done. We will try and articulate a programme and consult organisations like IFAD for advice,’’ he added.
According to the president, foreign exchange will be conserved for machinery and other items needed for production “instead of using it to import things like toothpicks’’.
Mr. Nwanze had earlier congratulated President Buhari on his victory at the general elections and assured him that IFAD was ready to give all possible assistance to the Federal Government and Nigerian farmers to boost agricultural production in the country.
Mr. Nwanze, who later spoke to State House correspondents, said IFAD had since 1985 been providing loans and grants in the nation’s agricultural sector to boost agricultural production.
“Nigeria has the largest portfolio of IFAD’s investment in Western and Central Africa and the second largest in Africa.
“But the case point here is that this country has all the endowments that it takes not only for it to produce enough food for its population but also to be the bread basket of region.
“And this is where my institution on my behalf, I offered our services and our support in the agenda of rural transformation as a key ingrate in this country’s economic and social development,’’ he said.
IFAD was established in 1978, and has been collaborating with Nigeria for over 30 years.
(NAN).
UPDATE1-DUPONT PROFIT BEATS ON STRONG SEED DEMAND.
April 25 (Reuters) - Chemicals and seeds producer DuPont
, which is merging with Dow Chemical Co, reported
a better-than-expected profit for the seventh straight quarter,
helped by a rise in seed sales.
, which is merging with Dow Chemical Co, reported
a better-than-expected profit for the seventh straight quarter,
helped by a rise in seed sales.
DuPont has moved from selling its farm products to retailers
and distributors, focusing instead on selling directly to
farmers in the United States.
and distributors, focusing instead on selling directly to
farmers in the United States.
This pushed the timing of some seed sales to the first
quarter from the fourth.
quarter from the fourth.
Demand was also propelled by late-season seed demand in
South America and the planting of the largest combined corn and
soybean acres on record in the United States.
South America and the planting of the largest combined corn and
soybean acres on record in the United States.
Operating earnings at DuPont's agriculture business rose 12
percent to $1.24 billion in the first quarter ended March 31.
percent to $1.24 billion in the first quarter ended March 31.
Net income attributable to DuPont fell to $1.11 billion, or
$1.27 per share, in the first quarter, from $1.23 billion, or
$1.39 per share, a year earlier.
$1.27 per share, in the first quarter, from $1.23 billion, or
$1.39 per share, a year earlier.
The latest quarter included charges of $36 million, while
the year-ago quarter included a $160 million gain.
the year-ago quarter included a $160 million gain.
Excluding items, operating profit in the latest quarter was
$1.64, above analysts' estimate of $1.39, according to Thomson
Reuters I/B/E/S. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
$1.64, above analysts' estimate of $1.39, according to Thomson
Reuters I/B/E/S. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
Monday, 24 April 2017
SNAIL FARMING
Suitable Place and Soil
For snail farming an open pasture should select where suitable plants are grown for feed and shelter. Basically any kinds of shed are not used. At the time of selecting a site for snail farming the main concern should given to the prevailing wind that is essential to dry out the soil. A farmer have to concentrate to eliminate predatory insects and pests. For this reason soil analysis and ensuring growing leafy, green vegetable crops are urgent. It is said that friable soil with PH 5.8 to 7.5 and calcium contain soil is useful in this regards.
The soil structure should be light because clay soil is inappropriate for egg lying and moving. Besides, plants and snail should keep moist by night time dew, rain or collected misting. Snail can move more easily on moist, leaves and ground and that is why they can eat more and grow faster.Proper drainage system is necessary because no water should remain on ground in puddles. Rain water and collected irrigation is also important for snail farming. The place should be free from big tress so that no predatory and insects can grow and these tress give shade for the development of crops that hinders dew fall.
Size of Farm
Generally the size of a farm may be varied or depends on the category of grower. Cottage industry or the people who start from his hobby can utilize around 1000 to 2000 meters area. On the other hand, the people who start as a small business can use, average around 3000 to 10,000 squares meters area. If a farmer wants to start in a large scale, he has to take at least 2 hectors area and must increase this area with the increasing of his business up to 30 hectors.
Constructing a Snailery
There are different kinds of snailery can be built. In this regards, some factors have to take in consideration. Firstly, the snails stage of development and snails habit. The most important matter is that snailery must be an escape proof and be effective against predators and it permits easy entree to the trend snails. When a person wants to build a snailery, he must require some materials that are decay- and termite –resistant timber, such as Milicia excelsa (trade name- iroko); Nauclea diderrichii (trade name- opepe); Lophira alata (trade name – ekki), sandcrete blocks; mosquito nets and polythene sheets. These types of materials are needed for each kinds of snailery that are mentioned below.
- Hutch boxes
- Trench pens
- Mini Paddock pens
- Moveable pens
- Free range pens
- Leaves: Cocoyam, kola, bokoboko, paw paw, cassava, okra, eggplant, loofa, etc.
- Fruits: Pawpaw, mango, banana, pear, oil palm, fig tomato etc.
- Tubers: Cocoyam, cassava, yam, sweet, potato and plantain.
- Flowers: Oprono, odwuma and pawpaw.
Some studied show that A.achatina can utilize a wide range of feed items. Basically it prefers green leaves, fruits, tubers and flowers. Unlike other species it favors leaves and fruits which are separated from main plant. Snails prefer wet leaves to dry leaves. The recommended feed items are below.
Feed Generally the most of the species of snail are vegetarian and they accept many kinds of feed. Different types of feed that is favored by the most investigated species, Achatina achatina, and the diet that is recommended to the farmers who is rearing this species, described here.
- Leaves: Cocoyam, kola, bokoboko, paw paw, cassava, okra, eggplant, loofa, etc.
- Fruits: Pawpaw, mango, banana, pear, oil palm, fig tomato etc.
- Tubers: Cocoyam, cassava, yam, sweet, potato and plantain.
- Flowers: Oprono, odwuma and pawpaw.
Some studied show that A.achatina can utilize a wide range of feed items. Basically it prefers green leaves, fruits, tubers and flowers. Unlike other species it favors leaves and fruits which are separated from main plant. Snails prefer wet leaves to dry leaves. The recommended feed items are below.
Feed Generally the most of the species of snail are vegetarian and they accept many kinds of feed. Different types of feed that is favored by the most investigated species, Achatina achatina, and the diet that is recommended to the farmers who is rearing this species, described here.- Marketing
West Africa and west French are the two main areas of snails’ consumption in the world. In West Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire are the main markets of snails. France plays a significant role in snails’ trade. Some of the snails are imported from French and exported to the European countries or North America. Annually, the USA alone about imports $200 million worth of snails. Other markets are Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, Japan , Sweden, Austria, Denmark etc. and the main suppliers to these markets are Greece, Turkey, Rumania, Algeria, Tunisia etc.- Diseases
It is recommended to the farmers that a hygienic environment of snails can prevent the spread of disease and improve the health and grow rate of snails. For example, removing or replacing daily food to avoid spoilage. Farmer should add earthworms to the soil that helps to keep the pen clean and also have a concern about intestinal infections that causes for the bacterium Pseudomonas. Snails may be attacked by parasites, nematodes, trematodes, fungi, and micro arthropods when the populations of snails are dense. Careful consecrations have to for predators such as: rats, mice, moles, skunks, weasels, birds etc. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
A recent article by Dr. Raymond M. Wheeler from the NASA Kennedy Space Center, now available in open access in the journal Open Agriculture, provides an informative and comprehensive account of the various international historical and current contributions to bioregenerative life-support and the use of controlled environment agriculture for human space exploration. Covering most of the major developments of international teams, it relates some of this work to technology transfer which proves valuable here on Earth.
The idea of using plants to keep people alive and productive in space is not new, both in concept and in scientific inquiry. The article covers a large portion of the historical international research effort that will be the foundation for many of the trade studies and mission design plans for use of artificial ecosystems in space.
Research in the area started in 1950s and 60s through the works of Jack Myers and others, who studied algae for oxygen production and carbon dioxide removal for the US Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Studies on algal production and controlled environment agriculture were also carried out by Russian researchers in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia beginning in the 1960s including tests with human crews whose air, water, and much of their food were provided by wheat and other crops. NASA initiated its Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Program in the early 1980s with testing focused on controlled environment production of wheat, soybean, potato, lettuce, and sweet potato. Findings from these studies paved the way to conduct tests in a 20 m2, atmospherically closed chamber located at Kennedy Space Center.
At about the same time, Japanese researchers developed a Closed Ecology Experiment Facilities (CEEF) in Aomori Prefecture to conduct closed system studies with plants, humans, animals, and waste recycling systems. CEEF had 150 m2 of plant growth area, which provided a near-complete diet along with air and water regeneration for two humans and two goats.
The European Space Agency MELiSSA Project began in the late 1980s and pursued ecological approaches for providing gas, water and materials recycling for space life support, and later expanded to include plant testing.
A Canadian research team at the University of Guelph started a research facility for space crop research in 1994. Only a few years later, they went on to develop sophisticated canopy-scale hypobaric plant production chambers for testing crops for space, and have since expanded their testing for a wide range of controlled environment agriculture topics.
Most recently, a group at Beihang University in Beijing designed, built and tested a closed life support facility (Lunar Palace 1), which included a 69 m2 agricultural module for air, water, and food production for three humans.
As a result of these international studies in space agriculture, novel technologies and findings have been produced; this includes the first use of light emitting diodes for growing crops, one of the first demonstrations of vertical agriculture, use of hydroponic approaches for subterranean crops like potato and sweet potato, crop yields that surpassed reported record field yields, the ability to quantify volatile organic compound production (e.g., ethylene) from whole crop stands, innovative approaches for controlling water delivery, approaches for processing and recycling wastes back to crop production systems, and more. The theme of agriculture for space has contributed to, and benefited from terrestrial, controlled environment agriculture and will continue to do so into the future. There are still numerous technical challenges, but plants and associated biological systems can and will be a major component of the systems that keep humans alive when we establish ourselves on the Moon, Mars and beyond.
According to Dr. Gary W. Stutte, NASA's principal investigator for several spaceflight experiments designed to grow plants in microgravity:Dr. Ray Wheeler has written a compelling and complete history of the people that have committed their careers to enabling the colonization of space. Drawing upon his deep understanding of the programs developed, people involved, and progress achieved to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of scientist and engineers around the world to bring the vision of space exploration to fruition, he details the problems, challenges, results and contributions from the programs, and reveals how they benefited Earth, as well as space. The review underscores that the answers will be achieved not through proclamation, but through collaboration between nations, cooperation between people, and sustained commitment by institutions. His article should be required reading for anyone with even a passing interest in the Space Agriculture." BY NASA.
COVER CROPS MAY BE USED TO MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
"Many people have been promoting no-till as a climate-mitigation tool, so finding that cover crops are comparable to no-till means there is another valuable tool in the toolbox for agricultural climate mitigation," he said.
In a recent issue of Agronomy for Sustainable Development -- the official journal of the French National Institute for Agricultural Research, Europe's top agricultural research institute and the world's number two center for the agricultural sciences -- Kaye contends that cover cropping can be an adaptive management tool to maintain yields and minimize nitrogen losses as the climate warms.
Collaborating with Miguel Quemada in the Department of Agriculture Production at the Technical University of Madrid in Spain, Kaye reviewed cover-cropping initiatives in Pennsylvania and central Spain. He said that lessons learned from cover cropping in those contrasting regions show that the strategy has merit in a warming world.
The researchers concluded that cover-crop effects on greenhouse-gas fluxes typically mitigate warming by 100-150 grams of carbon per square meter per year, which is comparable to, and perhaps higher than, mitigation from transitioning to no-till. The key ways that cover crops mitigate climate change from greenhouse-gas fluxes are by increasing soil carbon sequestration and reducing fertilizer use after legume cover crops.
"Perhaps most significant, the surface albedo change -- the proportion of energy from sunlight reflecting off of farm fields due to cover cropping -- calculated for the first time in our review using case-study sites in central Spain and Pennsylvania, may mitigate 12 to 46 grams of carbon per square meter per year over a 100-year time horizon," Kaye wrote.
"Cover crop management also can enable climate-change adaptation at these case-study sites, especially through reduced vulnerability to erosion from extreme rain events, increased soil-water management options during droughts or periods of soil saturation, and retention of nitrogen mineralized due to warming," he said.
Despite the benefits, Kaye is not necessarily advocating that cover crops be planted primarily for the purposes of climate-change mitigation or adaptation. Instead, he thinks the most important conclusion from his analysis is that there appear to be few compromises between traditional benefits of cover cropping and the benefits for climate change.
"Farmers and policymakers can expect cover cropping simultaneously to benefit soil quality, water quality and climate-change adaptation and mitigation," he wrote.
"Overall, we found very few tradeoffs between cover cropping and climate-change mitigation and adaptation, suggesting that ecosystem services that are traditionally expected from cover cropping can be promoted synergistically with services related to climate change. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
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