1.2 Detalles de contacto de las personas de referencia e instituciones involucradas en la evaluación y la documentación del Enfoque

Nombre de la(s) institución(es) que facilitaron la documentación/ evaluación del Enfoque si fuera relevante)

UK Soil Management Initiative - Reino Unido

1.3 Condiciones referidas al uso de datos documentados mediante WOCAT

El compilador y la/s persona(s) de referencia claves aceptan las condiciones acerca del uso de los datos documentados mediante WOCAT :

Sí

1.4 Referencia/s al/los Cuestionario(s) de Tecnologías MST

2.1 Breve descripción del Enfoque

An independent organisation that promotes the adoption of appropriate soil management practices, especially conservation agriculture, within England.

2.2 Descripción detallada del Enfoque MST

Descripción detallada del Enfoque MST:

Aims / objectives: The zero tillage systems promoted in the UK during the 1970s were radical. Pioneering farmers moved from ploughing to zero tillage using special direct drilling machines and non-selective contact herbicides. However, they encountered serious problems with slugs, persistent grass weeds and straw, and zero tillage was largely abandoned. Pressures to reduce crop establishment costs then led to the intermediate method of ???conservation agriculture??? (CA). The Soil Management Initiative (SMI) has been central to the development and promotion of CA. SMI is an independent non-profit organisation that was established by a small, committed group in 1999. Its aim is to promote the adoption of cultivation systems which improve soil quality, minimise soil erosion and water pollution, and simultaneously maintain or enhance farm economic returns. SMI brings together organisations with varied expertise and technical abilities, and provides both research results and advice to the large numbers of farmers who are progressively adopting CA. Furthermore, SMI was a founder member of the European Conservation Agriculture Federation (ECAF), under which there are 14 national organisations. Competence within SMI is drawn from research institutes, educational establishments, farmers and landowners, machinery manufacturers, crop protection companies, charitable trusts, and from independent agronomists and advisers.

Methods: The EU Life fund provided an initial three-year allocation to support SMI. This ended in 2002. SMI now raises finance from the UK and EU governments, commercial sponsorship (international agrochemical and machinery companies) and fees paid by farmers. In the current climate of privatisation of advisory services, there is no targeted governmental advisory body to carry out such a function. DEFRA (The UK Government???s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) does however provide some support to SMI with both funds and expertise, and is an associate member. Amongst SMI???s methods for spreading the message of improved soil management are field days - where farmers pay to attend- an interactive web-based help-line on ???lo-till??? and farmers??? magazines. SMI also undertakes extension roadshows???, visiting specific farms for question and answer sessions. A formal session with presentations from experts precedes a practical outdoor demonstration. SMI gains knowledge and practical experience from the ???joint venture??? at Loddington (see associated technology).

2.3 Fotos del Enfoque

2.5 País/ región/ lugares donde el Enfoque fue aplicado

2.6 Fechas de inicio y conclusión del Enfoque

2.7 Tipo de Enfoque

• proyecto/ basado en un programa

2.8 Propósitos/ objetivos principales del Enfoque

- improve technology transfer through extension to farmers
- promote agricultural and environmental policies to support sustainable soil management
- improve information exchange in and amongst the research, policy and practitioner communities and private companies (machinery and agrochemical etc)
- research, develop, evaluate and promote soil management systems to improve crop production and protection of the environment

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems:
-Attempts to apply conservation agriculture by arable farmers in the 1980s and 90s were not matched by an understanding of the whole system. There was a thirst for more knowledge.
-Privatisation of government advisory services has left a gap to be filled in this case an advisory body in sustainable soil management.

2.9 Condiciones que facilitan o impiden la implementación de la/s Tecnología/s aplicadas bajo el Enfoque

3.1 Partes interesadas involucradas en el Enfoque y sus roles

3.2 Involucramiento de los usuarios locales de tierras/ comunidades locales en las distintas fases del Enfoque

	Involucramiento de los usuarios locales de tierras/ comunidades locales	Especifique quién se involucró y describa las actividades
iniciación/ motivación	pasivo	setting up SMI
planificación	pasivo	setting up SMI
implementación	interactivo	advisory services/demand-driven field events
monitoreo y evaluación	pasivo	M&E of SMI's activities
Research	interactivo	on-farm research on conservation agriculture

3.3 Flujograma (si estuviera disponible)

3.4 La toma de decisiones en la selección de Tecnología(s) MST

Especifique quién decidió la selección de las Tecnología/ Tecnologías a implementarse:

• solamente usuarios de tierras (autoiniciativa)

Explique:

Decisions on the method of implementing the SLM Technology were made by by land users alone (self-initiative / bottom-up). (farmers)

4.1 Construcción de capacidades / capacitación

¿Se proporcionó la capacitación a usuarios de tierras/ otras partes interesadas?

Sí

Temas avanzados:

Technical demonstrations in the field are the primary means of knowledge transfer. A formal session with presentations from experts precedes a practical outdoor demonstration. Although conservation agriculture is the umbrella topic, specific issues - such as herbicide application are treated on demand.

4.2 Servicio de asesoría

¿Los usuarios de tierras tienen acceso a un servicio de asesoría?

Sí

Especifique si servicio proporcionado se realizó:

• en los campos de los usuarios de tierras

• Weekly magazine and helpopline

Describa/ comentarios:

Name of method used for advisory service: Roadshows; Key elements: visiting specific farms for question and answer sessions, an e-mail/website based lo-till helpline through the Farmers. Weekly magazine (www.fwi.co.uk). SMI furthermore contributes to frequent press articles as well as producing publications

4.3 Fortalecimiento institucional (desarrollo institucional)

¿Se establecieron o fortalecieron instituciones mediante el Enfoque?

• no

4.4 Monitoreo y evaluación

¿El monitoreo y la evaluación forman parte del Enfoque?

Sí

Comentarios:

bio-physical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through measurements
technical aspects were regular monitored by project staff through measurements
socio-cultural aspects were ad hoc monitored by project staff through observations
economic / production aspects were regular monitored by project staff through measurements
area treated aspects were ad hoc monitored by project staff through measurements
management of Approach aspects were ad hoc monitored by project staff through observations

There were None changes in the Approach as a result of monitoring and evaluation: SMI is constantly refining its advice on the basis of results monitored from the field.

4.5 Investigación

¿La investigación formó parte del Enfoque?

Sí

Especifique los temas:

• sociología
• economía/ marketing
• ecología

Proporcione detalles adicionales e indique quién hizo la investigación:

Conservation agriculture was initially supported by public funded research. Current research - through SMI but also some research institutes and farmers themselves - is focused on specific issues, including slug control, grass weeds, trash management and soil compaction. Recently, environmental, economic and social concerns arising from the practice of conventional agriculture have been taken up

5.1 Presupuesto anual para el componente MST del Enfoque

Comentarios (ej. fuentes principales de financiamiento/ donantes principales):

Approach costs were met by the following donors: international non-government (-): 10.0%; government (national government - DEFRA): 10.0%; international (European Union: EU Life Fund): 40.0%; local community / land user(s) (regional council): 10.0%; other (Companies: Monsanto,Syngenta): 30.0%

5.2 Apoyo financiero/material proporcionado a los usuarios de tierras

¿Los usuarios de tierras recibieron financiamiento/ apoyo material para implementar la Tecnología/ Tecnologías? :

Sí

Si respondió sí, especifique el tipo o los tipos de apoyo, condiciones y proveedor(es) :

There are no subsidies specifically connected to CA or sustainable soil management. However, the CA principles fall within UK new cross-compliance conditions for the Single Farm Payment scheme which effectively constitutes a subsidy to farmers for following sound land management practices. There is also a recently introduced Environmental Stewardship Scheme, which embraces environmental concerns. Under this scheme, it is likely that much of the area under conservation agriculture will qualify for, at least, the entry-level category of subsidy, currently set at approx. US$ 60/ha/year: note: this is on top of the single farm payment, which will be considerably greater (for more details see www.defra.gov.uk). Manufacturers of non-inversion tillage equipment provide machines for demonstration. Manufacturers of biocides provided finance and support to specific farmers in the early stages of progressive development.

5.3 Subsidios para insumos específicos (incluyendo mano de obra)

• agrícola

Si la mano de obra de usuarios de tierras fue un insumo sustancial, ¿fue:

• voluntario?

Comentarios:

Farmers themselves provide labour though the adoption of conservation agriculture involves a considerable saving

5.4 Crédito

¿Se proporcionó crédito bajo el Enfoque para actividades MST?

No

6.1 Impactos del Enfoque

6.3 Sostenibilidad de las actividades del Enfoque

¿Pueden los usuarios de tierras sostener lo que se implementó mediante el Enfoque (sin apoyo externo)?

• sí

Si respondió que sí, describa cómo:

SMI can continue to support land users with advice as long as they are prepared to continue paying for the services, and sponsorship continues from agencies and commercial companies. Land users can continue to practice CA without external support - but services such as those provided by SMI are extremely valuable.

6.4 Fortalezas/ ventajas del Enfoque

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
Has successfully stimulated conservation agriculture, which should in turn ultimately lead to environmentally sound and sustainable land management in England (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Continue operations for as long as possible)
SMI has acted effectively as a channel for making results from research, and a wide body of experience, readily available to farmers (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Continue to focus on farmers as the main target group and link them with research and private companies.)
SMI has managed to combine the efforts and expertise of a wide range of actors towards a common goal: to provide a unique advisory service in conservation agriculture (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Continue to serve as a centre of excellence.)
Improvements in soil management techniques have been documented in an accessible way (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Continue to publish simply and clearly as new messages develop.)
Ad hoc advice available via a web-based helpline (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Continue.)

6.5 Debilidades/ desventajas del Enfoque y formas de sobreponerse a ellos

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave	¿Cómo sobreponerse a ellas?
SMI has an on-going problem with adequacy of funding	Through top-class services, continue to attract funds and voluntary contributions from a wide range of actors.

7.1 Métodos/ fuentes de información

7.2 Referencias a publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Soil Management Initiative/Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (undated) A guide to managing cropManagement Initiative (undated) Improved soil management for agronomic and environmentalSoil Management Initiative/V??derstad (undated) Target on establishment: innovation for the future of farming.

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

(www.smi.org.uk)SMI, UKSMI, UK

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Management Initiative (undated) Improved soil management for agronomic and environmental

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

SMI, UK

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Soil Management Initiative/V??derstad (undated) Target on establishment: innovation for the future of farming.

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

SMI, UK