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

Nombre del proyecto que financió la documentación/ evaluación de la Tecnología (si fuera relevante)

Preventing and Remediating degradation of soils in Europe through Land Care (EU-RECARE )

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

University of Padova (UNIPD) - Italia

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

1.5 Referencia al (los) Cuestionario(s) de Enfoques MST (documentados usando WOCAT)

2.1 Breve descripción de la Tecnología

Definición de la Tecnología:

Sustainable crop production and residue management under no-tillage to improve soil fertility and increase environmental benefits

2.2 Descripción detallada de la Tecnología

Descripción:

Conservation agriculture (CA) in the Veneto region is characterised by management systems including no-tillage, permanent soil cover and crop rotation. CA has been promoted as an agri-environmental measure of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) by the Veneto region to extend sustainable land management. In spite of being provided by the regional government with subsidies, so far the adoption of CA by the farmers has been very limited since its introduction, amounting less than 1% (ca. 2000 ha) of the total regional cropland area (mainly concentrated in the low Venetian plain).

Purpose of the Technology: CA has been proposed to the farmers with the aim of reducing environmental impacts as well as economic and energetic inputs to the agricultural system. Compared with conventional practices such as soil ploughing, CA is convenient due to the saving of labour and fuel costs, with a direct effect in reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Limiting the soil disturbance and guaranteeing the continuous soil cover involve both a reduction of water runoff and surface erosion and an increase of soil biodiversity and fertility.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: The main winter crops usually cultivated in the low Venetian plain are wheat, rapeseed and barley, while summer season crops are maize, soybean, sorghum. Generally CA consists of direct sowing on untilled soil using a double-disk opener planter for seed deposition, while after harvesting crop residues are chopped and dispersed to the surface in order to guarantee a mulching effect and a rapid incorporation into the soil. Since application of CA practices consider the permanent soil cover, the main crop is followed by cover crops that are usually graminaceae or brassicaceae. Cover crops are neither fertilized nor treated with pesticides during growing, while their final devitalisation is achieved with non-specific herbicides (e.g. Glyphosate, Glufosinate Ammonium).

Natural / human environment: Advantages of adopting conservation agriculture have been widely demonstrated worldwide and can be classified in economic, agronomic and environmental benefits. From an environmental point of view, the soil system preserves its structure and biodiversity thanks to minimum soil disturbance to the root zone, microorganisms, fungi and macroinvertebrates. Greenhouse gas emissions under conservation agriculture compared to traditional cultivation systems are lower and might offset the gains obtained to mitigate global warming. Due to the recent introduction of the technology in the Veneto region (since mid-2000s), conservation agriculture has shown contrasting results in terms of crop yield since still in a transition period between conventional and conservation agriculture practices.

2.3 Fotografías de la Tecnología

2.5 País/ región/ lugares donde la Tecnología fue aplicada y que se hallan comprendidos por esta evaluación

2.6 Fecha de la implementación

Si no se conoce el año preciso, indique la fecha aproximada:

• 10-50 años atrás

2.7 Introducción de la Tecnología

Especifique cómo se introdujo la Tecnología:

• durante experimentos/ investigación

3.1 Propósito(s) principal(es) de la Tecnología MST

• reducir, prevenir, restaurar la degradación del suelo

3.2 Tipo(s) actuales de uso de la tierra donde se aplica la Tecnología

Comentarios:

The main winter crops usually cultivated in the low Venetian plain are wheat, rapeseed and barley, while summer season crops are maize, soybean, sorghum.

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Soils in the low Venetian plain of the Veneto region generally suffer from a loss of soil organic matter (SOM) that is strongly affected by their natural texture and climatic conditions. Moreover, in the last 50 years intensive tillage practices contributed to a further SOM decrease, estimated at 0.02-0.58 t/ha/y of carbon.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Decrease of productivity, soil compaction. To date, few farmers have adopted voluntarily conservation practices to reduce a decline of soil fertility and SOM content, symptom of poor perception of the problem. Moreover, the low technical know-how causes low yield performances and discouraged farmers to adopt the SLM technology.

3.4 Provisión de agua

Provisión de agua para la tierra donde se aplica la Tecnología:

• mixta de secano – irrigada

Comentarios:

Water supply: Also rainfed, full irrigation

3.5 Grupo MST al que pertenece la Tecnología

• cobertura de suelo/ vegetal mejorada
• perturbación mínima del suelo

3.6 Medidas MST que componen la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Main measures: agronomic measures

Secondary measures: management measures

Type of agronomic measures: cover cropping, mulching, zero tillage / no-till

3.7 Principales tipos de degradación del suelo encarados con la Tecnología

Comentarios:

Main type of degradation addressed: Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content, Bc: reduction of vegetation cover, Bl: loss of soil life

Main causes of degradation: soil management (lack of organic input with fertilizations), population pressure (High demand for agricultural products and competition for land in densely populated area)

Secondary causes of degradation: crop management (annual, perennial, tree/shrub) (crop monoculture instead of crop rotation)

3.8 Prevención, reducción o restauración de la degradación del suelo

Especifique la meta de la Tecnología con relación a la degradación de la tierra:

• prevenir la degradación del suelo
• reducir la degradación del suelo

Comentarios:

Main goals: prevention of land degradation

Secondary goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Dibujo técnico de la Tecnología

4.2 Información general sobre el cálculo de insumos y costos

otra / moneda nacional (especifique):

Euro €

Si fuera relevante, indique la tasa de cambio de dólares americanos a la moneda local (ej. 1 U$ = 79.9 Reales Brasileros): 1 U$ =:

0,8

4.5 Actividades de establecimiento/ recurrentes

	Actividad	Momento/ frequencia
1.	Weed control and cover crops devitalisation	each crop season
2.	Main crop: direct sowing on untilled soil	each crop season
3.	Main crop: fertilisation	each crop season
4.	Main crop: combined harvesting and chopping of straw	each crop season
5.	Cover crops: sowing	each crop season

4.6 Costos e insumos necesarios para actividades de mantenimiento/ recurrentes (por año)

	Especifique insumo	Unidad	Cantidad	Costos por unidad	Costos totales por insumo	% de los costos cubiertos por los usuarios de las tierras
Mano de obra	Weed control and cover crops devitalisation	L/ha	1,0	130,0	130,0
Mano de obra	Cover crops: sowing	ha	1,0	254,0	254,0
Equipo	Weed control and cover crops devitalisation	ha	1,0	44,5	44,5
Equipo	Main crop: direct sowing on untilled soil	ha	1,0	63,5	63,5
Equipo	Main crop: combined harvesting and chopping of straw	ha	1,0	190,5	190,5
Material para plantas	Seeds	ha	1,0	190,5	190,5
Fertilizantes y biocidas	Fertilisation	ha	1,0	287,0	287,0
Indique los costos totales para mantenecer la Tecnología					1160,0
Costos totales para mantener la Tecnología en USD					1450,0

4.7 Factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

Describa los factores más determinantes que afectan los costos:

Costs are mostly affected by field labours, although they are considerably lower than under conventional tillage practices. They do not include initial investments since usually farmers to rely on agricultural contractors. As a result, intial investements are borne by agricultural contractors (e.g. sod seeding machinery, which costs 35000$, on average).

5.1 Clima

5.2 Topografía

Comentarios y especificaciones adicionales sobre topografía :

Altitudinal zone: 0-100 m a.s.l. (the low Venetian does not exceed 50 m above sea level)

5.3 Suelos

Si se halla disponible, adjunte una descripción completa de los suelos o especifique la información disponible, por ej., tipo de suelo, pH/ acidez de suelo, capacidad de intercambio catiónico, nitrógeno, salinidad, etc. :

Soil fertility is low-medium
Soil drainage/infiltration is medium
Soil water storage capacity is medium

5.4 Disponibilidad y calidad de agua

Comentarios y especificaciones adicionales sobre calidad y cantidad de agua:

Ground water table: <5m (The area surrounding the Venice lagoon (1240 km2) is even below the sea level (down to -2 m) and currently cultivated due to land reclamation. As a result water table is kept artificially low)
Water quality (untreated) is good drinking water (groundwater) or for agricultural use only (irrigation: Surface water can be used for agricultural purposes but not as drinking water)

5.5 Biodiversidad

Comentarios y especificaciones adicionales sobre biodiversidad:

High population density, infrastructures and intensive agriculture practices affect the state of biodiversity.

5.6 Las características de los usuarios de la tierra que aplican la Tecnología

Indique otras características relevantes de los usuarios de las tierras:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly common / average land users

Difference in the involvement of women and men: Farmers in the Veneto region are traditionally males due to historical and cultural reasons.

Population density: 200-500 persons/km2

Annual population growth: 0.5% - 1%

Off-farm income specification: The conservation measure is applied by farmers whose main income is from agriculture activity.

5.7 Área promedio de la tierra usada por usuarios de tierra que aplican la Tecnología

5.8 Tenencia de tierra, uso de tierra y derechos de uso de agua

Tenencia de tierra:

• individual, sin título

Derechos de uso de tierra:

• arrendamiento
• individual

Derechos de uso de agua:

• comunitarios (organizado)
• arrendamiento

5.9 Acceso a servicios e infraestructura

6.1 Impactos in situ demostrados por la Tecnología

Impactos socioeconómicos

Producción

Ingreso y costos

Impactos socioculturales

Impactos ecológicos

Ciclo de agua/ escurrimiento de sedimento

Suelo

Biodiversidad: vegetación, animales

6.3 Exposición y sensibilidad de la Tecnología al cambio climático gradual y a extremos relacionados al clima/ desastres (desde la percepción de los usuarios de tierras)

Cambio climático gradual

Cambio climático gradual

	Estación	Incremento o reducción	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
temperatura anual		incrementó	bien

Extremos (desastres) relacionados al clima

Desastres climatológicos:

	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
tormenta de lluvia local	bien

Otras consecuencias relacionadas al clima

Otras consecuencias relacionadas al clima

	¿Cómo es que la tecnología soporta esto?
periodo reducido de crecimiento	bien

6.4 Análisis costo-beneficio

¿Cómo se comparan los beneficios con los costos de establecimiento (desde la perspectiva de los usuarios de tierra)?

¿Cómo se comparan los beneficios con los costos de mantenimiento/ recurrentes (desde la perspectiva de los usuarios de tierra)?

6.5 Adopción de la Tecnología

Comentarios:

100% of land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

There is a little trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

6.7 Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades de la Tecnología

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
Lowers soil tillage costs due to a reduction of fuel consumption and labour How can they be sustained / enhanced? Spread over greater areas to maximise cost reduction
Lowers CO2 emissions due to a general reduction of energy inputs How can they be sustained / enhanced? Identification of CA as an agricultural practice to mitigate global warming. Spread over greater areas to increase effectiveness
Reduces water runoff and erosion while increasing soil coverage and biodiversity How can they be sustained / enhanced? Further improvement of soil quality might consider organic fertilizations
Enhances in general the sustainability of cropping systems How can they be sustained / enhanced? Maintain conservation agriculture system in the long-term to maximise benefits

6.8 Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos de la Tecnología 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?
Soil compaction is sometimes emerging	Periodic decompaction and adoption of lighter machinery
Crop productions are sometimes lower than with conventional practices	Stabilize conservation agriculture in the long-term. Support farmers in technical choices

7.1 Métodos/ fuentes de información

7.2 Vínculos a las publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Programma di sviluppo rurale per il veneto 2007-2013, Regione Veneto, 2007. Dipartimento Agricoltura e Sviluppo Rurale.