Dirección General de Recursos Dirección General de Recursos Naturales RenovablesNaturales Renovables

Securing Healthy Soils and Stopping Land Degradation:

Outcomes for Rio+20

SOIL IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES, THE EXPERIENCE OF URUGUAY

17 June 2012 

URUGUAY Total land area: 17 millon ha

77% pasture and grassland basis of livestock production

11 millon bovine7,7 millon ovine

1,25 millon ha rainfeed agriculture

200 miles ha irrigated rice1 millon ha planted forestry

Average annual rainfall 1200mmwarm temperate

3.356.584 habitants

Current scenarioCurrent scenarioThe Uruguayan economy is in the The Uruguayan economy is in the

process of structural transformation:process of structural transformation:

Increased external openness ratio Increased external openness ratio

Increased specialization profile Increased specialization profile agricultural / agribusiness (intensive agricultural / agribusiness (intensive NR) NR)

Increased Foreign Direct InvestmentIncreased Foreign Direct Investment

Crop area

Source: Anuario DIEA, 2011.

Cro

p a

rea

Tho

usan

ds o

f he

ctar

es

Crop area Agricultural intesnsity

Agr

icul

tura

l int

ensi

ty

Fuente: Anuario DIEA, 2011.

Property Land rental

(% o

f the

farm

)

Technological and productive indicators for Technological and productive indicators for rainfed agriculture rainfed agriculture

1994/96 - 2008/20101994/96 - 2008/2010PeriodPeriod

1994/961994/96PeriodPeriod

2008/102008/10Total Total productionproduction(thousands (thousands tons)tons)

1.0501.050 4.2004.200

ProductivityProductivity(tons/ha)(tons/ha) 2.32.3 4.14.1

No tillage No tillage adoption (%)adoption (%) 1010 9090

Source: DIEASource: DIEA

Current scenarioCurrent scenarioDecreased area of pastureDecreased area of pastureAgricultural crops are the economic Agricultural crops are the economic backbone of the current situationbackbone of the current situationThe same use and management of soils is The same use and management of soils is performed in many cases, in soils with performed in many cases, in soils with different use capacitiesdifferent use capacities

Climate ChangeClimate ChangeIncreased vulnerability of agroecosystemsIncreased vulnerability of agroecosystemsLow sustainabilityLow sustainabilityIncreased riskIncreased risk

Current erosion Degradation risk

Source: MGAP. 2005

Further develop agricultural export with Further develop agricultural export with higher added value includin family higher added value includin family agricultureagriculture

Policies for sustainable use of NR and Policies for sustainable use of NR and adaptation to climate changeadaptation to climate change

The MGAP strategy aims to…

Through … Through …

The General Directorate of The General Directorate of Renewable Natural Resources is Renewable Natural Resources is responsible for promoting, regulate responsible for promoting, regulate and control the use and sustainable and control the use and sustainable management of natural resources management of natural resources relevant to agricultural production relevant to agricultural production and value chains.and value chains.

Legislation … Legislation … Aims the resposable and sustainable Aims the resposable and sustainable

agricultural development in a frame of large agricultural development in a frame of large and full respect for the environment.and full respect for the environment.

Obligation of propietary and holders of landsObligation of propietary and holders of lands

Agricultural activity is not discretionary of Agricultural activity is not discretionary of farmers on land use technical aspectsfarmers on land use technical aspects

There is a specific regulation for the act to There is a specific regulation for the act to growgrow

Article 5: Decree 405/2008Shall require a plan for responsible soil use and

management considering:

The soils Tolerable erosion Projected production systemsCrop secuenciesManagement practices

Plan of soil use and Plan of soil use and managementmanagement

This plan provides guidelines on the use and This plan provides guidelines on the use and soil management of an establishement in soil management of an establishement in order to comply with th standars established order to comply with th standars established in the regulation of Law Nº 15.239.in the regulation of Law Nº 15.239.

The plan´s main objective is to achieve The plan´s main objective is to achieve sustainable production systems with good use, sustainable production systems with good use, maintenance and reclamation of soils.maintenance and reclamation of soils.

Plans must be submitted with an Plans must be submitted with an agronomy signatureagronomy signature

Land owner commitmentLand owner commitment

Plan of soil use and Plan of soil use and managementmanagement

MGAPSoil conservation

Scientific knowledge Professional sphere Productive sector

Tools► Universal Soil Loss Equation (Wischmeier, W.

H.; Smith, D. D. 1978)

Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (Renard, K.G. et al 1997)

► More than 35 years of national research in validation and adaptation of the model

Young: K=0,18 ; slope: 2 a 6% CñN (Cañada Nieto): K=0,34 ; slope: 4 a 10%

05

101520253035404550

Cñ

You

ng Cñ

You

ng Cñ

You

ng Cñ

You

ng Cñ

You

ng Cñ

You

ng Cñ

You

ng Cñ

You

ng Cñ

You

ng Cñ

You

ng

Sj Sj Sj Tr Sj cob M1-T-S2

S1-T-M2

M1-T-S2-cob

M-S-T/p-P-

M-S-T/p-P-

M-S-T-S-T/p-

M-S-T-S-T/p-

Eros

ión

Prom

edio

Anu

al, M

g/ha

SD LR

CC Soja CC Soja-Gramíneas

RCP

Hill y García Préchac, s/p

Aver

age

annu

al e

rosio

n, M

g/ha

Number of plans: 30Number of plans: 30

Area involved: 29103 hasArea involved: 29103 has

Pure agricultural crop rotation: Pure agricultural crop rotation: 65%65%

Crop pasture rotation: 35%Crop pasture rotation: 35%

ConsiderationsConsiderations Confirm objetives and toolsConfirm objetives and tools

It was considered appropiate and relevant to It was considered appropiate and relevant to extend the pilot phase 1 more year to get extend the pilot phase 1 more year to get covered with preparedness activities.covered with preparedness activities.

Mantain the requirements for agreed Mantain the requirements for agreed locations (Basine of Laguna del Sauce and locations (Basine of Laguna del Sauce and Rocha Lagoon protected Area and Rocha Lagoon protected Area and investement law: clean production)investement law: clean production)

Further organic carbonFurther organic carbon