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CropLife International released a new report today on innovative farming techniques entitled, “Conservation Technologies and the Plant Science Industry: Managing Natural Resources Sustainably.” The report was launched at the 3rd World Congress on Conservation Agriculture taking place in Nairobi, Kenya from 3-7 October 2005.

The report highlights the way in which plant science technologies deliver a range of benefits such as more efficient use of water, reduction in soil erosion, increased biodiversity, better air quality and increased farm incomes.

“Conservation technologies are at the heart of sustainable agriculture”, stated Christian Verschueren, Director General, CropLife International. “Increasing food production whilst protecting the ecosystem and natural resources for future generations is made possible through these dynamic solutions.”

Sustainable Agriculture – The Evolving Paradigm

Over the next 30 years, agriculture will have to sustain an additional 2 billion people from an increasingly fragile resource base. Sustainable practices in agriculture, collectively described as conservation technologies, integrate management of available soil, water and biological resources with appropriate inputs, such as improved seeds, crop protection products and fertilizers.

Permanent soil cover is one of the main principles of conservation technologies in agriculture. Minimum or zero tillage helps to prevent wind and water erosion and loss of ground moisture. It also improves soil biodiversity, increases soil fertility, reduces carbon emissions and reduces labour, time and farm power costs. Experience shows that implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)* approaches also assists with management of disease, insect, and weed problems.

Conservation Techniques in Practice

Use of conservation techniques has already demonstrated marked economic and environmental benefits for small, medium and large farms in the developing and developed world alike. The plant science industry has been working with researchers and farming communities throughout the world to assist in the development and dissemination of location-specific, sustainable practices. As a result, to date, nearly 60 million hectares worldwide are under low or no tillage.

The CropLife International report details some examples of the results of implementing conservation techniques in many countries around the world:

Farmers in Paraguay practice conservation tillage techniques on over 1.5 million hectares to help overcome the negative impact of mechanised tillage and intensive crop management practices.

In Canada, conservation tillage is used on more than 12 million hectares covering a range of crops, including wheat, maize and canola.

In the U.K, nearly 30% of all agricultural land uses conservation agriculture to address soil degradation due to erosion.

Conservation practices in South Asia have improved productivity, reduced cultivation costs, lowered weed populations and contributed to water savings for rice and wheat crops. These are the staple food crops in the region, feeding and providing livelihoods to 1.8 billion people.

In Malaysia, the rubber and oil palm plantation industry has developed a zero-burning replanting technique. Besides contributing to a cleaner environment and reducing air pollution, this method replenishes soil organic matter and improves the physical and chemical properties of the soil.

In Australia, planting of wheat without cultivation allows large areas to be covered quickly and crops to be established early, making full use of moisture from early season rains and shortening the period when soils are exposed to wind erosion.

Between 1990 and 2000 around 100,000 farmers have adopted conservation tillage on around 45,000 hectares of maize and grain legumes.

The full report can be accessed on CropLife International’s website at www.croplife.org/conservationtechnologies.

* Integrated Pest Management (IPM) means the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimise risks to human health and the environment. IPM emphasises the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms.

** CropLife International is the global federation representing the plant science industry. It supports a network of regional and national associations in over 90 countries, and is led by companies such as BASF, Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, FMC, Monsanto, Sumitomo and Syngenta. CropLife International promotes the benefits of crop protection and biotechnology products, their importance to sustainable agriculture and food production, and their responsible use through stewardship activities.