The environment and zero tillage

The Environment and Zero Tillage Editors: Helvecio Mattana Saturnino, John N Landers expanded and updated from “ O Meio Ambiente e o Pantio Direto”, 1997, by the same editors Translated by John N Landers with assistance from James P Walker, Elisa Campos and Helvecio Mattana Saturnino Brasília/DF 2001 To buy a copy: Associação de Plantio Direto no Cerrado - APDC SCLRN 712 Bloco C Loja 18 Asa Norte - Brasília - DF CEP 70760-533 Phone: 55 (61) 272-3191/273-2154 Fax: 55 (61) 274-7245 E-mail: apdc-df@terra.com.br or apdc@apis.com.br Federação Brasileira de Plantio Direto na Palha - FEBRAPDP Rua Sete de Setembro, 800 Sala 301-A 3o Andar Ponta Grossa - PR CEP 84010-350 Phone: 55 (42) 223-9107 E-mail: febrapdp@convoy.com.br Text revised by: James Pinney Walker Layout and graphics: Formato Produção Gráfica Ltda - Brasília DF Front cover design:??? - adapted from Sirlene Siqueira Bibliography: ??? Fotolith: ??? Printing: ??? Cover: ‘Crop rotation and good residue generation” Cover photos: ???, ??? and ??? AUTHORS Fernando Penteado Cardoso Manoel Henrique Pereira Rolf Derpsch José Roberto Marinho Garo Batmanian Osmar Pires Martins Henrique M Leite Chaves Alberto Duque Portugal César Temístocles Hannas Paulo Afonso Romano Pedro Luij de Freitas João Baptista da Silva Helvécio Mattana Saturnino John N Landers Translation: John N Landers with assistance from: James P Walker Elisa Campos H M Saturnino ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The English edition of this book was inspired and principally funded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) The diversity of the chapter authors implies a certain amount of repetition of basic principles but this can also be seen as a strength, in that there is wide convergence in their positive opinions on the revolutionary new concepts of Zero Tillage Without their valuable contributions, this book would not have been possible Partnerships between the public and private sectors are becoming ever more necessary, especially in the face of global competition and sustainable development It is in such partnership that one foresees a qualitative leap in Brazil's agriculture, promoting a harmonious interaction between man and nature, with technologies which maintain equilibrium in the exploitation of natural resources The joint efforts of international, Brazilian government and private entities in support of the Brazilian Federation for Zero Tillage in Crop Residues (FEBRAPDP) and the Association for Zero Tillage in the Cerrado Region (APDC) embraces noble objectives in the edition of this book As such, it represents a key strengthening of a citizens' movement which engenders the exercise of true democracy, resulting from the mindset change implied in Zero Tillage A significant example of this movement is the founding of the Friends of the Land Clubs which are active in many Brazilian municipalities, mobilizing diverse stakeholders interested in the development and diffusion of this conservation technology, which protects soil, water and biodiversity The original (Portuguese) version of this book represented a dedicated partnership made possible by the financial and material support from: Agroceres S.A, Embrapa, Fundação Cargill, Manah S/A and the Secretariat of Water Resources (SRH) of the Ministry of Environment, with operational support from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture ( IICA) This present English edition, revised, updated and translated by John N.Landers with assistance of James Pinney Walker and Helvecio Saturnino is published through the generous support of The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, in whose definition of conservation agriculture, zero tillage ranks as the preferred option The editors INDEX Foreword Fernando Penteado Cardoso Introduction Helvécio Mattana Saturnino and John N Landers CHAPTER I The Second Green Revolution - Manoel Henrique Pereira CHAPTER II Sustainable Agriculture - Rolf Derpsch CHAPTER III Considerations on the Environment : Message from the President of WWF - José Roberto Marinho Commentaries of an Ecologist - Garo Batmanian Comments of the Secretary of Environment for the Municipality of Goiânia - Osmar Pires Martins Effects of Zero Tillage on the Environment Henrique M Leite Chaves CHAPTER IV Technology Development in Zero Tillage - Alberto Duque Portugal CHAPTER V Zero Tillage and Water Resources - Paulo Afonso Romano CHAPTER VI Zero Tillage: Reduction of Environmental Risks with Herbicides - João Baptista da Silva CHAPTER VII ZT and Technology Transfer in the Tropics and Sub-tropics - Helvecio Mattana Saturnino and John N Landers CHAPTER VIII Organizational and Policy considerations in Zero Tillage - J.N.Landers, H.M.Saturnino and P L de Freitas M Scalea Millet being grazed by Nelore cattle: the versatility of millet as a cover, forage or grain crop has been a foundation of the new Zero Tillage systems for the Tropical Cerrado Region FOREWORD Taking advantage of the highly positive results of the 5th Brazilian National Zero Tillage Meeting in 19961, this book was edited in Portuguese in order to better inform both the farming community and the environmentalists, ecologists, politicians, opinion-formers and the general public of the benefits of this new technology, Zero Tillage, which establishes a strong link between the concerns of soil conservation and obligations to the environment This English edition, translated and published with the support of FAO, brings an international dimension to Brazil’s pioneering efforts When, in 1995, I had the opportunity to show the Nobel laureate research scientist Norman Borlaug what was being achieved in Brazil in reclaiming the infertile, acid soils of the “Cerrado” (Tropical Savannah) and Amazon regions, we sought to show him that we had at our disposal technology for sustainable agriculture in the new frontiers of Brazil Referring to what he had seen, Dr Borlaug declared in lectures given in Belo Horizonte and São Paulo: “It is agronomic management – such as planting at the right time, including Zero Tillage, which I admire because it reduces both erosion and costs – which allows expression of the genetic potential of the new varieties” (April, 1995) “In 1995, I had the pleasure to visit various parts of the Cerrado region I saw many large-scale mechanized operations in which not only June 17 – 21 1996, Goiânia, Goiás State, Brazil, a bi-ennial event, promoted by FEBRAPDP and organised by APDC in 1996 and 1998 was liming employed but fertilizers were used to very good effect Also, Conservation Agriculture was practiced, for instance with Zero and Minimum Tillage, which leave the crop residues on the soil surface, in order to increase soil organic matter and reduce erosion In the central savannahs vsited, I saw little erosion” (May 1996) These conclusions complement the declarations of the speakers at the Brazilian National Zero Tillage Meeting, where the papers presented expressed the authors’ convictions on the subject of Zero Tillage (ZT) This meeting counted with the illustrious presence of Alberto Duque Portugal, President of the Brazilian National Research Corporation – Embrapa; Paulo Affonso Romano, the (National) Secretary of Water Resources of Brazil’s Environment Ministry as well as the representative of José Roberto Marinho, President of Radio Globo and Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWF-Brazil and Garo Batmanian, CEO of WWFBrazil th In the words of the president of Embrapa, we note the auspicious development of Zero Tillage, giving credit to those who merit it: “We researchers started late in this question (Zero Tillage), in which the farmer took the lead I would like to underline the initiative of the farmers of Central Brazil who pressured research to get involved with Zero Tillage As a means of improving the identification of research demands, we have learned that we should pay great attention to what the farmer is saying, because he knows what he’s talking about”, (see Chapter 4) 10 With the involvement of the government research institutions alongside the efforts of the farm input suppliers in divulging this technology, both pressured by the farmer in his untiring quest for progress, creative and ever-willing to try new practices, we are progressing surely in the direction of greater and greater adoption of Zero Tillage The annual sprayers and feeder road re-location However, even though all the stakeholders in a micro-catchment be involved in development decisions, poverty alleviation incentives can be directed to specific target groups or other incentives to the whole community, e.g where watershed management actions are envisaged In the latter case, the larger farmers make a faster impact and can be motivated to involve private sector support In Box is presented a résumé of points which need to be taken into account when considering how Brazil’s ZT conservation farming systems could be adapted to similar soil/climate regions in other countries of the world Box Premises for Sustainable Conservation Agriculture with Zero Tillage • ZT as the ENGINE of DEVELOPMENT; • On-farm adaptive research comes first; • Promulgation of benefits to motivate farmers and policy-makers; • Planning/execution in watershed/micro-catchment units; • Involvement of all sizes of landholders; • All soil constraints to be removed BEFORE adopting ZT; • A legal basis is required for implementation of majority decisions in watersheds; • Farmer empowerment gives clear focus to extension, research, watershed management; • Inter-agency and interdisciplinary collaboration are required; • Training is necessary for both technicians and farmers; • Financial or other incentives enhance adoption and not constitute subsidies, provided they are smaller than the benefits which accrue to society from project actions; • Compatibility mechanisms are required between rural and urban water users 125 In the new agro-ecological situation represented by ZT adoption, adaptive on-farm research comes first This is especially relevant to small risk-averse poor farmers (Darolt & Wall, 1999) Financial incentives may not be needed for medium and large farmers if ZT is immediately profitable (as in Brazil) The resistance to change can be overcome by making both farmers and policy-makers aware of the wide range of benefits of ZT and by removing the financial risk for innovating farmers Other inducements may be required to encourage research or extension workers to collaborate with these innovative farmers, on their farms and on their terms These professionals and university/college teaching staff perceive no financial rewards for “adopting” ZT – they must be motivated by increased job satisfaction 126 An important policy consideration is that the intensification of rural land management, which ZT permits and promotes, can be an important factor in slowing de-forestation The significant increases in yields obtained under ZT produce more food per unit area; this means less expansion of the agricultural frontier in developing countries with a growing population This is especially true for ZT of soybeans, maize, Phaseolus beans and upland rice into degraded pastures, a technology recently developed in Brazil Incentives to this activity (Box 3) could absorb all expansion in grain production and the cattle herd for the foreseeable future This practice has been shown to increase stocking rates by a factor of over and farm incomes by 85% (Broch 1998), while also increasing crop yields, lowering the costs of crop protection and consequently making conservation agriculture with the ZT system more profitable for the farmer in the long term Financial incentives with this objective mplicitly involve society putting a value on the native vegetation so preserved Specific actions may also be needed to encourage cattle owners (who have neither crop husbandry skills nor the necessary machinery) to rent their degraded pastures to arable farmers in return for pasture re-establishment and low rent However, to overcome the economic attractiveness of clearing new land, a specific grant incentive may be required to compenstae for the initial costs of crop production in degraded pastures (removing cattle trails, erosion damage and/or stumps and roots which impede mechanised cropping) Box Incentives which can be used to encourage adoption of Zero Tillage: • Support for technical events, training of farmers/technicians and technical publications; • Cheap investment credit lines or grants for specialised machinery purchase, incremental inputs and environmental actions; • Donation of startup cover crop seeds accompanied by training in seed production practices; • On-farm technology development and demonstration grants; • Land use capability revision to include ZT management; • Crop x Pasture rotation intensification grants; • One-off , annual or phased Carbon Sink or reduced emission grants; • Labelling of Conservation Agriculture or ZT farm products as sustainable ZT has even more wide-ranging impacts The protective soil cover in ZT permits revision of slope and texture criteria in determining erosion susceptibility, permitting cultivation of some lands considered unsuitable for CT Compensation for a reduction in CO2 emissions, due to the significant on-farm carbon sequestration shown in earlier chapters, is under discussion internationally, but could be implemented at national level to 127 encourage conservation agriculture with ZT Finally, for society as a whole, food security considerations are important ZT reduces drought risks, practically eliminates crop loss through erosion, increases productivity and reduces input levels (especially fuel) per unit of food produced, thus increasing food availability and reducing its cost BIBLIOGRAPHY ABREU, J.M e FERREIRA, S.M Sistemas de produção milho e da soja analisados pelo custo de produção, safra 1998/99 FESUCARV, Rio Verde, GO, Brazil : RV Economia Ano 1, n.1, nov de 1998 p 23-27 BROCH, D L., PITOL, C., BORGES, E P (1997) Integração Agricultura-Pecuária: plantio direto da soja sobre pastagem na integração agropecuária Maracaju-MS, Fundação MS para Pesquisa e Difusão de Tecnologias Agropecuárias, 1997 24p (Informativo técnico, 01/97) DA SILVA, J.C.C, (1999) Plantio Direto na Pequena Propriedade – Tração Animal 3rd Edition EMATER-Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil : Serie Informação Técnica No 034 DAROLT, Moacir & WALL, Patrick C (1999) “Avanços e Limitações Plantio Direto em Pequenas propriedades: Uma visão Mundial” In Revista Plantio Direto Março/Abril, Aldeia Norte Editora Ltda., Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil 1999 Pg 31-32 DE FARIAS NETO, A L (1999) Anais; Workshop Internacional de Milheto JICA/Embrapa Cerrados, Planaltina, DF, Brazil pp 218 128 IAPAR (1981) “ Plantio Direto no Paraná” Technical Bulletin, Instituto de Pesquisas Paraná, Londrina, PR, Brazil LANDERS, J.N., TEIXEIRA, S.M and MILHOMEM, A (1994) Possíveis impactos da técnica de Plantio Direto sobre a sustentabilidade da produção de grãos na região dos Cerrados In: Congresso Brasileiro de Economia e Sociologia, 32, 1994, Anais : SOBER, Brasília DF, Brazil, 1994 2v p.799-820 RIBEIRO, M.F.S., BENASSÍ, D.A., SAMAHA, M et al (1999) Implicações de Plantio Dieto em pequenas propriedades no CentroSul Paraná : Anais 1º Enconreo Latino-Americano de Plantio Direto na Pequena Propriedade FEBRAPDP, Ponta Grossa, PR, Brazil SEAB – Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply of Paraná State (2000) Estimativas de custo de produção Curitiba, PR, Brazil 129 130 The Farmer on the Front Line Messages from Leading Brazilian Zero Tillage Farmers We have been frontier farmers clearing tropical savannahs and forests of the Amazon transition To be on the front line means to live with challenges, risks, different crops and to go through many learning experiences through trial and error But above all, this signifies living and working with Brazil’s potential Zero Tillage has become a rational system which gives a sustainable future to this agriculture, improving yields and guaranteeing the quality of natural resources for the future To promulgate this practice is an act of legitimate citizenship, principally when proposing joint public and private sector efforts to develop it Helvécio Mattana Saturnino and John N Landers are to be congratulated on the edition of this book, “Environment and Zero Tillage”, emphasizing a task which we need so much Gilberto Flávio Goellner President of The Mato Grosso Foundation Rondonópolis, MT, Brazil The pioneer farmers of ZT in the state of Mato Grosso Sul are carrying out good demonstration work They have taken on the philosophy of the “Clubes Amigos da Terra”, visiting other farmers, exchanging experiences and knowledge, joining forces, strengthening this conservation agriculture in each county (municipality) The stronger this movement for ZT becomes, better will be the results for us and for the community The launching of this book is an important step in the promulgation of ZT, with the perspective of immediate results and, principally, from the point of view of the well-being of future generations We thank and congratulate our companions Helvécio and John Landers for one more felicitous initiative at the helm of APDC Luiz Carlos Roos President of the Mato Grosso Sul Foundation Maracajú, MS, Brazil 131 The Clube Amigos da Terra of Rio Verde, in Goias state, (CAT Rio Verde) was founded on June 24th 1993 by farmer and farm management graduate Flávio Faedo As farmers and affiliates of APDC, we feel proud to participate in the presentation of this book which alerts the public to the multiple benefits of Zero Tillage for the entire society The edition of this book also does justice to our efforts, as members of one of the first clubs in the Cerrado region Simply and informally discussing and demonstrating the practice of Zero Tillage, allied to the dedication of the CAT’s leadership, has promoted its growth and formal organization By delegation of APDC, we were given the task of organizing the 3rd Regional meeting of ZT in the Cerrado (Rio Verde, 1997) This Meeting was attended by 1200 delegates from the whole of Brazil’s tropics and represented a great challenge for us to organize it, contributing to the expansion of a sustainable agriculture system In it we shared experiences in Zero Tillage, helping other Clubes Amigos da Terra to grow and become stronger José Roberto Brucelli President CAT Rio Verde Rio Verde, Goias state, Brazil The system of Zero Tillage in crop residues has expanded over the country, already being utilized on a large scale in many regions and is available to large, medium and small farmers Certainly, ZT has provoked a great change in applied technology as well as, and principally, in the minds of the farmers, technicians and research workers responsible for its development 132 The Association for ZT in the Cerrado Region is bringing together forces from both the public sector and from private initiative with the objective of raising the awareness of the need to adopt this system of sustainable agriculture Helvécio Mattana Saturnino and John Landers are the great warriors of this association and active participants in FEBRAPDP, whose actions extend over the whole of Brazil and abroad In our region, “Campos Gerais Paraná”, (i.e., sub tropical infertile savannah), we have a celebrated group of admirers of the work of these two companions At the opportune launch of this book, the editors from APDC and all other collaborators merit our tributes for their valuable collaboration with Brazilian agriculture Maury Sade Executive director FEBRAPDP Persistence is one of the basic pre-requisites to work with ZT I am therefore particularly pleased to participate in the presentation of this book, congratulating the editors and all who co-operated in this work, which calls attention to the importance of Zero Tillage for the environment As an agronomist, working for Monsanto in 1983, I found in my colleague Helvecio Mattana Saturnino and in the entrepreneur Flávio R Guimarães, of the BMG Group, a firm determination to implant Zero Tillage in irrigated and rainfed areas of savannahs on the margins of Três Marias reservoir This enterprise lasted two years We paid the price for pioneering, but we had success with large-scale plantings of wheat, soybeans, dry beans and rice The positive results in spite of all kinds of obstacles, were contagious Having won through the difficulties of that era we perceive now how much we have evolved The strength of rationale behind this system of conservation prevailed with its highly practiced nature The areas in Zero Tillage in the Cerrado in 1999/2000 probably top million hectares This says everything and is a great stimulus In the National Scientific Research Council (CNPq), where I co-ordinate one of the efforts in training human resources in agricultural sciences, I see this joining up of forces around Zero Tillage as an important example of success, deriving from persistence and rationality Luiz Alberto Lovato Co-ordinator of the Sciences of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, CNPq 133 After 28 years of uninterrupted endeavours with ZT on my farm in Rolândia, Paraná State, I am especially pleased and proud with the edition of this book On reading it, I felt that it had been worthwhile to struggle and fight for this cause I felt that I had fought a good fight Congratulations to my friends Helvécio and Landers and all the others who made this book possible Herbert Bartz This book, edited by colleagues Helvécio Saturnino and John Landers calls our attention to the benefits of ZT for the environment I am a gaúcho (native of Rio Grande Sul state), farmer and agronomist, I belong to the Clube Amigos da Terra (CAT) of Cruz Alta, Rio Grande Sul state and work with ZT for over 13 years I am particularly proud to see that the movement of Clubes Amigos da Terra is multiplying itself throughout Brazil It is exactly in these clubs that important concepts of crop rotation and cropping sequences, soil management and rational use of agricultural chemicals are firmed up We have observed the work carried out by APDC and realized the huge potential of the tropical savannahs, This book has the merit of calling all actors in the economy to promptly adhere to ZT Ulfried Arns 134 The First World Congress on Conservation Agriculture DECLARATION The First World Congress on Conservation Agriculture was held in Madrid from October 1-5, 2001 and brought together international organisations, farmers’ associations, scientific institutions, private sector, non-governmental and other organisations from more than 70 countries, located in both the developing and industrialized world The main objective of the Congress was to consider and promote the world-wide adoption of the principles of Conservation Agriculture and its locally adapted practices Accumulated positive experiences with Conservation Agriculture are leading to its rapid adoption world-wide, in diverse agro-ecological zones that range from the humid tropics to the steppes of Central Asia Its acceptance and adoption enhance agricultural production and also reduce the costs, while at the same time conserving and enhancing the natural resources of land, water and climate These benefits are the basis for ensuring stable incomes for commercial and small-scale farmers and for the continuing production of sufficient food, fibre and domestic energy for a growing world population, also demonstrating significant potential as a tool for poverty alleviation Conventional agriculture includes practices such as burning of crop residues or deep soil inversion to control weeds and prepare the seedbed These practices are often unsustainable since they considerably increase land degradation by soil compaction and by erosion, which in turn results in the contamination of water bodies by sediments Thus, land productivity, the environment and human health are threatened In addition, conventional agriculture produces greater carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere and decreases soil organic matter content, so contributing to global warming The adverse impacts of such agricultural practices are manifested world-wide through an accelerated degradation of many natural ecosystems, decreased biodiversity, and increased risks of desertification in the more vulnerable areas The adoption of Conservation Agriculture principles can avoid these damaging effects Conservation Agriculture aims to replicate natural processes through the maintenance of a permanent soil cover consisting of cover crops and/or crop residues through which crops are seeded or planted Agroforestry may 135 also contribute towards this objective under specific circumstances To ensure minimal soil disturbance, the establishment of crops and cover crops is done by direct seeding/planting - this technique being covered by the terms direct drilling, zero tillage, no-tillage, and no-till - or even by surface seeding or broadcasting However, when appropriate, minimum/non-inversion tillage can be an alternative best management practice Crop rotations, if judiciously selected, enhance the soil’s rooting environment, its structure, nutrients and moisture retention, while avoiding the build-up of pests and diseases Conservationist techniques aim to alter as little as possible the soil’s natural composition, structure and biodiversity, while also enhancing water infiltration and moisture conservation, thus combating erosion and soil and water degradation Conservation Agriculture is more than just a range of farming practices: it embraces a holistic concept of agriculture, combining the basic elements of production with those of conservation It is best implemented at watershed level in order to capture all potential benefits Conservation Agriculture makes sustainable and rural development practicable through its integration of crop bio-diversity, mixed crop/livestock farming, and other activities, all characterized by efficient use of resources This results in a more productive agriculture, which improves food security and rural livelihoods Women’s welfare benefits especially because labour inputs for soil preparation and weeding are reduced, with positive effects in freeing time for attending to family and household responsibilities The many economic, social and environmental benefits of Conservation Agriculture justify a fundamental reappraisal of conventional farming methods And Conservation Agriculture should be considered as a theme which cuts across various disciplines, organisations and ministries 136 This Congress calls upon politicians, international institutions, environmentalists, farmers, private industry, and society as a whole, to recognise that the conservation of natural resources is the co-responsibility - past, present and future - of all sectors of society in the proportion that they consume products resulting from the exploitation of these resources Furthermore, it calls upon society, through these stakeholders, to conceive and enact appropriate longterm strategies for Conservation Agriculture, and to support, further develop and embrace its concepts They are the most appropriate means of ensuring the continuity of the land’s ongoing capacities to yield food, other agricultural products, water, and environmental benefits in perpetuity It follows that those environmental benefits provided by farmers practising Conservation Agriculture should be recognised and recompensed by society ACTION PLAN With respect to the conclusions of this Congress, and in order to exploit fully the potential benefits to be gained from the adoption of Conservation Agriculture, the Congress participants urge that the following strategies and measures be put into effect: I II III IV National governments and international organisations should encourage, at all levels, the mindset changes required, as well as fostering cooperation and exchanges to create synergies for Conservation Agriculture and to avoid duplication of efforts Farmers’ associations such as CAAPAS and networks such as RELACO for Latin America, ACT for Africa, SACAN for Asia and ECAN for Eurasia, should be encouraged and reinforced at national and international levels, since they are the most effective bottom-up means of developing and disseminating Conservation Agriculture technology The progress of activities and the outputs of these networks and working groups could be presented at the Second World Congress in 2003 Promotion of Conservation Agriculture should emphasize its increased land productivity, diversification prospects, and increased profits for small-scale and commercial farmers These benefits, as well as the global benefits to land resources, health, and the environment, should be drawn to the attention of national and international communities International organisations should collaborate in developing common definitions and guidelines for achieving the benefits to be obtained from the adoption of Conservation Agriculture and develop compensatory support mechanisms for the environmental benefits that CA provides International organisations should encourage South-South and SouthNorth co-operation, for important information resources, experience, capacities and equipment designs relating to Conservation Agriculture are now available in Latin America, and they are quickly developing in Africa and Asia 137 V VI 138 The private and the public sectors, together with NGOs, should actively collaborate in the development with farmers of the technologies needed to achieve effectiveness in Conservation Agriculture This includes collaboration in the areas of access to information and the local adaptation of farming practices, tools, equipment, seeds and agricultural chemicals Particular attention should be given to the safe use of the latter by small farmers The role of the public sector should be to promote Conservation Agriculture in an institutional policy framework, with inter-ministerial working agreements to provide appropriate support from public sources to promote its adoption by farmers Support is needed: § To recognise the public benefits of Conservation Agriculture that result from initiatives taken by private farmers, including among others, conservation of natural resources - especially of water, soil, and biodiversity - protection of the environment, and reduction of flooding and damage to civil infrastructure; § To compensate farmers for these services and assist them to face the costs necessary for the transition to Conservation Agriculture, especially for the purchase of implements, which farmers initially may not be able to afford; § To fund key research and advisory services jointly with the private sector, but demand-led by farmers; § To support the acquisition of appropriate knowledge through the development of training and capacity-building for farmers, advisors, institutions, etc.; § To implement information campaigns, policies and activities that encourage Conservation Agriculture and to promote appropriate private investment in this area, as well as to discourage inappropriate practices, § To provide appropriate infrastructure to facilitate the transport, processing, distribution and, if necessary, the export of any surplus production; § To support adoption and continuity of Conservation Agriculture managed at local level through legislation, incentives and credit; § These measures should be linked with existing legislation and other appropriate instruments such as the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the Kyoto Protocol VII VIII IX X Before attempting widespread promotion of Conservation Agriculture within a particular area, small-scale initiatives should be launched within the community or watershed, and within an environment that is favourable for addressing local constraints The activities should take into account local traditions, knowledge, and experiences, and they should provide information, education, practical training and capacity building in order to develop local practices best adapted to the concepts of CA These activities should be directed towards farmers, farm workers, field leaders, technicians, and agronomists, and should involve both men and women The promotion of Conservation Agriculture must be associated with significant efforts to address the problem of competition with livestock, especially in semi-arid areas Systems designed to reduce overgrazing, such as rotations with high quality pastures, should be included in project plans for Conservation Agriculture The representatives of the various stakeholders attending the First World Congress should develop partnerships and undertake joint commitments to design, plan and implement actions They should monitor procedures and be able to present their activities and some early results during the Second World Congress (The Brazilian delegation proposed hosting this Congress in some two years’ time) In the short term, the following actions should be initiated: § To facilitate and strengthen international exchanges, FAO - and more specifically its Conservation Agriculture Working Group – should quickly assume the role of a focal point for such exchanges, in effect becoming the host for a discussion forum § Presentations and papers on Conservation Agriculture should be prepared for international conferences and events, such as those falling under Agenda 21 and its various conventions, i.e CSD, UNCCD, UNCBD, UNFCCC Similar action should be taken for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10) to be held 2-11 September 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and for any other global environmental meetings Work on this should begin immediately § A special synergy with the Kyoto Protocol should be explored so that carbon sequestration via Conservation Agriculture could become a substantial incentive for its adoption 139 ... of the speakers at the Brazilian National Zero Tillage Meeting, where the papers presented expressed the authors’ convictions on the subject of Zero Tillage (ZT) This meeting counted with the. .. protect the environment Box A true saying A farmer in the red, cannot conserve the green Zero Tillage, when undertaken with proper criteria and persistence over the long term, reduces the risks and. .. dissemination of Zero Tillage, founding and strengthening the Clubes Amigos da Terra and similar organisations Figure General view of the demonstration area of the 5th National Zero Tillage Meetings