| Organization
of a Technology Platform for cooperative research and
development in Zero-Till Agriculture in Brazil
Zero-Tillage (ZT) based
agriculture has been practiced for the past thirty
years in Brazil, increasing dramatically in area over
the last decade, reflecting a dramatic behavioral
change in farmers and technicians. ZT provides an
effective control of land degradation, reducing soil
erosion, and increasing efficiency, productivity,
and soil organic matter. An added benefit is a substantial
improvement in environmental quality due to the sustainable
use and management of natural resources and the rationalization
of agricultural input application..
Initial research and
farmer-developed practices have contributed to rapid
expansion of ZT adoption. However, second generation
problems in plant diseases, insect and weed pests
as well as agronomic difficulties in some situations
have sometimes hindered its expansion. In addition,
because of different climatic, soil and agronomic
conditions, many local adaptations to technologies
have been required. The cooperation between farmers,
researchers, university lecturers and professors,
private corporations, and extension personnel is necessary
to identify setbacks to Zero-Tillage and determine
the particularities of specific regions, which will
help the identification of problems and existing solutions
in order to overcome present and potential limitations.
In order to identify
limitations to ZT expansion, a project was executed
providing a technology platform for future research
for scientific and technical solutions. The goal of
the Platform Project is to prioritize Research and
Development (R&D) actions based on the problems
and solutions identified by stakeholders. The prioritization
of R&D will help to prepare a solid basis as support
to promote ecologically and socio-economically sustainable
development, globally competitive as well as socially
just, giving definitive support to Brazilian agriculture
Financial support for
the Platform Project comes from the national plan
for supporting scientific and technological development
(PADCT/CNPq). Different key players have assisted
in organizing the project, including the Brazilian
Federation for Zero-Till into Crop Residues (FEBRAPDP
- proposer), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Enterprise
(Embrapa - executer). In addition, the close partnership
of universities, state research and extension agencies,
Friends of the Land Clubs, agricultural research support
foundations, associations and agribusiness is involved
in the organization of this Technology Platform, which
has the strategic backup of the Zero-Tillage Association
for the Cerrado Region (APDC) as well as the research
support foundation of the state of Goiás (FUNAPE),.
Three activities have
being been carried out:
(i) the gathering of
information and prioritization of problems/limitations
to ZT performance and farmers’ alternative solutions
in all agricultural activities, using a rapid participatory
appraisal methodology, especially adapted for application
with farmers throughout Brazil. ZT problems, prioritized
by farmers, taking in consideration the frequency
of occurrence, weight of the problem, and the difficulty
of finding solutions, may drive new projects in
cooperating R & D institutions. In addition,
farmers were asked to indicate solutions and actions,
based on their field experiences.
Simultaneously, a survey of scientific and technological
references has catalogued on-going projects, classifying
researchers on a web. The cross-checking of problems,
solutions, actions and available technologies will
help to formulate a list of subjects for R &
D cooperative projects, as well as a catalogue of
available ZT technologies for tropical and subtropical
regions.
(ii) a survey of the
present situation of ZT-related technological training
and extension, allowing us to demonstrate how technologies
are reaching farmers. Involved participants include
university lecturers and professors, extensionists,
and technical field personnel from both small-scale
private companies as well as large multinational
ones.
(iii) the consideration
of a legislative and policy component which will
seek to highlight the environmental and social benefits
of ZT for both the rural and urban population of
Brazil.
This partnership effort,
lead by Embrapa, has elected to return to farmers
the responsibility of defining ZT research and development
priorities focusing their real problems and proposed
solutions. This platform could serve as an excellent
policy tool for Brazil, as well as other tropical
and sub-tropical countries, showing how to identify
and create practices and policies to guarantee the
sustainability of agriculture, based upon the participation
of farmers as well as other key stakeholders. Thus
the solutions proposed are not based solely on the
perspectives of researchers and policy makers, but
that of farmers as well, who are key players in understanding
and implementing these solutions.
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