In the Amazon, slash and burn is the most common technique used by American-Indians, small farmers and even big ranches to transform forests into rural landscapes. The basis of food subsistence for diverse populations (rice, corn and bean), slash and burn is also a must for the plantation of cocoa, coffee, palms and pastures. The Amazonian rural landscape is currently dominated by pastures, occupying around 80 % of the deforested surface. Even if the nature of the plantation varies according to location, height, soil type and local traditions, slash and burn remains relatively the same in all regions. Agro-ecological intensification and the integration of livestock and agriculture is 2-3 decades old. Different alternatives have been tested, particularly the introduction of leguminous (covering the land or forming trees) to improve the soil and to build a bank of proteins for cattle. New techniques for the recuperation of pasture lands have become widely popular among ranches. The introduction of one or two annual plantations between two pasture areas allows reestablishing fertility through the injection of nitrates and, as a result, increases the pasture's productivity. However, being relatively high-cost because of its demand in terms of mechanization and inputs, this technique is almost unaffordable for small Amazonian farmers.
African agriculture is currently at a crossroads, at which persistent food shortages are compounded by threats from climate change. But, as this book argues, Africa can feed itself in a generation and help contribute to global food security. To achieve...
Le semis direct est un système de production fondé sur le non-travail du sol. Il intègre une série de pratiques agricoles qui permettent de protéger les sols cultivés de l’érosion, de réduire les consommations de carburants, voire d’augmenter les rendements....
Cette publication offre de nombreux exemples concrets détaillant différentes manières de réengager les jeunes dans le secteur agricole. Elle montre à quel point des programmes éducationnels sur mesure peuvent offrir aux jeunes les compétences et la perspicacité nécessaires pour se...
This text analyses the development of organic farming in Brazil. It shows the great variability of social models of organic production recognised by Brazilian Law: organic, agroecological, ecological or biodynamic agriculture, permaculture etc.. It depicts how the political and social...
En el primer capítulo presenta los retos para la seguridad alimentaria y el cambio climático en México y el mundo, así como los compromisos internacionales de México para atender ambos desafíos. En el segundo capítulo presenta la alianza estratégica entre...