Less emissions, more biodiversity and better soil to produce more and more profitably than with conventional techniques. These are some of the benefits of regenerative agriculture for which Aragonese farmers and ranchers have begun to take steps.
Several projects are being carried out within the Aragonese community within the RAWI program (Regenerative Agriculture Works), which aims to bring regenerative agriculture closer to the sector. Initiatives related to fruit trees and orchard land are being carried out in Fragain Huesca, as well as in the Huesca town of Albelda with livestock and pastures.
Farmer and sheep rancher Carlos Samitier started regenerative agriculture three or four years ago. In this town there are some 40 hectares in which you are applying this production method in order to obtain pasture for his flock of 800 sheep.
A step that he decided to take because “I have always liked natural things because chemicals pollute a lot,” says Carlos Samitier to theEconomist
Despite this, he recognizes that it is not easy because “it is difficult to compete with the conventional. With animals, still, but if I did not have them it would not be possible”, at least for now with this production system, largely due to the high prices that are being endured in the agricultural sector.
The benefits of regenerative agriculture are not seen in the short term because production is lost in the first years, although in the long run the soil is regenerated, but “it is slow. Nature has its time.”
Currently, “he recognizes that he does not get any return from the land,” whose barley, alfalfa or corn he uses to feed his sheep directly from the field, although he also packs it. The advantage is that “there are no weeds. The sheep eat them all, as long as they are not toxic.”
His activity in the field has not changed significantly. “I do fewer hours of work and tractor work and I don’t use any chemicals,” which are replaced by the sheep’s own excrement. “Cost savings mainly because before I used nitrates and fertilizers and now I don’t use anything”, which means not having to pay between 200 and 300 euros per hectare.
And, furthermore, “It compensates because the sheep eat more naturally. Regenerative agriculture does not compensate if you go to production, to kilos and kilos and trucks and trucks. “I do it because I like it.”
This producer has the support of the RAWI program, promoted by the European organization EIT Food, within which they are taught workshops with theory and practice, in addition to providing specialized advicein Aragon and in other autonomies in order to advance regenerative agriculture both in Spain and Europe, where they have been working in this field for four years. The East and Center of the continent have now been added to this geographical area.
A viable system
This work has allowed already verify the economic and environmental viability of regenerative agriculture thanks to the analysis of 400 farms. For now, it is observed that 60% of farmers have improved their level of organic matter in the soil. In addition, 68% have also experienced improvements in soil carbon levels and 38% have abandoned deep tillage or reduced the number of passes by more than 50%. The use of nitrogenous mineral fertilizers has been abandoned by 17% and chemical phytosanitary products by 12%.
However, there is still a way to go and, above all, for this practice to spread in Spain, as well as in Portugal and Italy. There are three countries that work within the RAWI program, which already includes a total of 30,000 hectares, especially vineyards, olive groves, fruit trees and livestock, especially small producers.
Regenerative agriculture
Regenerative agriculture includes a set of practices that have as their common axis the Sustainability and circularity of resources. In this way, it is intended to be the crop itself which returns its elements to the soil of fertility, biodiversity and nutrients to conserve all their capacities.
Under this premise, procedures focused on minimizing tillage and, in general, any disturbance of the terrain are used. In addition, dependence on external inputs is reduced and recycling and circular systems are favored.
In the case of regenerative livestock farming, rotational grazing systems on farmspromoting regeneration in the pastures, which translates into a greater amount of grass produced.
Soils, being more fertile, have a greater capacity to retain water and retain atmospheric carbon. Specifically, it is estimated that, with regenerative agriculture Up to 34 million tons of CO2 could be captured in Spain annuallywhich is equivalent to 15% of the country’s total annual emissions.
On a large scale, the situation of watersheds and resilience to extreme weather events and climate change is improved. Higher quality, sustainable and accessible food is also produced for the entire population and greater profitability is achieved after a few years.
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