No Till in Argentina
At least that’s what AAPRESID, the Argentine association of no-till farmers, and Monsanto are hoping for. The two have partnered to promote Agricultura Certificada (Certified Agriculture), an initiative that encourages no-till and other sustainable agricultural practices in Argentina.
“For the past 20 years, AAPRESID and Monsanto have had an excellent relationship,” Gastón Fernández Palma, president of AAPRESID, said. “Our organization shares strong similarities with Monsanto´s goals and vision about [ag] production. This collaboration allows both organizations to increase the quality and quantity of their efforts.”
Certified Agriculture is AAPRESID’s quality-management system for productive processes related to no-till. It was designed to improve business management and optimize efficiency for resources used in agriculture.
The system is also geared to help farmers recognize the benefits of sustainable or good agricultural practices (GAP) such as soil management, crop rotation, integrated pest management, efficient and responsible agrochemical management, strategic crop nutrition, and stockbreeding information management.
Palma said for AAPRESID, the collaboration is a unique opportunity to enhance Certified Agriculture communication both at the national and international level. AAPRESID will also have the opportunity to reach more farmers by participating in Monsanto’s Unidades Experimentales DeKalb de Alta Produccion (UEDAPS)—open laboratories developed to verify the real impact of our technologies in agro-ecological zones.
“We’re helping farmers produce crops in a more sustainable way and increase efficiency in the use of natural resources, while protecting them at the same time,” Pablo Vaquero, Monsanto LAS corporate affairs director, said.
According to Palma, Argentina has the potential to be one of the largest suppliers of food and energy to help meet future demands for both resources.
“No-till is assumed to be one of management practices that assures an increase in production while minimizing environmental and social effects and maximizing resources-use efficiency,” he said. “Although 70 percent of the total agricultural area in Argentina is currently under no-till, not all the no-till farmers see that management practice in a systemic way.”
Palma said it’s estimated only 20 percent of that 70 percent is managed under GAP—standards selected in consensus with national and international scientists and professors. So he strongly believes the Certified Agriculture project would enhance the quality of these standards in ag production.
For Monsanto, Bernardo Calvo, Monsanto LAS business lead, said the project falls in line with our commitment to sustainable yield.
“In Monsanto we are sure the Certified Agriculture Project will revolutionize the way of farming in Argentine ag sector; the same way the no-till system did in the mid-nineties,” Calvo said. “Certified Agriculture will also help us fulfill the objectives of our commitment to sustainable yield—to double yields, while reducing necessary resources by one third, and improving farmers’ lives.”
The collaboration will run through 2011.
