Food and the Future Environment

Conservation Agriculture in Brazil Case Study

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Activate Your Learning

Go to the FAO UN website and read their brief description of Conservation Agriculture. Then watch the short video “Conservation Agriculture in Southern Brazil”.

After Watching the Video, Answer the Following Three Questions:

Question 1 - Short answer

Describe the soil and crop management practices that the video about Conservation Agriculture describes that promote soil quality and crop productivity.


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ANSWER:
i. No-till farming, ii. Cover crops that protect the soil from erosion, provide nutrients, and reduce soil compaction, iii. Integrating livestock and crop production.

Question 2 - Short answer

In Brazil, what were some of the ecological benefits of conservation agriculture?


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ANSWER:
i. Soil is protected and conserved, ii. Soil quality has improved, iii. Cover crop roots reduce soil compaction and improve water infiltration into the soil, iii. Integrating livestock and crop production helps recycle nutrients, and with fish-farming, there is less animal waste in the stream.

Question 3 - Short answer

In Brazil, what were some of the socio-economic benefits of conservation agriculture?


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ANSWER:
i. No-till or direct-seeding saves labor and time to plant crops, reduces machinery needs and saves money, ii. With reduced tillage and cover crops, farmers need fewer inputs, have saved money, and production has increased, iii. Time saved has allowed farmers to diversify production and produce added-value products.