Alternatives that can be used in agroecosystems to achieve sustainable agriculture.
(Edited)
In the previous article we talked about some resources that are important in agricultural ecosystems, in this publication we will describe some of the alternatives that can be implemented in agroecosystems to maintain the sustainability of these spaces. It is mainly necessary to mention that in agricultural systems the practice of monoculture is usually carried out, which has brought as a main consequence the loss of biodiversity.
To improve this situation, it is necessary to establish a design of the productive system with spatial arrangements where the animal and vegetable component of different strata is distributed in order to promote biodiversity on the farms, in addition to taking advantage of the resources found on the farm so that it is sustainable and does not generate deterioration of natural resources.
Among the resources or waste that can be used within the farm are the bovine excreta, it can have a utility as an energy source by building biodigesters there would be a saving in gas for cooking food, it can also be used for the elaboration of organic fertilizers, in case of elaborating biodigesters the effluents of this technology can be used for the fertilization of crops that thanks to fermentation make the nutrients more assimilable for plants and improve the physical, chemical and biological conditions of the soil.
Silvopastoral systems can also be established in livestock ecosystems, since they are more ecologically stable than forraejros monocultures (a single crop), with the presence of shrubs to the grassland system they decrease the direct effect of the sun, rain and wind, with their roots they reduce the surface runoff of rainwater, they extract nutrients to different depths leaving it on the surface for the use of pastures. In addition, trees actively participate in the recycling of nutrients and species belonging to the legume family fix nitrogen to the soil.
The idea is to promote the diversification of the systems, therefore, it can also be delimited at the edges of the farms with live fences with forest trees, which can improve the habitat for wildlife and beneficial insects, provide sources of wood, organic matter and also generate a microclimate. In the same way, cover crops can be introduced, to cover and protect the soil from agents such as solar radiation, high temperatures, among others. On the other hand, the leaf litter of plants is a source of organic matter, in it the macro and microorganisms of the soil find favorable conditions to multiply and decompose it.
It is advisable to reduce the use of synthetic products and use organic pesticides, since they are less aggressive to man and the environment, for this the extracts of native or naturalized vegetables play a fundamental role in sustainable agriculture. For example, the Azadirachta indica, is an alternative for the control of ticks and other insects, the leaves or seeds of this plant, can be used with potential success in the control of the ant that usually cause large defoliations in forage crops such as pastures, thus decreasing the production of plant biomass for animal feed.
| Final considerations |
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Dear readers, in the same way as everything mentioned above, it is required to apply preventive and ecological strategies that allow to satisfactorily reduce the imbalances that exist in agroecosystems, that is why, an agroecological management is recommended for agronomic management such as fertilization, control of arvenses and pests which consists in the use of one or more strategies that allow solving agronomic problems in an economical way, healthy and ecological preserving the natural resources found in the agricultural production units.
| Bibliographic references |
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- Altieri, M. and Nicholls, C. (2007). Agroecological conversion of conventional production systems: theories, strategies and evaluation. Ecosystems Magazine. Vol. 16 (1) p 3-12.
- Altieri, M. and Nicholls, C. (2000). Agroecology. Theory and practice for sustainable agriculture. Mexico. First edition. 169 p.
- Altieri, M. (1999). Agroecology. Scientific basis for sustainable agriculture. Montevideo. Editorial Nordan–Community. 338 p.
Thank you for reading our content, until a next installment.
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Very nice this post. It made me realize how important biodiversity is in agriculture.
Hi @stefano.massari, I am glad that the article has caught your attention, without a doubt biodiversity is fundamental in agriculture, because they are modified natural spaces where every animal component, soil, plant, man is essential.
See you later, have a great week.
We must insist on the issue of sustainable crops and agricultural practices that are friendly to the environment, at present the technification of field processes is bringing significant damage to the ecosystem. Excellent post.
Hello @tomaspalomo, thank you very much for your valuable comment, agroecological management is sustainable over time because they consider all the important components such as economic, environmental and social.
That is, it is produced taking into account the resources of the system and they decrease dependence on external and polluting resources. See you later, have a great week.