Newsletter
  

ECAF Constitution

ECAF (European Conservation Agriculture Federation) was constituted in Brussels on 14Th January 1999. ECAF is a non-profit making association, subjected to the Belgian laws, and involves six National Conservation Agriculture Associations from several countries of Europe:

  • Asociación Española de Agricultura de Conservación (AEAC.SV) SPAIN
  • Associazione Italiana per la Gestione Agronomica e Conservativa del Suolo (A.I.G.A.Co.S) ITALY
  • Association pour la Promotion d´une Agriculture Durable (APAD) FRANCE
  • Associação Portuguesa de Mobilização de Conservação do Solo (APOSOLO) PORTUGAL
  • Gesellschaft für Konservierende Bodenbesirbeitung e.V. (GKB) GERMANY
  • United Kingdom Soil Management Initiative (SMI) UNITED KINGDOM

ECAF objectives are:

  • To promote, collect and spread information to farmers, agrarian technicians and society in general and to promote information exchanges between persons and organisations, about the techniques that make it possible to conserve agrarian soil and its biodiverity, in the context of sustainable agriculture.
  • To encourage the development, teaching and investigation on any aspect related to conservation agriculture and the biodiversity of agrarian soil.
  • To inform, collaborate and contact with international and national organisations, with related and complementary objectives.
  • To promote actions that encourage the investigation and improve training in topics related to the maintaining of the productive capacity of the soil and its natural biodiversity.
  • To inform to the various administrations about scientific and technical aspects related with conservation agriculture practices, its agronomic, socio-economic and environmental benefits and ECAF and National Associations news in general.

 

ECAF activities and programs will be:

  • Technical, socio-economic and environmental studies related tothe erosion and degradation of agrarian soils.
  • Publication of bulletins, communications, technical reports, books, and documentation and information exchange between its member and other national and international organisations, in order to reinforce the knowledge, advances and results of Conservation Agriculture as beneficial techniques for the protection of natural resources, mainly water and soil. The federation will make available bulletins as a means of diffusion and communication between its members. It will also sponsor articles, monographs or publications of any other nature an aspects related to the aims of it in the media that considers to be appropriate.

 

Foto 1. ECAF council in its constitution meeting.
  • To organise national and international meetings, seminars, congresses and training programs on subjects related to Conservation Agriculture.
  • To establish relationships and collaboration agreements with organisations, institutions and companies that have the same ends and purposes as ECAF.
  • To establish all those actions to achieve the aim of ECAF.
  • To organise national and international meetings, seminars, congresses and training programs on subjects related to Conservation Agriculture.
  • To establish relationships and collaboration agreements with organisations, institutions and companies that have the same ends and purposes as ECAF.
  • To establish all those actions to achieve the aim of ECAF.

Soil degradation in Europe. This is the problem

 

Source:

European Elsevier Science Ltd.
Europe's Enviroment: The Second Assessment.
Chapter 11: Soil Degradation.(References are in this chapter)

Soil erosion by water and wind

Erosion is a major an increasing cause of soil degradation in many parts of Europe (Ernstsen et al., 1995; Blum, 1990). Agriculture intensification over the past 50 years has contributed substantially to this trend particularly in Western Europe. Increased mechanisation, ploughing on steep slopes, the loss of grass rotations in some agricultural systems, overgrazing and land drainage have had major impacts. The loss of hedge-rows, walls and fences to make way for larger fields and more efficient farming has also contributed.
Foto 2. Serious erosion/ gullies in an olive orchard.

To some extent, all European countries are affected (Van Lynden, 1995) with approximately 115 million hectares or 12 % of the total European land area, affected by water erosion, and approximately 42 million hectares or 4 % of the total, affected by wind erosion (Oldeman et al., 1991). (Map 1). In the whole Russian Federation, including the Asian section, 15 % of all irrigated lands and 16 % of drained lands are severely degraded (waterlooging, salinisation, erosion) due to inadequate water management (Ministry of Nature Protection of Russian Federation, 1996). The problem is most severe in the Mediterranean region, where water erosion is dominant.

Water erosion in the Mediterranean region can result in the loss of 20 to 40 tonne/ha of soil in a single storm, with more than 100 tonne/ha in extreme events (Morgan, 1992). The process is exacerbated by a number of characteristics of the region, including:

  • steep slopes;
  • frequent torrential rainfall;
  • reduction of vegetative cover by intensive agriculture, unsustainable forestry, overgrazing, fires and other practices (e.g. industrial and urban development);
  • abundance of poor soils that are highly susceptible to erosion;
  • rainy periods being out of phase with periods of vegetative cover;
  • reduction in extensive, sustainable agriculture;
  • land abandonment resulting from socio-economic changes.

Because of fragile soil conditions, water erosion has become irreversible in some Mediterranean areas (Sanroque, 1987, Rubio, 1987, Van Lynden, 1995). Water erosion is also locally important in other areas of Europe (e.g. Iceland, Ireland, the Russian Federation), where the combination of several factors such as climate, soil conditions and agriculture practices favours soil loss. In Ireland, overgrazing of peatlands leads to the erosion of peat and other material in periods of high rainfall and wind. In Iceland, the almost complete destruction of forest in the past and overgrazing on sloping volcanic lands induces high rates of soil erosion during high rainfall/wind and floods originating from the melting of glaciers during volcanic eruptions. Large sections of the country have been devasted by soil erosion.

The susceptibility of soil to wind erosion is determined by similar factors to those for water erosion (Prendergast, 1983). In addition, wind erosion tends to be favoured by conditions that result from excessive drainage (Van Lynden, 1995). In Europe wind erosion results predominantly in loss of topsoil (Van Lynden, 1995).

The distribution of wind erosion in Europe (Map 2) suggests that physical factors, in particular climate, are more important than human influence, which generally dominate water erosion. The widespread and serious wind erosion in south-eastern Europe, particularly on the Russian plain, probably results from the combination of a dry continental climate and vulnerable soils with inappropriate farming practices (Karavaveva, 1991). Wind erosion also causes problems in certain areas of Lapland, where vulnerable soils are partly affected by human activities such as overgrazing by reindeer herds, forestry or tourism.

Wind erosion can also have a number of indirect effects, including:

  • covering of croplands below eroded areas;
  • contamination of surface and groundwater by sediment and chemical substances (fertilisers and pesticides);
  • decline in groundwater aquifers;
  • deposition of eroded material in river beds, lakes or artificial reservoirs, increasing the possibility of flooding and changing the PH value of lakes to the detriment of fish;
  • eutrophication of adjacent ecosystems;
  • damage to infrastructures such as roads, railways and overhead cables.

The main driving forces for water and wind erosion in Europe are summarised as follows:

Driving forces for water and wind erosion in Europe.

Agricultural intensification

Unsustainable agriculture practices on sloping lands, such as lack of effective erosion control measures, cropping systems that leave soil surfaces bare during the rainy season, improper irrigation systems, burning of crop residues and no soil-protective monoculture, accelerate the rates of soil erosion. Down-slope polishing of sloping lands increases surface run-off and sediment transport.

 
Foto 3. Sediment runoff is visible in many areas of Europe after rainy periods as a consequence of soil erosion.

The use of heavy machinery can cause soil compaction, which increases the susceptibility of soil to erosion. Excessive tillage as well as tilling during low soil-moisture conditions can result in deterioration os soil structure and increasing susceptibility to erosion. Overgrazing can accelerate erosion by thinning protective vegetation and reducing the organic matter content of the soil. In Scandinavia, autumn ploughing increases the risk of erosion during precipitation events and snow-melt periods.

Agricultural abandonment

Abandonment of fragile crop land, followed by overgrazing, provokes severe erosion. Soil erosion is found to increase spectacularly when terraces break down. Extensive areas in the Mediterranean region have been affected by the abandonment of marginal agriculture areas (Sanroque, 1987; Rubio 1995).

Deforestation

Deforestation changes some soil properties (content of organic matter, permeability, etc.) as well as reducing the protection of soil by vegetation. These changes can increase the rsik of soil erosion. Forest fires are also important cause of vegetation loss, which results in soil erosion in many European areas, mainly in the Mediterranean region.
Foto 4. Conventional tillage enhaces soil erosion and water run-off.

 

Land disturbance

Mining, quarrying and excavation for landfills can cause soil erosion by disrupting the vegetation cover and modifying topography.

Industrial and urban expansion

Industrial and urban expansion can result in soil erosion, mainly through destruction of vegetation cover and inadequate design of roads and other infrastructure.

Other forms of soil degradation

Loss of organic matter

Soil quality is largely governed by its organic matter content, which is dynamic and responds rapidly to changes in soil management. Apart from areas with a surplus of animal manure, the organic matter content of many cultivated soils across Europe is falling as a result of modern intensive agriculture. There is widespread concern that levels will fall to below those needed to support a stable, fertile and healthy soil, although the evidence for such critical levels is equivocal. Compaction, water-looging and decline of soil structure

Loss of organic matter and the resulting loss of soil structure greatly enhance soil compaction. This is the most widespread from of physical degradation in Europe, involving some 90 % of the total area affected by physical degradation (Van Lynden 1995). It is induced by the repeated use of heavy machinery on soil with a low structural stability, as well as through overgrazing and overstocking. Compaction affects topsoil layers, where it influences plant nutrient uptake, and deeper subsoil layers, where it could lead to irreversible changes in soil structure (Van Lynden, 1995).

Water-looging is the result of flooding by rivers, raising of the water table by irrigation and increases in the amount of rain run-off together with reduced infiltration rates. It may be provoked by human intervention, as in northern Russia and in the lower Danube Valley, or be accidental. It leads to declines in soil structure. Map 4 shows severity (extension and degree) of these processes in Europe.

What is Conservation Agriculture?

Direct sowing/ direct drilling/ No-tillage: the soil is left undisturbed from harvest to planting except for nutrient injection. Planting or drilling is accomplished in a narrow seedbed or slot created by coulters, row cleaners, disk openers, in-row chisels or roto-tillers. Weed control is accomplished primarily with herbicides with little environmental impact. Cultivation may be used for emergency weed control. This modality is the best option for the environment for annual crops.

Ridge-till.- The soil is left undisturbed from harvest to planting except for nutrient injection. Planting is completed in a seedbed prepared on ridges with sweeps, disk openers, coulters, or row cleaners. Residue is left on the surface between ridges. Weed control is accomplished with herbicides with little environmental impact and/or cultivation. Ridges are rebuilt during cultivation.

Mulch till/ reduce tillage/ minimum tillage.-

The soil is disturbed prior to planting. Tillage tools such as chisels, field cultivators, disks, sweeps or blades are used. Weed control is accomplished with herbicides with little environmental impact and/ or cultivation. In the «non-inversion tillage» soil is disturbed (but not inverted) immediately after harvest to partially incorporate crop residues and promote weed seed/ volunteer germination to provide soil cover during the intercrop period; this is chemically destroyed (with herbicides with a minimum environmental impact) and incorporated at sowing, in one pass, with non-inversion drills.
Foto 7. Farm equipment needs to be readjusted to correctly implement conservationist techniques.

 

Cover crops.-
Sowing of appropriate species, or growing spontaneous vegetation, in between rows of trees, or in the period of time in between successive annual crops, as a measure to prevent soil erosion and to control weeds. Cover crops are generally managed with herbicides with a minimum environmental impact.

Foto 5&6. The stubble remained on the soil and the cover crops protect the soil from rainfall and win erosion resulting in sound enviromental benefits.

 

ECAF First Report (1999). Conservation Agriculture in Europa


Foto 8. The first ECAF publication.

Executive Summary

There is an obvious interdependence between agriculture and environment. Indeed, in the European Union 50.5% of the total territory is agricultural and 27.9% wooded land. In the last decade, the E.U. Common Agrarian Policy (CAP) has favoured the modernisation of agriculture in Europe. Although this modernisation has been accompanied by damaging effects to the environment. In fact, conventional agricultural, characterised by straw burning and/or removing and intensive tilling, is still generally used in Europe and has consistent negative effects on soil erosion and degradation, soil quality, water contamination by sediment, nutrients and pesticides, the air and the global climate, biodiversity and landscape.

In Europe, soil erosion and degradation is probably the most important environmental problem caused by conventional agriculture, seriously affecting near 157 M ha (16% of Europe, near 3 times the total surface of France). The average soil erosion rates in Europe (17 tons ha-1 year-1) greatly exceed the average rate of soil formation (1 ton ha-1 year-1). Most E.U. countries are affected by this problem in some extend. In the Mediterranean area, soil erosion is very severe, in some areas moderately to seriously affecting 50% to 70% of the agricultural land. Conventional agricultural intensification (increased mechanisation and ploughing) over the past 50 years has contributed substantially to this trend, increasing the risk of desertification in the most vulnerable areas. The erosion problem has a strong economic incidence on-site, the affected agricultural land, and off-site, the surrounding civil public infrastructure. Estimates indicates that the erosion cost increases agricultural production cost by about 25% each year (53 EUR ha-1 year-1). Further, if on-site and off-site costs are combined, the total cost of erosion from agriculture can be estimated at about 85.5 EUR per hectare of crop land and year.

Water quality is seriously impaired by conventional agriculture. Soil sediment from eroded agricultural land is by far the most important contaminant of surface water. Because conservation agricultural systems greatly reduce soil erosion (>90% for direct sowing/ no-till), the adoption of these systems significantly improve surface water quality by reducing sediment. Further, it also resulted in about 70% less herbicide runoff, and 69% less water runoff than mouldboard ploughing, a real boon to improve water quality.

Conventional agriculture, literally straw burning and tilling/ ploughing (soil inversion) produce direct extra CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and reduce the CO2 sink effect of the soil, thereafter decreasing the organic matter content of the soil and contributing to earth global warming. Historically, intensive tillage of agricultural soils has led to substantial losses of soil C that range from 30% to 50%. Conversely, conservation agriculture (no till) overcome these effects.

Biodiversity is reduced in conventional agriculture since bare soil for a long period of time does not provide food and shelter for wildlife at critical times. On the contrary, high-residue crop production systems have been repeatedly proven as being attractive and valuable for helping several forms of wild life (birds, small mammals, reptiles) to thrive in agricultural areas.


Foto 9. The high-residue crop production systems can provide wildlife with food and shelter at critical times.

Conservation agriculture refers to several practices which permit the management of soil for agrarian uses, altering as little as possible its composition, structure and natural biodiversity and defending it from erosion and degradation. This include direct sowing/ no-tillage, reduced tillage/ minimum tillage, non - or surface- incorporation of crop residues and cover crops in perennial woody crops in (of spontaneous vegetation or by sowing appropriate species). Generally, with conservation agriculture the soil is protected from rainfall erosion and water runoff; the soil aggregates, organic matter and fertility level naturally increase, less contamination of the surface water occurs, the emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere are reduced, and the biodiversity increases.

The economy of conservation agricultural techniques is another important factor to be considered. In conventional agriculture, tillage operations require considerably higher inputs in machinery investment and maintenance, fossil combustibles and time of labour as compared to conservation agriculture, specially direct sowing/ no-tillage. For example, in a non-tillage olive crop a fuel saving of about 60 to 80 l ha-1 is estimated and in annual crops of 31.5 l ha-1 as compared to conventional tillage systems. Generally, conservation agriculture reduce the energy consumption of farming operations in the range of 15%-50% and increase the energetic productivity -that is the yield output per energy input- 25%-100%.

A strong body of scientific and technological research supporting the environmental benefits and agronomic performance of conservation agriculture has been developed world-wide in the past decades. Furthermore, conservation agriculture in the last 10 years has been consistently developed in several countries (USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentine, among others) but very little in Europe. The E.U. greatly needs to change its agricultural technology from one that destroys its soil (conventional) to one that conserves, and even «regenerates» the soil (conservationist).

Soil erosion vs soil production and soil quality

This is the seventh note in a series of Soil Quality-Agronomy technical notes on the effects of land management on soil quality. This information is general and covers broad application.

Soil erosion has long been considered detrimental soil productivity. It is the basis for soil loss tolerance values. Considerable loss in productivity is likely to occur on most soils if they erode for several centuries at present soil loss tolerance levels (2). Erosion-caused losses of productivity on cropland and pastureland in the United States approach $ 27 billion with and additional $ 17 billion for off-site damages are estimated at $ 400 billion per year (1).

Soil formation is a very slow process. As a result, most soils cannot renew their eroded surface while erosion continues to degrade the soil. The development of a favourable rooting zone by the weathering of parent rock is much slower than development of the surface horizon. One estimate of this renewal rate is 0.5 ton per acre per year for unconsolidated parent materials and much less for consolidated materials (3). These very slow renewal rates support the philosophy that any soil erosion is too much. Several studies illustrate the negative impact of soil erosion on cropland productivity. In Indiana three studies compared crop growth on slightly eroded and severely eroded phases of three soils. Corn yields on severely eroded soils were 9 % to 34 % lower than those on slightly eroded soils. Soybean yields were 14 % to 29 % lower (Table 1).
Table 1. Corn and soybean yield loss in severely croded soils compared to slightly eroded soils in three studies in Indiana (USA).

What are some of the possible reasons that soil erosion degrades soil and results in lower crop yields?. Loss organic matter, resulting from erosion and tillage, is one of the primary causes for reduction in crop yields. As organic matter decreases, soil aggregate stability, the soil's ability to hold moisture, and the cation exchange capacity decline.
Table 2. Average values for content of clay, organic matter, and P in the upper six inches of three erosion phases of Corwin, Miami, and Morley soils in indiana in 1981.

 

Table 3. Total potential plant-avaliable water in the soil profile for Corwin, Miami, and Morley soils for selected in Indiana in 1982.

In Indiana study (4), levels of organic matter and phosphorus were lower and clay content was generally higher in the upper six inches (15 cm) of the severely eroded compared to the slightly eroded soil (Table 2). In addition, measurements in 1982 showed that the potential plant-available water decline as much as 50 to 75 percent in the severely eroded phase compared to the slightly eroded phase (Table 3).

These results are not unique to Indiana. Studies from across the Midwest have measured significantly lower yields on eroded soils (Table 4). Changes in available water holding capacity, topsoil depth, percent clay, and percent organic matter were common explanations for the reduced yield.

Precipitation is also a significant factor in determining the effect of erosion on productivity. With adequate moisture, some researchers saw no yield difference between severely and slightly eroded soils (See IL results in Table 4). The impact of erosion on productivity also depends on the soil type and the shape, aspect, and position of the slope.

In summary, soil erosion can have a significant, negative impact on crop yields, especially in years when weather conditions are unfavourable. As soil erosion continues, the soil is further degraded. Poor soil quality is reflected in decreases in organic matter, aggregate stability, phosphorus levels, and potential plan-available water. The net result is a decrease in soil productivity. Although these studies considered only erosion by water, similar soil degradation and productivity losses can occur as a result of wind erosion.

 

References:

1. Jones, A.J.R. Lal, and D.R. Huggins. 1997. Soil erosion and productivity research. 5-A regional approach. Am J of Alter agri (12); 185-192.

2. McCormack, D.E., K.K. Young, and L.W. Kimberlin, 1981. technical and societal implications of soil loss tolerance. In R.P.C. Morgan [ed.] Soil Conservation, Problems and Prospects, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.

3. McCormack, D.E., K.K. Young, and L.W. Kimberlin, 1979. Current criteria for determining soil tolerance. In Determinants of Soil Loss Tolerance. Am Soc of Agron. Madison. WI.

4. Shertz, D.L. 1985. Field evaluation of the effect of soil erosion on crop productivity. Ph. D. Thesis, agronomy Dept., Purdue University.

5. Schertz, D.L., W.C. Moldenhauer, S.J. Livingston, G.A. Weesiers, and E.A. Hintz. 1989. Effect of past soil erosion on crop productivity in Indina. J. Soil and Water Conserv. 44 (6): 604-608.

6. Weesies, G.A.,S.J. Livingston, W.D. Hosteler, and D.L. Schertz. 1994. Effect of soil erosion on crop yield in Indiana: results of a 10-year study. J. Soil and Water Conserv. 49(6):597-600.

 

Go to main page of ECAF