1) Brazil has 850 million hectares of land, with 167.5 million hectares used for pastures and 68 million hectares used for annual and perennial crops. Pastures occupy the largest area of agricultural land but cause great soil erosion when conventional tillage is used. 2) In the 1970s, the green revolution models of agriculture in Brazil were inefficient at controlling soil erosion due to intensive mechanization. Major problems included intense, erosive rains causing huge soil losses. 3) Adoption of zero-tillage conservation agriculture (ZT/CA) systems and integrated crop-livestock-forest (iCLF) management achieved significant control of soil erosion in cropped areas. ZT/CA is

1. 1

2. 2
The impact of plans, policies, practices
and technologies based on the
principles of conservation agriculture
for controlling soil erosion in Brazil
Aluísio Granato de Andrade
(Embrapa Soils)
J C POLIDORO, P L DE FREITAS, SB BHERING, W CARVALHO JUNIOR,
RAR RODRIGUES, VM BENITES (Embrapa Soils)
L H C DOS ANJOS, M G PEREIRA (UFRRJ – Soils Dept.)
J L RIBEIRO (Ministry of Agriculture)

3. 3
Land coverage in Brazil
3
850 million ha
167.5 million ha of pastures
(in different degradation stages)
518,7 million ha of Natural Forests
68 million ha with annual,
perennial crops and planted
forests
The largest land
under agricultural use
is occupied by
pasture
Environmental
legislation
greater soil losses due
to erosion

4. Soil Loss under different land uses in Brazil
Total annual
soil loss:
1.18 billion ton
Although it occupies
only 5% of the
territory,
it promotes great
erosion losses when
conventional tillage is
used

5. Soil Loss under different land uses in Brazil
(million US$ year-1)
Total
soil loss value:
6.3 billion US$ year-1

6. Intensive tillage leads to
bare soil thus to soil
water erosion.
 1970 - green revolution
The models of agriculture in Brazil were not efficient to control soil erosion,
mainly due to the intensive usage of mechanization

7. 7
Controlling Water Erosion
 green revolution - mechanical terraces and contour channels are
not enough >> major changes were necessary.
Major problems: intense, erosive rains at the start of planting
season, resulting in huge soil losses by water erosion.

8. 8
Controlling Water Erosion
 Land use according with its agricultural aptitude
(RAMALHO-FILHO; BEEK, 1995).
 information on soil and climate conditions
 Example: PRONASOLOS/BRAZIL
 In the next 3 decades, this national effort will
overcome the lack of information and the
necessary information about soil in order to mitigate land
degradation processes

9. 9
Controlling Water Erosion
 adoption of good agricultural practices based on the principles
of zero tillage conservation agriculture (ZT/CA) system:
Soil erosion mitigation in cropped areas is achieved only when no-
tillage, crop rotation, permanent soil cover and traffic control are
associated.

10. 10
Controlling Water Erosion
 The zero tillage conservation agriculture (ZT/CA)
management system
used in over 50 % of the area cropped
for annual crops in Brazil.
based on IBGE’s agricultural census
obtained in 2017
Adapted by Fuentes Llanillo, R.; Soares Jr., D. & Telles, T. S. in 2018, available at
https://febrapdp.org.br/download/area-PD-Brasil-e-estados.pdf

11. 11
Controlling Water Erosion
 ZT/CA management occupies more than 50% of the
area with annual crop production – more than 30
millions ha
Based on https://febrapdp.org.br/download/area-PD-Brasil-e-estados.pdf

12. 12
Controlling Water Erosion
 Integrated crop-livestock-forest (iCLF) management systems
evolution of the ZT/CA combining annual crop, livestock and forest activities in
different ways and combinations.
Fotos: Ronaldo Trecenti
Integração Lavoura-Pecuária-Floresta

13. 13
Controlling Water Erosion
 Integrated crop-livestock-forest (iCLF) management systems
main impacts of iCLF adoption:
 efficient use of nutrients, agrochemicals and
energy,
 increase in soil biodiversity,
 improvement of soil structure and fertility.
 reduction of GHG emissions
 mitigation of soil water erosion
 allows in the recovery of degraded pastures
and the agricultural intensification of land
use.

14. 14
Controlling Water Erosion
 iCLF Area in Brazil
estimated during the
2015/2016 harvest year
Based on
iCLF Development Network,
2016).

15. 15
Economic impact of ZT/CA and iCLF
management system adoption
estimated considering the reduction in fertilizer lost by water erosion if these
management systems were not adopted
based in the evaluation proposed by Hernani et al. (2002b).
Fertilizer Unit Cost in 44.35 million ha
US$/ton million ton million R$
Dolomitic limestone 29.74 3.641 108,31
Triple superphosphate 500.24 0.236 117,82
Potassium chlorate 513.76 0.745 382,95
Urea Fertilizer 446.16 1.181 526,85
Ammonium sulfate 346.11 0.259 89,53
Organic fertilizer 37.86 16.351 618,97
Estimated Annual Cost (in US Dollar) 1,844.44

16. 16
Conclusion
- The substitution of green revolution model by conservationist
systems is capable of reversing this situation;
- Currently 50% of the areas destined to the production of
annual crops are under zero tillage and Integrated crop-
livestock-forest;
- The mapping of Brazilian soils in more detailed scales will
allow to plan even more the use of these areas and to avoid
still further the erosion advance;

17. 17
Conclusion
- To further reduce soil and water losses through erosion in
Brazil, it is necessary to expand the use of these systems
and to develop research that will reduce the use of
agrochemicals;
- Other conservation systems such as agroforestry and
other agro-ecological systems should also be encouraged
through public policies to reduce land degradation
through erosion in Brazil

18. Thanks for your attention
aluisio.andrade@embrapa.br