Groundbreaking study highlights the importance of sustainable acricultural practices for the carbon balance in soy farming
Research by the Solidaridad Foundation, with support from the Land Innovation Fund and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), charts the carbon balance in different soil scenarios on 50 farms in Brazil’s Matopiba region.
UN data show that 31% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG's) – equivalent to 16.5 billion tons – come from agri-food systems, a 17% increase over 1990, the same percentage as the world population growth and its consequent demand for more food. Soy plays a key role in this scenario, and Brazil is the grain’s number one producer and exporter, with the Matopiba region (part of the Cerrado biome in the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí and Bahia) accounting for 15% of the nation's crop. A new survey by the Solidaridad Foundation, carried out with support from the Land Innovation Fund (LIF) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), in partnership with the Association of Farmers and Irrigators of Bahia (Aiba) and collaboration by the Institute of Forest and Agricultural Management and Certification (Imaflora), presents a picture of the carbon balance in the region’s soy production that highlights the importance of adopting sustainable agricultural practices for an economy that emits fewer greenhouse gases and preserves native vegetation.
“Carbon balance in soybean production at Matopiba”: access the complete survey.
The study analyzes four carbon scenarios on 50 farms in 22 municipalities in the Matopiba region – nine in Maranhão, 15 in Tocantins, six in Piauí and 20 in Bahia – totaling 150 thousand hectares of land. It looks at emissions from agricultural production, emissions and sequestration by land use, carbon stocks in areas with native vegetation, and net emissions, also called carbon balance. All the farms in the study are located in the Cerrado biome. It demonstrates how areas using conservationist agricultural practices have better carbon sequestration rates and stresses the importance of reconciling higher yields with sustainable agricultural systems that are more resilient to climate change. "The data reveals important information and opportunities for farmers and companies in the sector, proving that it is possible to stay profitable by implementing low-carbon agricultural practices," says the project coordinator for Solidaridad, Juliana Monti.
As the planet's main carbon sink, second only to oceans, soil has more carbon stored in it than the atmosphere or plant life. Brazil has committed to reducing its production of greenhouse gases by 50% by 2030 and to “net zero” emissions by 2050, in addition to containing deforestation and reforesting or restoring up to 12 million hectares nationwide. Investments in technology, products or services that contribute to expanding sustainable agricultural systems are essential to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere.
"Measuring greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering throughout a production chain as significant as soy, in one of the country's largest agricultural frontiers, helps us understand the challenges and benefits, for both farms and the environment, of using sustainable, low-carbon agricultural practices in the field," says Carlos E. Quintela, director of the Land Innovation Fund. "We believe that rural landowners will be key players in transforming the countryside, and only with their direct engagement and participation can we achieve concrete results to mitigate climate change and achieve sustainable, low-carbon, deforestation-free agricultural development, with no conversion of native vegetation," he concludes.
Methodology:
The Study charts sources of carbon emissions in soy production and the impact of soil management and agricultural practices adopted in the region for the carbon balance. The results were calculated per state, per hectare of cropland and per bag of soy. Data on carbon stock in the biomass of native vegetation on farms were accounted for separately, as stipulated in the GHG Protocol methodology used to produce the study. The data highlights the importance of standing forests for carbon sequestration on farms, and confirms the importance of intensifying sustainable production, with no need to open new areas for cultivation.
To measure carbon emissions and sequestration in soy production using the practices adopted on the farm (baseline), data on the application of lime and gypsum, and of fertilizers, decomposition of crop stubble, burning of fossil and renewable fuels, and electric power consumption were all assessed. Transformation scenarios for land use and agricultural practices were also considered to understand how the carbon balance would behave in these cases. This study evaluated four such scenarios: a) conversion of native vegetation to conventional planting; b) conversion of vegetation to no-till farming; c) degraded pastureland to no-till farming; and d) conventional cropland to no-till farming.
The use of soil correctives, either limed or gypsum, accounts for almost half of the percentage of carbon emissions, followed by the application of nitrogen fertilizers (21.5%). Together, agricultural inputs account for 76.9% of total emissions on all farms. For the scenario shifts, carbon sequestration increased by approximately 33.6% in areas that adopted no-till farming systems to replace traditional cultivation practices. The other land-use scenarios reported emission rates higher than the carbon sequestration rates. The impact of sustainable management practices by most farmers in the region contributed to carbon sequestration levels higher than emissions, in the final quantification of farms analyzed by the project.
The numbers show the importance of expanding the use of conservationist practices in agriculture such as the recovery of degraded pastures, biological nitrogen fixation and proper soil management, among other techniques, which can help capture carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the main objective of the Paris Agreement. "With the adoption of agricultural practices that allow for a greater accumulation of organic matter and, consequently, of carbon, the soil retains more water and becomes more resistant to periods of drought, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and providing economic and environmental benefits for farmers and for the environment," explains Camila Santos, a carbon specialist at the Solidaridad Foundation.
Carbon calculator for Western Bahia:
Funding from the Land Innovation Fund for the Solidaridad Foundation's project allows them to chart agricultural practices used by farmers in Western Bahia. "The initiative reaffirms the importance of setting out scenarios, measuring results, and supporting and boosting the adoption, maintenance, and expansion of sustainable, low-carbon agricultural practices in the region and in agriculture in general," says Carlos E. Quintela.
With support from AIBA, the state' largest farmers' association, the Solidaridad Foundation created a Technical Working Group to design scenarios and validate carbon methodologies for the soy supply chain in the region. Twenty farmers, who work some 61,000 hectares of soy in five municipalities in Western Bahia – São Desidério, Luís Eduardo Magalhães, Barreiras, Formosa do Rio Preto, and Correntina – provided information on their management systems, yields, and farming operations. The methodology used in the study and the analyses of Bahia’s carbon balance will be part of the carbon balance calculator in the Environmental Monitoring and Intelligence System (SIMA), a platform developed by Senai Cimatec, with support from the Land Innovation Fund and managed by AIBA.
The four Land Innovation Fund projects in Western Bahia are all focused on developing innovative solutions coupled with sustainable agricultural practices. Under the responsibility of three partners – the Association of Farmers and Irrigators of Western Bahia (AIBA), Solidaridad Foundation, and Senai Cimatec – the initiatives take on diverse but complementary activities, such as monitoring and traceability, carbon balance, online competitions for innovation, and getting farmers involved. "The initiatives underway in Western Bahia with support from the Land Innovation Fund have promoted the countryside's interaction with cities through communication, with innovation as a pillar to make agribusiness sustainable. In this context, major issues on the regional development agenda, such as carbon balance and soil conservation, are predominant in the exchange and dissemination of evidence-based information, to promote participation and the adoption of sustainable practices", says Enéas Porto, Sustainability Manager at AIBA.