Efficiency: innovative agroecological practices produce more using less external resources
Greater efficiency in the use of resources is an emerging property of agroecological systems that carefully plan and manage diversity with a view to creating synergies between different components of the system. For example, one of the main challenges in terms of efficiency is that less than 50 percent of the nitrogen fertilizer added worldwide to the crop land is converted into harvested products and the rest is released into the environment, causing important environmental problems.
Agroecological systems improve the use of natural resources, especially those that are abundant and free, such as solar radiation and carbon and nitrogen from the atmosphere. By improving biological processes and recycling biomass, nutrients and water, producers can use less external resources, which reduces costs and the negative environmental effects of their use. Ultimately, reducing dependence on external resources empowers producers by increasing their autonomy and resilience to natural or economic shocks.
One way to measure the efficiency of integrated systems is to use the earth equivalent ratio (LER). The LER compares crop yields of two or more components (for example, crops, trees and animals) with those obtained by growing the same components in monocultures. Integrated agroecological systems often demonstrate higher REI.
Consequently, agroecology promotes agricultural systems with biological, socioeconomic and institutional diversity and the adjustment to the time and space that are needed to support greater efficiency.
Previous article
Countries intensify their efforts to combat antimicrobial resistanceARTÍCULOS RELACIONADOS
