SoCoSoCo ProjectProject

« Soil Conservation Agriculture :An Answer to European

Challenges »

Konrad Schreiber Engineer in CA Development

2008, May, the 22nd

EU : New challenges

Promoting sustainable agricultureInternational cooperation

Taking part in international food productionFeeding 9 billions people in 2050

Preserving environment and natural resourcesSoil, Water, Air

Preserving biodiversityGenetical resources and pharmacology

Decreasing EU dependence for non-renewable energyReduce consumption fuel and gaz

Increasing soil carbon storageDecreasing Greenhouse emission

Create carbon pool in soil

EU : Problems in the Future

• Energetical dependenceOil import and influence on commercial European scales

• Dependence for food and feed production.Import almost than 70 % of protein needs

• Reduce of purchase power, salary stagnation and inflation How many poor persons ?

SalariedemployeesJoblessRetiredHomeless

Hypothesis : 15 % of

populationUrban poverty

French Population= 65 millions

+/+/-- 10 millions of 10 millions of poorpoor ??

European population = 500 millions

+/+/-- 75 millions of 75 millions of poorpoor ??= France= France

What’s european international future ?

• Without protein independence• Without energetic independence

Agriculture…,Society…

• No food security…• Which independence in development ?

WhichWhich EuropeanEuropean place on the international place on the international nation concert ?nation concert ?

EU : European Response

EURequest

NationalTranscription

Application

WaterDirective

80/68/CEE91/676/CEE

BiodiversityDirective

79/409/CEE92/43/CEE

SoilDirective

86/278/CEE+2008 ?

Settling

Norm adjustment Structural cost Control

Increasing of production costDropping of production quality

No-resolution of environmental issues(Nitrogen directive, …, Soils…)

Results do not match European requests

Source: RÈGLEMENT (CE) N°1782/2003 DU CONSEIL 2003, september, 29th

Pesticide Directive

91/414/CEEReach

Kyoto Protocol

2005

Check Check in 2008in 2008

EU : Responses of the countriesTechnical responses

Integrated/biological farmingRegulationCertificationTraceabilityModulation /CAP ControlPenalizationSuspicion

ResultsWithout conclusive resultsNitrogen in water (+ ou -)Erosion Pesticides in waterOrganic matter in waterGreenhouse Gas emissionPhosphore and green seeweedPenalties for countries

No conclusive No conclusive resultsresults of of EuropeanEuropean countriescountriesDifficultiesDifficulties to respect the 5 main directivesto respect the 5 main directives

EU : Results in France

Consequences for farmersLoss in production potentialAdministrative complexityCost increasesProceedings and structureLoss in capital Lack of freedom, punishmentDesertion of the production

Consequences for SocietyEconomical lossesLack of attractivityLoss in resources and expertiseLack of credibilityLoss in production potential« Bad food » syndromFood crisis

DifficultiesDifficulties to to replyreply to the new to the new EuropeanEuropean ChallengesChallenges

EU : Solutions in Soco Project

• Potential of Soil Conservation Agriculture

ResultsResultsNetworkNetwork

APAD/BASEAPAD/BASE

Water protection : NO3 ÷ 2Soils protection : Erosion

Biodiversity development : x 6Air protection : Carbon sequestration

Energy saving : ÷ 3Carbon sequestration : 1 to 4 T/ha/year

Inputs efficiency : x 2Environmental benefits : + + + +

Food production : =Biomass and Energy production : + + + +

Principle of a Sustainable Agriculture

Present Future

Conservation Agriculture : Cover, Produce, Conserve, Recycle

A living soil, with preserved functions, allows to solveenvironmental issues

ProductionOrganicmatter

Consumption

Water cycle MineralCarbon

Solar energyRenewable

Biodiversityand waste

100 % Biodegradable

Recyclingby biological soil

communities

Sustainable AgricultureEcosystem model

Concept of Conservation Agriculture

Concept of Conservation Agriculture

ÉÉconomyconomyProduceProduce

Fuel Fuel

WorkersWorkers

Production Production

EquipmentEquipment

Product Product

Life Life qualityqualityTraining Training

ExchangesExchanges

Concept of Conservation Agriculture

EconomyEconomyProduceProduce

Fuel Fuel

WorkersWorkers

Production Production

EquipmentEquipment

Product Product

Life Life qualityqualityTrainingTraining

ExcabgesExcabges

BiodiversityBiodiversity

SoilSoilPorosityPorosity

Water Water RunRun--offoff

ErosionErosion

NitrogenNitrogen

PesticidesPesticides

PhosphorusPhosphorus

EnvironmentEnvironmentRecycleRecycle

Concept of Conservation Agriculture

SocietySocietyConsumeConsume

ÉÉconomyconomyProduceProduce

Fuel Fuel

WorkersWorkers

Production Production

EquipmentEquipment

Product Product

Life Life qualityqualityTraining Training

ExchangesExchanges

BiodiversityBiodiversity

SoilSoilPorosityPorosity

Water Water RunRun--offoff

ErosionErosion

NitrogenNitrogen

PesticidesPesticides

PhosphorusPhosphorus

EnvironmentEnvironmentRecycleRecycle

Hypothesis : Soil

Tillage allows to exploit the initial Carbon stock by increase in organic matter mineralization

Resource degradation

General equation of pollution in Agriculture

« Nothing lost, Nothing created, all is transforming »

Organic Matter

C + N photosynthesis and

biological activity allowto increase C and N

storage

Tillage+ oxygen+ energy …

+ = CO2 + NO3-Green NitrogenHouse leachingeffect

Soil Degradation Reality

7672100Saturation %

949597CEC

Loss of 15 % in 5 year9810085 C ha en %

Loss of 1,8 t C/ha/year606152C en t/ha

9,59,79,7C/N

Loss of 180 kg N/ha/year6 3006 3005 400N total kg/ha

2,12,11,8N total g/kg

98100 86OM %

Loss of 2,8 t OM/ha/year10110389OM t/ha

33,634,429,6OM g/kg

666,8pH

No-TillReducedTillage

Plow

Source: laboratoire d’analyse Coopagri Bretagne, Landerneau - 29 (Hypothesis for bulk density soil = 1)

General equation of Environment degradation in Agriculture is confirmed in the trial « Comparative Fields » in Maure de Bretagne (35 France)

EU : Principle and SolutionsHigh production potential with CO2 captation,allowed by Soil Conservation Technologies

1) 1) CoveredCovered soilsoil all the all the yearyear ( basic = ( basic = ecosystemecosystem model)model)2) 2) IntensifyIntensify COCO22 captation by captation by photosynthesisphotosynthesis

3) 3) OrganicOrganic mattermatter soilsoil managementmanagement4) Recycle 4) Recycle carboncarbon for the societyfor the society

=Improvement of food and biomass

production

EnergyEnergy productionproductionEnergetic biomass

Biofuel 1st and 2nd générationProtein (Food and feed independence)

LivestockLivestockFeedFeed

BiodiversityBiodiversity

Successfull sequence APAD/BASECrop production : farming system of 60 ha

SCV = No tillage on permanent covered soil (Source : CIRAD)

5 years rotation

Peas Barley Wheat WheatCCCCCCCCCCCCCorn CCCC

Today SCV = SCV = BiomassBiomass and and biodiversitybiodiversity

Successfull sequence APAD/BASECrop production : farming system of 60 ha

SCV = No tillage on permanent covered soil (Source : CIRAD)

5 years rotation

Peas Barley Wheat WheatCCCCCCCCCCCCCorn CCCC

Today SCV = SCV = BiomassBiomass and and biodiversitybiodiversity

Turnipfodder

EarlySoya Buckwheat

EarlySorghum

= 2 T = 2 T grain/hagrain/ha

= 2 T = 2 T grain/hagrain/ha

= 2 T = 2 T grain/hagrain/ha

= 10 = 10 --15 T15 Tbiomassbiomass/ha/ha

SCV = SCV = BiomassBiomass and and energyenergyTomorow

Succeed sequence APAD/BASECrop production : farming system of 60 ha

SCV = No tillage on permanent covered soil (Source : CIRAD)

5 years rotation

Peas Barley Wheat WheatCCCCCCCCCCCCCorn CCCC

Today SCV = SCV = BiomassBiomass and and biodiversitybiodiversity

Turnipfodder

EarlySoya Buckwheat

EarlySorghum

= 2 T = 2 T grain/hagrain/ha

= 2 T = 2 T grain/hagrain/ha

= 2 T = 2 T grain/hagrain/ha

= 10 = 10 --15 T15 Tbiomassbiomass/ha/ha

PotentialPotential6 T grain/ha/5years

10 T biomass/ha/5years

= 1,2 T/ha/= 1,2 T/ha/yearyear = 72 T/= 72 T/yearyear (60 ha)(60 ha)

= 2T/ha/= 2T/ha/yearyear = 120 T/= 120 T/yearyear (60 ha)(60 ha)

SCV = SCV = BiomassBiomass and and energyenergyTomorow

Extrapolation France

SCV SCV BreedingBreeding

SCV SCV EnergyEnergy

SCV SCV EnvironmentEnvironment

18,5 millions ha of arable 18,5 millions ha of arable soilssoils in Francein France

(Source : agreste. Agriculture)

Development of SCV Energy

30 % total area = 6 millions ha

PotentialPotential energyenergy productionproduction

7 millions metric tons of grain= 2 millions tons Biofuel 1 st génération= 5 millions tons of cake,and…

12 millions tons of biomass

Extrapolation European Union

SCV SCV BreedingBreeding

SCV SCV EnergyEnergy

SCV SCV EnvironmentEnvironment

97 millions ha of arable 97 millions ha of arable soilssoilsin Europe (25)in Europe (25)

(Source : agreste. Agriculture)

Development of SCV Energy50 % total area ? = 50 millions ha

PotentialPotential energyenergy productionproduction

60 millions metric tons of grain

= 20 millions tons Biofuel 1 st génération= 40 millions tons of cake,and …

100 millions tons of biomass

ConclusionTo developp SoCo Project

A policy : soil protectionCarbon sequestration

A tool = soil protection

AllowsAllows duringduring 20 20 yearsyears to to adaptadapt agriculture to agriculture to climateclimate change change + + AssociatedAssociated ecologicalecological servicesservices

Carbon in with photosynthesis

Carbon out with respiration

Carbon Cycle

C

- more wildlife- increased capacity to handle manure and other wast es

- gives soil aesthetic appeal- increased adsorption of pesticides

- increased diversity of microflora- increased nutrient cycling and storage

- increased biological activity- increased soil buffer capacity

- reduced fertilizer inputs

- increased water holding capacity

- increased cation exchange capacity- reduced soil erosion

- improved water quality

- improved infiltration, less runoff- decreased soil compaction

- improved soil tilth and structure- reduced air pollution

- increased water use efficiency

Environmental

bene

fitsp

in-o

ffs

D.C. ReicoskyUSDA ARS MWA, 2002EcologicalEcological servicesservices

SoCo Project

European Experts

Farmers Associations experimenting

Conservation Agriculture

A collaborative project for the future ofAgriculture in Europe