Development of sustainable farming systems on mountainous, low fertility grazing land in South America

Objective

PROBLEM ANALYSIS:
Millions of hectares of low grade pasture exists in South America on its mountainous land, formerly covered by forest.
- The soils are of low fertility with their "A horizon" already eroded. - Loss of primary forest owing to grazing and cultivation
- Large properties exist in the area but will not be included in the project - Lifestock farming systems face low productivity, erosion and emigrationproblems
- High intensity cropping/ley farming systems create problems oferosion and soil contamination; the agrochemicals contaminate water andpose health problems
OBJECTIVES:
- To develop economically viable, socially
acceptable and environmentally sound farming systems
- Increase supply of unpolluted agricultural produce to the urban markets - Protection of forest remnants; integration of agroforestry in the farming systems.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
A holistic approach to
- Give equal importance for socio-economic and biophysical factors - Consider the past and future dynamics along with spatial components - Give importance for farmers' participation in research activities
PROJECT LAYOUT ACTIVITIES:
The local partners from Brazil and Bolivia and 2 European institutions University of Karlsruhe and CSIC Barcelona) will cooperate.
Research work will be carried out in three areas where these problems are acute: two in Brazil (Mata Atlantica region) and one in Bolivia.
The main research tools will be:
- For diagnosis: Evaluation of statistics; in-house-research; analysis of soil, water and produce samples; interpretation of air photos and application of Geographic Information Systems
- For experimentation: On-farm-research on production technology and erosion.
Further activities include training; dissemination of results and publications.

Fields of science

• agricultural sciences › agriculture, forestry, and fisheries › agriculture › sustainable agriculture
• natural sciences › earth and related environmental sciences › physical geography › cartography › geographic information systems
• social sciences › sociology › demography › fertility
• social sciences › economics and business › economics › production economics › productivity

Programme(s)

• FP3-STD 3 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of the life sciences and technologies for developing countries, 1990-1994

Topic(s)

Data not available

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

Universität Karlsruhe (Technische Hochschule)

Address

12,kaiserstraße
76128 Karlsruhe
Germany

Participants (3)

CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS

Spain

Address

18-26,jordi Girona 18-26
08034 Barcelona

Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária

Brazil

Address

1024,rua Jardim Botanico
22460 Rio De Janeiro

Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia

Brazil

Address

82,av. Venezuela
20081-310 Rio De Janeiro