Novel Technological and Management Options for Accelerating Transformational Changes in Rice and Livestock Systems

Abstract

Agricultural producers grapple with low farm yields and declining ecosystem services within their landscapes. In several instances, agricultural production systems may be considered largely unsustainable in socioeconomic and ecological (resource conservation and use and impact on nature) terms. Novel technological and management options that can serve as vehicles to promote the provision of multiple benefits, including the improvement of smallholder livelihoods, are needed. We call for a paradigm shift to allow designing and implementing agricultural systems that are not only efficient (serving as a means to promote development based on the concept of creating more goods and services while using fewer resources and creating less waste) but can also be considered synergistic (symbiotic relationship between socio-ecological systems) by simultaneously contributing to major objectives of economic, ecological, and social (equity) improvement of agro-ecosystems. These transformations require strategic approaches that are supported by participatory system-level research, experimentation, and innovation. Using data from several studies, we here provide evidence for technological and management options that could be optimized, promoted, and adopted to enable agricultural systems to be efficient, effective, and, indeed, sustainable. Specifically, we present results from a study conducted in Colombia, which demonstrated that, in rice systems, improved water management practices such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) reduce methane emissions (~70%). We also show how women can play a key role in AWD adoption. For livestock systems, we present in vitro evidence showing that the use of alternative feed options such as cassava leaves contributes to livestock feed supplementation and could represent a cost-effective approach for reducing enteric methane emissions (22% to 55%). We argue that to design and benefit from sustainable agricultural systems, there is a need for better targeting of interventions that are co-designed, co-evaluated, and co-promoted, with farmers as allies of transformational change (as done in the climate-smart villages), not as recipients of external knowledge. Moreover, for inclusive sustainability that harnesses existing knowledge and influences decision-making processes across scales, there is a need for constant, efficient, effective, and real trans-disciplinary communication and collaboration.

Potential of Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Cultivars to Mitigate Methane Emissions from Irrigated Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean

“…Another study conducted in Uruguay, using the same commercial variety El Paso 144, also reported higher cumulative emissions ranging from 208.0 to 249.0 kg CH 4 ha − 1 (Tarlera et al, 2016). In Colombia, a study conducted using the commercial variety FEDEARROZ-60 reported lower cumulative emissions of 7.5 and 19.5 kg CH 4 ha − 1 in 2015 and 2016, respectively (Chirinda et al, 2017). In Brazil, CH 4 cumulative emissions observed for variety IRGA, 424 were 303.0-424.0 kg CH 4 ha − 1 (Zschornack et al, 2016) which was higher than those reported in the present study.…”

Sustainable and Low Greenhouse Gas Emitting Rice Production in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Review on the Transition from Ideality to Reality

“…Several studies conducted in LAC have reported a decrease in CH 4 emissions for AWD compared to continuous flooding: in Uruguay a 55% decrease was observed [58] and in Brazil a 25-45% decrease was seen with intermittent irrigation [25,29]. A recent study conducted in Colombia reported a 70% decrease [33]. The reduction in CH 4 emissions has been attributed to changes in soil redox conditions [29,59].…”

“…It appears that water pricing mechanisms, whereby water is priced on a volumetric rather than an area basis, were critical factors in incentivizing the wide-spread adoption of AWD in China. Similar proposals have been made to incentivize AWD adoption in LAC [33], however, as is the case in China, a change in the pricing mechanisms would require strong political will.…”

“…In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of studies aimed at quantifying GHG emission from rice systems in LAC [25,[28][29][30][31][32][33]. The aim of this review is to explore the state of knowledge of GHG emissions and mitigation strategies for rice systems in LAC.…”

Ambition Meets Reality: Achieving GHG Emission Reduction Targets in the Livestock Sector of Latin America

“…Latin America has a significant opportunity to accelerate the transformation of its cattle sector through a wide implementation of novel technological options, such as the use of alternative feed options (Chirinda et al, 2017). However, such options require the decisive actions and support of governments at local and national levels and the engagement of both the private sector and all key local institutions (Serna et al, 2017).…”