Towards Sustainable Agriculture in Chile, Reflections on the Role of Public Policy

Abstract

Given the increasing demand for agricultural products and the environmental degradation that current agricultural practices generate, there is an urgent need to change the activity. Sustainable agriculture emerges as an attractive alternative to mitigate the adverse effects of the activity on the environment, increase its resilience to global change, and increase the current population’s quality of life without sacrificing that of future generations. However, identifying effective policies that can achieve these goals remains elusive. In Chile, this sector has been one of the drivers of growth and poverty reduction but still faces many environmental and social challenges, and there is a growing public demand for achieving sustainability from an economic, environmental, and social perspective. Public and private institutions have made relevant efforts to increase Chilean agriculture sustainability. However, the need to transition towards sustainable agriculture is still not recognized by all stakeholders. In this article, we review current challenges and policies to achieve a more sustainable agriculture in Chile.

Industrial oilseed crops in Chile: Current situation and future potential

“…In Chile, the agricultural and forestry sector is the second most important sector after the mining sector, representing approximately 30.5% of national exports 105 . Chile is one of the main producers of vegetables and fruits 106 and one of the most relevant exporters worldwide 95,106 .…”

“…In Chile, the agricultural and forestry sector is the second most important sector after the mining sector, representing approximately 30.5% of national exports. 105 Chile is one of the main producers of vegetables and fruits 106 and one of the most relevant exporters worldwide. 95,106 There are many reasons for this, including trade agreements with relevant international markets, geographical isolation and favorable climatic conditions.…”

Economic Evaluation of Bioremediation of Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Urban Soils in Chile

“…It has been previously reported that these polluted sites include 740 tailings, of which 23.3% are abandoned [32]. Soil contamination associated with agricultural and forestry production systems includes excessive utilization of fertilizers and pesticides, resulting in diffuse contamination across nearby areas [33,34]. The contamination of soils by other chemicals, such as petroleum derivatives and organochlorines, has mainly been associated with industrial activities outside the boundaries of cities.…”

Analisis Pengembangan Model Pertanian Berkelanjutan yang Memperhatikan Aspek Sosial dan Ekonomi di Jawa Tengah

“…lingkungan, meningkatkan ketahanannya terhadap perubahan global, dan meningkatkan kualitas hidup penduduk saat ini tanpa mengorbankan kualitas hidup generasi mendatang (Melo et al, 2021).…”

“…Namun, kebutuhan untuk bertransisi menuju pertanian berkelanjutan masih belum disadari oleh semua pemangku kepentingan. Kebijakan yang efektif diperlukan untuk mencapai keberlanjutan dari perspektif ekonomi, lingkungan, dan sosial (Melo et al, 2021). Pendekatan ekosistem terhadap kesehatan merupakan kerangka kerja yang menjanjikan untuk mendukung upaya pertanian berkelanjutan.…”