EcologicalEcologicalintensificationintensification ofof

agriculturalagricultural productionproductionELELÍÍAS FERERESAS FERERES

IASIAS--CSIC CSIC andand Univ. Univ. ofof CCÓÓRDOBA, SPAINRDOBA, SPAIN

ECOLOGICAL INTENSIFICATION?

STAY AWAY FROM BUZZ WORDS!

The question of scale: from molecules to crop communities

J. Passioura, 2010

AGRONOMISTS WORK AT MULTIPLE SCALES

What is ecological intensification?

CARRY OUT INTENSIFICATION ACCORDING TO THE ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES WHICH GOVERN

THE FUNCTIONING OF CROP PLANT COMMUNITIES(& FARMERS’ FIELDS, FARMS, AND REGIONS)

INTENSIFICATION ~ PRODUCTIVITY INCREASE

OUTPUTP=

INPUT

REDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FARMINGREDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FARMING

1. Intensification of an extensive agricultural system:Wheat in Australia

EXAMPLES OF INTENSIFICATION

From R. A. Fischer, 2009

THE SALINAS VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

Are

a(h

a)

1979 1989 1999 2009Year Source: Monterey Co. Ag Commisioner

Evolution of horticultural crops (herbaceous) in Monterey Co., California

0

1000

2000

3000

4000Actual valueCPI

1979 1989 1999 2009

Cro

pVa

lue

(Mill

ions

dolla

rs)

Year

Evolution of horticultural crops (herbaceous) in Monterey Co., California

Source: Monterey Co. Ag Commisioner

Rel

ativ

ein

crem

enti

n su

rface

area

orva

lue

(%)

100

110

120

130

140

150

160

1979-89 1989-99 1999-2009

AreaValue

This reflects a large investment in private sector breeding andpublic sector research, combined with modern farming and favourable

soils & climate

CR

OP

YIEL

D

100%

Ym

YmjYex

Yp

BENCHMARKING: QUANTIFYING THE YIELD GAP

POTENTIAL ACTUAL

THEGAP

UNDERSTANDING THE UNDERLYING CAUSES

• ON ECOLOGICAL INTENSIFICATION(the need for benchmarking; no silver

bullet, multiple drivers for closing the yieldgap)

• CROPPING SYSTEMS ASSESSMENT ( tools integrating farm surveys,

simulation models for evaluation/simulationof cropping systems required toformulate strategies for EI of production; assessment of sustainability)

CONTRIBUTIONS TO ESA 2010

CHALLENGES FACED BY ECOLOGICAL INTENSIFICATION:

-CLIMATE CHANGE(Modelling CC effects in Europe; impact,

adaptation, and mitigation and their interactions)

- DEALING WITH INCREASING PEST PRESSURES

(New wave exploring the interactionsbetween crop protection and agronomy; efforts toreduce pesticide use; approaches to developintegrated crop management; working at multiplescales)

CONTRIBUTIONS TO ESA 2010

INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO CONSERVE RESOURCES UNDER ECOLOGICAL INTENSIFICATION

(Through: the design of integratedcropping systems; intercropping of

annuals and agroforestry; use of catchcrops in organic farming; crop rotations

dynamics; conservation tillage)

CONTRIBUTIONS TO ESA 2010

DEALING WITH CHANGE AND WITH VARIABILITY

THANK YOU!