This is the VOA SpecialEnglish AGRICULTURE REPORT.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is warningfarmers about damage caused by heavy farm equipment, such astractors and ploughs. F-A-O officials say repeated use of suchequipment is a major cause of soil loss and land damage indeveloping countries.
The officials say traditional methods to clear fields have beenlinked to soil loss, especially in warmer climates. They sayintensive use of heavy machines also causes soil damage inindustrial countries.
F-A-O officials say millions of hectares of land could beprotected from damage and soil loss if more farmers followedconservation agriculture policies.
The goal of conservation agriculture is to protect, improve andmake more effective use of nature. Farmers supervise their crops aswell as water supplies, soil, and plant and animal life.
Conservation agriculture policies are designed to protect theenvironment and increase agricultural production. Farmers arerequired to cover their land with leaves, sticks and other organicmaterials. This natural cover protects the soil from heat, wind andrain. It also keeps the soil cooler and helps to stop water fromevaporating.
F-A-O officials say less time spent clearing fields means lowerfuel and labor costs. It also means farmers need to spend less forheavy machines.
Supporters of conservation agriculture also are careful whenusing chemicals to kill insects. Over the years, they are able todecrease the amount of pesticides they use on their crops.
The F-A-O reports that such methods are being used on aboutfifty-eight million hectares of land worldwide. The U-N agency isespecially pleased with the spread of conservation agriculture inLatin America.
For example, in the past, farmers in Santa Catarina, Brazildepended on heavy machines, pesticides and fertilizer products. Manyfarmers grew the same crop, corn, from one year to the next. Thefarmers reported increasing soil damage. The productivity of theirfarms decreased.
The F-A-O says the farmers started to use other methods offarming. Now the farmers use conservation agriculture methods onmore than one-third of the state’s total farmland.
The F-A-O says it plans to expand its conservation agricultureprogram in Africa, Central Asia and South Asia.
This VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT was written by GeorgeGrow.