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Wratten et al. / Agro Sur 47(2): 1-6, 2019 DOI:10.4206/agrosur.2019.v47n2-01

Prospects for regenerative in

Posibilidades para la agricultura regenerativa en Chile

Wratten, S.D.a*, Shields, M.W.a, González-Chang, M.b ,c

a Bio-Protection Research Centre, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand. b Departamento de Ciencias Naturales y Tecnología, Universidad de Aysén, Coyhaique, Chile. c Centro de Investigación en Suelos Volcánicos, Universidad Austral de Chile, , Chile.

A R T I C L E I N F O ven by changes in -use practices (Bennetzen et al., 2016). The main consequence has been loss Article history: Received: 14.04.2019 (Sala et al., 2000). A very worrying example of this is that Accepted: 15.07.2019 and reptile species extinct since 1970, as consumption Keywords: activities have made 60% of , , fish of and resources by the global human population has de-stabilised the ‘web of life’ (Carrington and Watts, - View Point, tem functions provided by at an alarming rate 2018). In more scientific language, we are losing ecosys *Corresponding author: and with that, (nature’s) services are decli- Steve Wratten ning rapidly. Examples are declines in , preda- E-mail address: tion of pests and services. The seriousness of these [email protected] losses was recently reported by workers at the Univer-

100 remaining before that country’s are nosity longer of Sheffield, suitable UK, for who growing predicted that (Dunnett, Britain 2014). has only A global perspective, why we need a greener Compounding the above threats to future farming agriculture? was the evidence found by Vitousek et al. (1997), who showed that half the circulating in the earth’s “I am a photosynthesis manager and an ecosystem- fresh and salt water, soil and atmosphere is anthropo- service provider”. This profound statement was made by genic. This means that it is based on the use of fossil a Swedish some years ago (Wratten, 2018). Few and put there indirectly by mankind. In fact, we describe their occupation in this way. However, are now considered to be living in the Anthropocene in there is a major body of giving substantial evi- which man’s activities are affecting the earth at a global dence that current high-input farming (Figure 1) has scale (Zalasiewicz et al., 2010). has no future without changes to its approach (Pretty et al., risen 2.5-fold since 1960 and yet per-capita food pro- 2018). One reason for this view is that agriculture is one duction has grown by only 50% over the same period of the main causes of climate disturbance, largely dri- (Tilman, 1999). Achieving that growth in food produc-

Figure 1. The ‘perfect monoculture’. Here, lettuce is used as an example. Canterbury, New Zealand. Photo: Alistair Pullin. Figura 1. El ´monocultivo perfecto´. Aquí, lechuga se utiliza como un ejemplo. Canterbury, Nueva Zelanda. Foto: Alistair Pullin.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE 1 Wratten et al. / Agro Sur 47(2): 1-6, 2019 tion through orthodox agricultural practices has been graded agricultural (LaCanne and Lund- the largest cause of -gas emissions, gross gren, 2018). Thus, the principles behind regenerative consumptive over-use of , loading of nu- agriculture include abandoning , eliminating trients into the biosphere (nitrogen and ) spatio-temporal consequences of bare soil, enhancing and a major cause of pollution due to (Cam- diversity on the and integrating pbell et al., 2017). and crops in farm operations (LaCanne and Lundgren, Predictions for future production and its negative 2018). In this sense, could be consequences are dire, so a new approach is sorely ne- considered as a connected series of agricultural prac- eded. In fact, De Schutter (2010), reported to the Uni- tices that can be applied in agroecological farming ted Nations that if agroecology was adopted by major systems (Figure 2). The latter framework goes beyond food-producing nations, global food yields would dou- ble in one decade. “ as usual” cannot possibly seeking a paradigm shift in the conception and deve- achieve that. Recognising this, there is a high and in- lopmentenhancing of onlythe wholeproduction food weband involvedefficiency in in conventio by- nal agricultural systems, from an economic, social and (Bommarco et al., 2013), which can be perceived as a ecological perspective (Dumont et al., 2018; Gliessman, transitionalcreasing level step of interest towards in ‘sustainablean agroecological intensification’ system - because it uses ecological principles to promote agro- logy of food systems” (Francis et al., 2003). 2018).Pretty Thus, et agroecologyal. (2018), recentlyhas been estimateddefined as thatthe “eco 163 This apparently oxymoronic statement has to a large million farms (29% of all worldwide) have crossed a extentecosystem been sustainabilitysupplanted by (Struikthe term and ‘regenerative Kuyper, 2017). agri- - ’, which is partly based on restoring ecological tion on 453 million hectares of (9% functions by promoting functional biodiversity in de- ofredesign worldwide threshold, total). practising The implications sustainable of this intensifica are pro-

Figure 2 Figura 2. . A diversified agroecological farm. Santa Cruz, . Photo: Mauricio González-Chang. Una granja agroecológica diversificada. Santa Cruz, California. Foto: Mauricio González-Chang. 2 SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE ... found but the key challenge is the development of im- ge through agroecology is the only approach with good plementation pathways to help farmers effect changes prospects for mitigating hunger in the long term (War- of this type. It would not be an exaggeration to say that ner, 2006; De Schutter, 2010). The aim of this view- most , , and fertilisers point is to discuss potential barriers for a widespread are wasted worldwide, with obvious economic, social adoption of agroecological principles that can enhance and environmental implications. Recent evidence of functional biodiversity in large-scale farming systems this comes from the work of LaCanne and Lundgren in Chile, through regenerative agriculture. (2018), who showed that corn () treated with insecticides had approximately 130 individuals Can regenerative agriculture be widely adopted in m-2, while that in which some form of regenera- Chile? tive agriculture had been practised (but no insectici- des used) had fewer than 20 pests m-2. The importan- is the second-most relevant ce of this dramatic and surprising result is reinforced primary economic activity after , contributing by another recent publication by Fausti et al. (2018), to 7.3% to GDP, in which the production of , ve- which showed that use on genetically mo- getables, , milk, and wine are the most im- portant (ODEPA, 2017). As in many parts of the world, 1969 even though the GM corn used was intended to a high proportion of the Chilean agricultural area is do- reducedified corn numbers in South of some Dakota, pests. USA, This has increase increased in insecti since- minated by that have a profound impact cide use was derived largely from an increasing relian- on the environment and human health. For example, in ce on monocultural corn rather than mixed-cropping Petorca, Valparaiso region, the monocultural produc- agriculture. Such increases can lead to insecticide re- tion of has been using water from rivers at un- sistance so that some species can assume pest precedented rates, with consequences from not only a status which would not be the case if pesticides were hydrological and ecological perspective, but also from not used. A key example is the brown plant hopper a social and ethical one where the quantity of availa- (Niliparvata lugens Stål) on which did not have ble water for human consumption has been reduced pest status until prophylactic use became the (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/ et al., 2016). may/17/chilean-villagers-claim-british-appetite-for- Now, broad-spectrum pesticides are being sold as -is-draining-region-dry). This could be ter- ‘fast-movingnorm (K.L. Heong consumer in Gurr goods’ in many Asian rural out- med ‘consumptive agriculture’. In the latter example, lets, together with food and other items. In some parts regenerative agriculture could increase water availa- of Asia, the level of farmers’ is so low that bility in soils by enhancing functional biodiversity, as they are unable to decide on the merits or otherwise demonstrated in different parts of the world where of these products (Wyckhuys et al., 2018), which are biodiversity has been promoted (Lin, 2010; Wratten et promoted widely by pesticide companies (Reganold al., 2012; Altieri et al., 2015). Furthermore, from Valpa- raiso to the , some farms that grow vege- Heong (personal ) considers that inte- tables as monocultures spray synthetic agro-chemicals gratedand Wachter, pest management 2016). Because (IPM) ofis “dead” this approach, in many cou K.L.- up to 12 times season-1 (González-Chang, personal ob- servation). This un-regulated use of agro-chemicals se- IPM approach is crop scouting in which pest numbers verely damages human health, as recently highlighted arentries. assessed One reason regularly, for thisideally is that in relation the first to step economic in any by that found cognitive alterations of agri- injury levels (EILs). Many worldwide no culture and non-agriculture workers related to orga- longer support this activity so EILs do not exist and nophosphate applications in the Maule region (Muñoz- prophylaxis often takes their place as a consequence. Quezada et al., 2017; Pizarro et al., 2018). Regenerative The above information presents a serious challenge agriculture can reduce the need for pesticide use in pest to feeding the human population now and in the futu- control (LaCanne and Lundgren, 2018) by the addition re. Developed countries frequently express their wish to help feed those impoverished populations but apart provide shelter, , alternative food sources for from situations, exporting food in bulk is not an naturalof non-crop enemies , and pollen such (SNAP) as flowering (Gurr et al., 2017; that appropriate solution. An alternative approach is expor- González-Chang, et al., 2019), as recently demonstra- ting agricultural knowledge to these countries but if et al., 2016). Moreover, this implies sending established ‘western’ methods to industrialised livestock production of pigs and poultry the developing world, this will compound existing pro- inted the in central Asian ricearea fields of Chile (Gurr (mainly in the O’Higgins re- et al., 2009), gion) is currently in question by environmental organi- farmer to farmer strategies (Holt-Giménez, 2008), agro- zations, municipalities and the public, especially when ecologicalblems. Using lighthouses farmer (Nicholls schools and (Amudavi Altieri, 2018), and considering aspects of human wellbeing related to un- other ways of communicating and implementing chan- pleasant odours and produced by such

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE 3 Wratten et al. / Agro Sur 47(2): 1-6, 2019 an industrialised activity (http://www.magisteren- advance of agroecology in Chile that has mainly bene- periodismo.com/reportajes2018/tag/empresas-que- contaminan/). Through enhancing functional biodiver- such techniques amongst large-scale farmers. Despite sity to , regenerative agriculture can increase thatfited asmall small farmers, number thereof is still anda lack berry of adoption companies of resistance to climatic changes, such as have adopted agroecological principles on their farms (Tilman et al., 2006; Altieri et al., 2015) and provide (Montalba et al., 2016), a lack of a widespread adop- multiple ecosystem services, which in turn can enhan- tion amongst large-scale farmers is possibly by politi- ce animal and human wellbeing (Dumont et al., 2018). cal reasons, pressures from agro-chemical companies, In New Zealand, establishing plants of Miscanthus x and driven by a historical interest for studying mono- giganteus cultural systems by Chilean universities, as has been improved several ecosystem services, such as pollina- seen elsewhere as well (Reganold and Wachter, 2016). tion, water Greef conservation, et Deu, atbiomass the edge production, of pasture nitrogen fields Because agroecology has an ideological and political supply, soil quality and conservation of endemic lizards component amongst its (Wezel et al., 2009), it (Littlejohn et al., 2019). That Miscanthus work, as well may deter some farmers with different political incli- as successful examples presented in recent research nations in its adoption. Thus, regenerative agriculture (Gurr et al., 2016, 2017; LaCanne and Lundgren, 2018; can be considered as a network of practices based on Nicholls and Altieri, 2018; González-Chang et al., 2019; enhancing farm biodiversity and ecosystem functions, Shields et al., 2019), could inspire Chilean agronomists, and then, it can help at reducing the environmental and farmers, scientists and policy makers to promote bio- human health problems that Chilean workers and far- diversity-based agricultural systems. However, such mers face without making a profound change in large- implementation is not just a matter of “copy and paste” of techniques but requires an understanding of the eco- step to change Chile’s current industrialised agricultu- logical dynamics and potential ecosystem dis-services ralscale paradigm. farmers’ political ideals. This could be the first that any agricultural management could have. There- fore, the lack of widespread adoption of biodiversity- when it is applied, in which agriculture in Chile can based farming techniques in Chile and elsewhere is changed,Finally, especially basic scientific considering research that is notChilean the onlyfunds way, to probably related to a lack of ecological protocols that farmers can easily apply. Thus, one of the impediments lowest investment in science amongst OCDE countries that affects the creation of these protocols is that lo- (performhttp://www.oecd.org/sti/inno/researchanddevelop scientific research are only 0.36 % of GDP, the- - mentstatisticsrds.htm). Under this scenario, producing sily apply is usually unavailable (González-Chang et enough agro-ecological protocols for all the different alcally., 2019; tested Shields scientific et al .,knowledge 2019). Once that research farmers is canable ea to growing regions in Chile is a challenge that must also produce applied ecological protocols for conventiona- be faced by the , policy makers and stake- lly managed farms, and when adequate channels that holders. Therefore, a paradigm shift from conventional spread that knowledge amongst farmers exist, such as to regenerative agriculture and then to agroecology needs to articulate different parts of society, so these agroecological lighthouses, regenerative agriculture changes are not only produced by particular ecological canfarmer truly field help schools, in producing farmer a to change farmer in strategies conventional and protocols but also by a change in how food production, Chilean agricultural systems, from monoculture to di- from the soil to the consumer, is perceived and valued amongst the public (Francis et al., 2003; Gliessman, agroecological lighthouses (i.e., an agroecological de- 2018). Thus, such a paradigm shift can be jointly led monstrativeversified . farm) in Chile Ais remarkablethe experience example carried of by Chilean universities, farmers, consumers and the go- out by CET (Centro de Educación y Tecnología), a non- vernment, effectively promoting substantial changes in governmental organisation (NGO) that since the 1980s Chilean agricultural systems, a change which is sorely has been promoting agroecological practices amongst needed for Chilean agriculture to meet the major cha- llenges facing global agriculture in the coming decades. sovereignty (Nicholls and Altieri, 2018). In the last 20 years,small farmersmore than enhancing 130,000 they people self-sufficiency had visited and CET food in the Biobío region, 85% of which have been small far- REFERENCES mers, highlighting the key role of this agroecological Altieri, M.A., Nicholls, C.I., Henao, A., Lana, M.A., 2015. 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