In the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) together with its member countries, there has been increasing recognition of the need for a holistic consideration of agricultural systems, livelihoods and food security. The Strategic Framework of FAO (2000-2015) established a set of cross-cutting programme areas for interdisciplinary action known as Priority Area for Interdisciplinary Action (PAIAs). In particular, the contribution of the Agriculture Department of FAO to the interdisciplinary programmes on biodiversity for food and agriculture (PAIA-BIOD) and on integrated production systems (PAIA-PRODS) is encouraging a more integrated approach for the sustainable management of land and water resources, biological resources and ecosystems with a view to promoting sustainable and productive agriculture.
Substantial efforts are underway to strengthen agricultural biodiversity considerations through improved understanding, capacity building, including methods and tools development, as well as partnerships and networking. In addition to strengthening the genetic resources dimension in terms of in-situ conservation through sustainable use, and providing an enabling environment to farmers through addressing socio-economic and policy issues, there is now a greater focus on crop- and livestock-associated biodiversity that contributes to ecosystem functioning, including pollinators, beneficial predators and integrated pest management (IPM), and soil biodiversity. Simultaneously, in terms of managing the land and water resource base, this includes a more holistic approach for addressing declining soil fertility, land degradation and drought, and other land-related constraints through an integrated land resources management approach. A recent change has been a move away from the conventional focus on overcoming soil chemical and physical constraints (such as nutrient deficiencies, salinity and compaction) to a focus on soil health through an approach centred on soil biological management, and interactions among components of the system (soil, water, plant and livestock) and human management practices. Such an ecosystem approach requires attention to the wider socio-economic considerations and the farming context.
The 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has fuelled increasing interest in agricultural biodiversity. Led by environmental bodies, the initial focus was on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and on the fair and equitable sharing of benefits in systems other than agricultural systems. However, efforts of FAO and many other human development organizations and delegates who recognized the importance and specific nature of biodiversity important for food and agriculture led to the development and adoption, in 1996, of a programme of work for the conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity (Decision III/11). The programme elements and priorities have developed gradually through subsequent efforts by concerned stakeholders, scientific and technical reviews, and decisions of the Parties to the convention.
Of particular relevance to this workshop, and as a result of the information coordinated and provided by FAO, the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the CBD decided (COP Decision VI/5, April 2002): “to establish an International Initiative for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Soil Biodiversity as a cross-cutting initiative within the programme of work on agricultural biodiversity, taking into account case studies which may cover the full range of ecosystem services provided by soil biodiversity and associated socio-economic factors, and inviting FAO, and other relevant organizations, to facilitate and co-ordinate this initiative”. (http://www.biodiv.org/programmes/agro/decisions.asp)
In striving for productive and sustainable agriculture, there is a need to promote a concerted effort among concerned disciplines to understand the complex soil-water-plant interactions, the role and importance of soil biological processes, and the impacts of farmers’ management practices. Moreover, it is necessary to achieve worldwide recognition of the need to conserve soil health and function as the basis for human life on the planet. In this light, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) and FAO joined forces to organize the International Technical Workshop on Biological Management of Soil Ecosystems for Sustainable Agriculture, hosted by EMBRAPA-Soybean in Londrina, Brazil, 24-27 June, 2002. The FAO-Netherlands Partnership Programme (FNPP) was the primary source of funding for the workshop.
This workshop is the first step by FAO to consider the issue of soil biodiversity and sustainable agriculture comprehensively at a technical level, reflecting the renewed interest in agro-ecological approaches for sustaining productive agricultural systems. The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) welcomed a background paper on this issue at its 17th session (2002), and the CGFRA and the Committee on Agriculture (COAG), to which it reports, could provide guidance as to the role and cooperation of the organization in response to the proposed CBD initiative, in accordance with FAO’s mandate, priorities and programme of work and budget.
The overall aim of this technical workshop was to review current understanding and knowledge of the biological management of soil ecosystems and assessment of soil health, and to identify useful methods, tools and lessons learned that can provide the basis for the development and promotion of land use systems and management practices that enhance soil quality and its ecological functions. The workshop provided a diverse and dynamic forum for: (i) sharing experiences among experts from each region; (ii) discussing the principles and practices of integrated soil biological and ecosystem management; and (iii) identifying priorities for cooperative action.
“Soil biodiversity per se may not be a soil property that is critical for the production of a given crop, but it may be vital for the continued capacity of the soil to support that cropping system.”
(Doran and Parkin, 1994)
Practising agriculture means selecting a few species of plants or animals that are useful or edible, and modifying their environment to provide them with nutrients (food), water and air, so that they grow in the best conditions. The resulting agricultural ecosystems or agro-ecosystems are those ‘ecosystems that are used for agriculture’. These are found in most areas and their interactions with human activities, taking into consideration socio-economic and policy considerations and sociocultural diversity, are determinant. The biological diversity of these agro-ecosystems, hereafter referred to as agricultural biodiversity, reflects the whole range of biodiversity from genetic and species level to ecosystem level, although until recent years the focus was more on plant and animal diversity. The development of the ecosystem approach as the primary framework for action under the CBD is enabling due attention to be paid to the interactions among components of the system, with human activity at the centre, to the complex food webs and functions of the system and to the less tangible attributes of landscape diversity.
The agricultural biodiversity work programme of the CBD focuses on assessing the status and trends of the world’s agricultural biodiversity and of their underlying causes, as well as of local knowledge of its management. It also works to identify and promote adaptive management practices, technologies, policies and incentives. The aims of the work programme as outlined in COP Decision III/1, paragraph 1, are:
to promote the positive effects and mitigate the negative impacts of agricultural practices on biological diversity in agro-ecosystems and their interface with other ecosystems;
to promote the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources of actual or potential value for food and agriculture;
to promote the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
The expert meeting on agri-biodiversity held by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Zurich (November 2001) made several recommendations concerning the measuring of the environmental performance of agriculture. These related mainly to the establishment of useful and relevant indicators within a common, flexible and transparent framework that could be integrated into policy monitoring in member countries involving a wide range of stakeholders and contributing to other international initiatives related to developing indicators. It was recognized that a major challenge facing OECD member and non-member countries is the need to reconcile expanding agricultural production with meeting national and international objectives and commitments for the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity and sustainable land resources management, given the projected need to increase global food production by over 20 percent by 2020 in order to meet the growing demands of expanding human and animal populations.
The most vital link between sustainable land management and productive agriculture is provided by the functions of diverse soil organisms in response to land use and human management practices. However, there is very limited recognition in the agriculture and environment sectors of the wide range and huge populations of soil biota that exist in most healthy soils, or of the multiple and essential functions they perform. Moreover, there has been limited and fragmented work to improve understanding of such services and to enhance their value in terms of economic, food security and environmental benefits through improved management. Although in-depth research has examined certain organisms and specific functions, this has tended to neglect a more holistic approach to managing soil life.
Farmers’ management practices and land use decisions influence ecological processes and soil-water-plant interactions. Indeed, through their decisions, farmers seek to manage soil processes in such a way as to achieve desirable effects on short- and long-term soil productivity and health. The processes of land utilization and agricultural intensification are a significant cause of soil biodiversity loss and related impacts on ecosystem function and resilience. A better understanding of the linkages between soil life and ecosystem function and the impact of human interventions will enable both the reduction of their negative impacts and the more effective capture of the benefits of soil biological activity for sustainable and productive agriculture.
Achieving sustainable agriculture and viable agricultural systems is critical to food security and poverty alleviation given escalating population growth, land degradation and increasing demands for food. Soil health and soil quality are fundamental to the sustained productivity and viability of agricultural systems worldwide. Sustainable agriculture involves the successful management of agricultural resources to satisfy human needs while maintaining or enhancing environmental quality and conserving natural resources for future generations. Improvement in agricultural sustainability requires, together with effective water and crop management, the optimal use and management of soil fertility and soil physical properties, which rely on soil biological processes and soil biodiversity.
The soil is a complex, multifaceted environment. This complexity has prompted the evolution and adaptation of a highly diverse biotic community, which uses the soil as its permanent or temporary habitat or refuge. Many thousand species of animals and micro-organisms live in soils, ranging in size from the almost invisible microbiota (e.g. bacteria, fungi and protozoa) to the more conspicuous macrofauna and megafauna (e.g. earthworms, termites, millipedes, moles and rats).
The activities of this wide range of soil biota contribute to many critical ecosystem services. These services include: soil formation; organic matter decomposition, and thereby nutrient availability and carbon (C) sequestration (and conversely greenhouse gas emissions); nitrogen (N) fixation and plant nutrient uptake; suppression or induction of plant diseases and pests; and bioremediation of degraded and contaminated soils (through detoxification of contaminants and restoration of soil physical, chemical and biological properties and processes). The effects of soil organisms also influence water infiltration and runoff and moisture retention through effects on soil structure and composition and indirectly on plant growth and soil cover. These services are critical to the functioning of natural ecosystems and constitute an important resource for sustainable agricultural production.
There is increasing recognition that the sustainability of agricultural systems depends on the optimal use of the available natural resources, including the soil biotic community. Thus, there is a need to acquire a proper understanding of the influence of agricultural practices on the soil communities and their functions and, in turn, of the effects of the diverse organisms on agricultural productivity. The adaptation of management practices can minimize the negative impacts on soil biological populations and diversity and can maximize the positive (synergistic) effects on agricultural productivity for the benefit of humankind.
As agricultural intensification occurs, regulation through chemical and mechanical inputs progressively replaces the regulation of functions through soil biodiversity. There is an accelerating loss of biological diversity both above- and below-ground. Among the causes of this loss are: increasing homogenization of agricultural systems and use of monocultures; the use of agrochemicals; and excessive soil disturbance through repetitive tillage. In the long term, the erosion of genes, species and ecosystems that constitute important resources and support systems to human activities and well-being will undermine sustainable development opportunities worldwide. The challenge is to improve understanding of the benefits of biodiversity and to identify the actual and potential socio-economic causes and impacts of changes in biodiversity. This will permit the development of strategic means to use the components of biological diversity in ways that do not lead to their long-term decline while contributing to increasing the production functions that underpin human progress.
However, current knowledge in this area is fragmented and remains largely in the research domain with limited practical application by farmers. Various reasons for this situation include: the difficulty of observation and limited local understanding of below-ground interactions and processes; a specialized research focus (on individual species or functions) and the lack of holistic or integrated solutions for specific farming systems; and insufficient institutional capacity and support services to enable a concerted resource management approach.
The International Technical Workshop on Biological Management of Soil Ecosystems for Sustainable Agriculture was organized as a contribution to the CBD-FAO joint programme, in accordance with Decision V/5 of the COP and FAO’s mandate on sustainable agriculture and food security. Its objectives were to initiate the processes of:
sharing knowledge among a range of experts from all regions with a view to increasing understanding on the importance and potential of soil biological management for sustainable and productive agriculture, and to review the state of the art (knowledge and application) in regard to the conservation and sustainable use of soil biodiversity;
developing and promoting guiding principles and good practices for enhancing soil biodiversity and its functions as part of an integrated approach for the management of land resources and agricultural ecosystems. This should include sustaining life processes and key ecosystem services as well as enhancing the productivity and sustainability of the range of agricultural systems;
providing technical guidance to realize the benefits of biological management of soil ecosystems in terms of enhanced productivity and sustainability. This should build on available knowledge, safe technologies and experiences of farmers and researchers, through the application of the ecosystem approach and through multidisciplinary and multistakeholder participation. It should include a set of practical techniques and tools for testing and adaptation by farmers;
agreeing on the strategy and priority actions for implementing the International Initiative on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Soil Biodiversity, as part of an integrated agricultural development process including capacity building, assessment and monitoring, adaptive management, and mainstreaming.
The workshop was officially opened by Dr Caio Vidor, Director General, EMBRAPA-Soybean. He introduced the scope of the work of EMBRAPA (9 000 employees, of whom 2 000 Ph.D. and 1 000 M.Sc. holders) and the host centre, EMBRAPA-Soybean (75 scientists). He noted the focus on sustainable agriculture and the increasing attention to agro-ecological and integrated ecosystem approaches. Strategic considerations of the centre include: how to foster cooperation among scientists; how to strengthen socio-economic expertise; and how to enhance training capacity and technology transfer, in particular for tropical regions.
Ms Michelle Gauthier, CBD Secretariat, set the workshop in the context of the CBD, noting the establishment by the COP, at its 6th meeting, of the International Initiative on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Soil Biodiversity under the programme of work on agricultural biodiversity (Decision VI/5). Opportunities for attention to this issue include:
during consideration by the 8th meeting of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-8) of mountain biodiversity and of dry and subhumid lands biodiversity (March 2003, Montreal, Canada);
during consideration by SBSTTA-9 of protected areas, the ecosystem approach, indicators and assessment, sustainable use, and technology transfer (November 2003, Montreal, Canada);
at COP-7 (March 2004, Kuala Lumpur); and in particular:
as part of the 3rd national reports (to be provided by May 2005);
at COP-8 (2006), during the major review of agricultural biodiversity and biodiversity in dry and subhumid regions.
The outcome is expected to guide the development of the International Initiative for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Soil Biodiversity. The results of the workshop should be disseminated and taken up and promoted by concerned stakeholders in such a way that they are ultimately reflected in the land management practices of rural and urban communities of both developed and developing countries. The overall aim is to help improve the livelihoods of farming communities and achieve a truly sustainable agriculture that is both environmentally sound and economically viable.
More than 45 participants from more than 18 countries, representing a heterogeneous range of scientists and practitioners from each region, joined efforts to discuss the concepts and practices of integrated soil management, share successful experiences of soil biological management, and identify priorities for action.
The workshop reviewed experiences, identifying limitations and opportunities in regard to methods and tools for assessing and enhancing the functions of soil organisms through improved management practices, with a view to their wider application and further development. Throughout the workshop, emphasis was placed on ways of harnessing the services and benefits of soil biological management and promoting interactions with other agricultural sectors through an integrated ecosystem approach.
The workshop presentations and discussions during plenary and working-group sessions helped to develop a better understanding of the available knowledge of soil biological management within the overall context of sustainable agriculture and identifying gaps and needs for further work. In identifying existing and researchable tools to investigate, manage and protect soil biotic ecosystems, a focus was directed on two areas: (i) bioindicators and assessment; and (ii) adaptation of management practices and farming systems through farmer experimentation and stronger farmer-research linkages.
The participants discussed a wide range of issues in depth. They agreed on a number of recommendations for the further development and implementation of the International Initiative for the Conservation and Sustainable Use for Soil Biodiversity. Attention was placed on building on existing initiatives and on promoting the development of a coordinated programme approach, through cooperation among research and academic institutes, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations and the private sector. The workshop constituted an important step in the process of identifying technical and financial capabilities and opportunities for implementing activities and enhancing collaboration among relevant programmes and partners.
The workshop alternated between full group discussions and meetings of smaller groups to discuss specific themes and priorities for action. In order to focus the discussions of the working groups, a prepared list of questions guided participants to address specific topics (Annex 3). The key topics identified for discussion by the working groups were: assessment and monitoring of soil health; and farmers’ management of soil ecosystems. In addition, a third discussion group was included to focus on innovative technologies, research needs and risk alleviation for each of the proposed themes. Throughout the workshop, participants emphasized ways of employing the resources and strengths of local capacities to advance and to promote interactions with the other agronomic fields. The workshop closed with a discussion and compilation of specific conclusions and recommendations on how to move forward.
The following chapters of this report present an overview of the substantive discussions and a summary of the findings and recommendations reached by the International Technical Workshop on Biological Management of Soil Ecosystems for Sustainable Agriculture. For more detail, readers may refer to the contributions themselves, available on CD-ROM and on http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/soilbiod/default.htm, and to the annexes of this report. A full reading of the case studies and discussions may better convey the depth of knowledge offered and the important contacts and linkages made during this event. The findings and recommendations outlined in the final section of this report build on the discussions and information from each topic.
Annex 1 details the agenda of the workshop. Annex 2 provides a list of the participants and their contact details in. Annex 3 provides the list of questions prepared to help focus the work of the working groups.
