Vital GEO Graphics

National responses have been directed towards legislation, information, credits and subsidies, or specific conservation programmes. Local responses to the problem have been gen- erated by land users themselves, or introduced by projects.

Soil and measures water sc Left: Mic

Soil and water man measures against e water scarcity. Left: Micro-basins; Centre: Mulch; Right: Conservation Credit: WOCAT Centre: M Right: Co Credit: W

Soil and water management measures against erosion and water scarcity. Left: Micro-basins; Centre: Mulch; Right: Conservation tillage. Credit: WOCAT

Soil erosion in Pampas

Soil erosion by water is the main form of land degradation in Latin America. The more extensive the area under cultivation, the more serious the erosion, even in the fertile Pampas. It has been an intractable problem, leading to the abandonment of farmland, for example, in northwest Argentina. The most promising development has been the large-scale adoption of conservation tillage, which increases infiltration of rain into the soil compared to conventional ploughing. The area under conser- vation tillage in Latin America increased from almost zero in the 1980s to 250 000 km in 2000, with an adoption rate of 70–80 per cent among large, mechanized farms in Argentina and Brazil, although the adoption rate by small farms is lower. Sources: FAO 2001, KASSA 2006, Navone and Maggi 2005 2

In the Pampas, rills form during rainstorms when ground cover is sparse, and gradually turn into large gullies.

Credit: J.L. Panigatti

30 V I TAL GEO GRAPH I CS