Validation of productive practices at intervention sites of the ecoVALOR Project
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Abstract
Soil degradation, driven by unsustainable agricultural practices and climate change, threatens food security, ecosystems, and sustainable development. The ecoVALOR Project in Cuba seeks to combat this problem by introducing mechanisms or methods for applying conservation technologies and sustainable agricultural practices. The study was conducted at five intervention sites in three Cuban provinces, in different production units. These units received equipment such as tractors, carts, seeders, and sprayers, allowing for the formation of different work groups. A baseline was identified with geographic indicators, farm management indicators, and soil physical/chemical properties (texture, porosity, organic carbon, etc.), following scientific protocols. Conventional and conservation technologies were compared. Among the main results, through the formation of work groups, improvements in soil properties were found (increased initial humidity, reduced apparent density, increased drainable porosity, increased porosity and structural stability of the soil), economic and environmental benefits (reduction in costs in corn threshing and soil preparation, lower environmental impact with decreased tillage and application of green manures), and strengthening of social indicators, related to the reduction of the use of synthetic inputs and the strengthening of local organizations for sustainable management. The ecoVALOR project, with its multidisciplinary approach (environmental, economic, and social), is replicable to address global challenges such as food security and climate change.
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