Conservation Agriculture in Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico

Publication date: 07/02/2022
Extent: 34 pages

Contributions by: Jose R. Benites, Independent Consultant on Land and Water, and Conservation Agriculture, Peru; Theodor Friedrich, Retired Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Expert on Conservation Agriculture, Germany; Roberto Azofeifa Rodríguez, Head of the Department of Agro-environmental Production of the National Directorate of Agricultural Extension, Costa Rica; Ariel Espinoza Salinas, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Nicaragua; J. C. Juárez López, FAO Technical Officer, Guatemala; Carlos Andrés Zelaya Elvir, Consultant, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (retired), Honduras; and Jose Escobar, Consultant ASA, CRS, El Salvador

Chapter synopsis: This chapter provides an overview of the actual level of Conservation Agriculture (CA) adoption in Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico. Estimated values in hectares under CA came from collaborators of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua. The estimated total area under different forms of CA is about 696,950 ha. Lack of or insufficient access to machinery for planting, fertilising, and spraying pesticides limits the adoption and spread of CA. Besides knowledge, technologies and supplies, adoption of CA needs a favourable policy environment, motivation and participation of farmers and their communities. There is still a long way to go in the region from the old approach of soil conservation in agricultural land based on physical structures to a situation of widespread adoption of CA systems.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2021.0088.16