Integration of sorghum cultivation into cropping systems of Latin America

Sustainably intensify production in the Latin America by incorporating adapted sorghum genotypes to increase productivity, resilience, and sustainability of production systems

Context of the story

Agricultural systems in Latin America, such as the Central American Dry Corridor, are severely affected by cyclical droughts and extreme weather events driven by climate change. As a result, the livelihoods and food security of local populations are strongly impacted. Incorporating crops with high tolerance to water deficit, high water use efficiency, and significant carbon input to the soil into the region's production systems will enable the sustainable intensification of agricultural production, contribute to the food security of local populations, and reduce agricultural emissions.

Sustainable intensification of production

The Implemented Initiative

The project focuses on the sustainable intensification of diverse agricultural systems across Latin America, including the Central American Dry Corridor, the highland valleys of Peru, and the Pampas region of Argentina, through the incorporation of adapted sorghum genotypes, with the aim of increasing the productivity, sustainability, and resilience of productive systems. Farmers will have the opportunity to incorporate sorghum cultivars characterized by high plasticity in response to water availability into their production systems, with genotypes and management practices tailored to each target environment. This will enable them to diversify their production systems and increase their productivity in a sustainable manner. The project is funded by the Government of New Zealand and the GRA.

Regional alliance to sustainably intensify production

The technological solution

The project fosters regional cooperation to sustainably intensify production systems in the target region. To achieve this, an initial baseline will be established, and target environments will be characterized by analyzing climatic and edaphic variables alongside farmers' agronomic practices. This approach will help identify representative environments for cultivar evaluation. Once these environments are defined, superior genotypes will be selected based on their performance within specific conditions and across all evaluated environments. Field experiment data and environmental characterization insights will be made accessible via a user-friendly online platform, offering cultivar recommendations and yield estimates for each environment. Additionally, knowledge-sharing and dissemination materials will ensure that the project's findings reach farmers, technicians, professionals, and students.

"Science and technology, applied through agriculture, have the potential to not only feed a growing population but also to do so in a way that sustains the environment for future generations.

— M.S. Swaminathan, 1960

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Type of project

Agronomic Practices

Applied

Technological

Crops

Results

The project aims to establish a sorghum cultivar evaluation network, initially establishing a technological baseline for each participating location. It seeks to characterize the soil, climate, and agronomic conditions of the evaluation environments, as well as the cultivars tested in different conditions and their interactions. All collected and processed data will be used to develop an online support platform providing cultivar recommendations and yield estimates for each environment. The results and knowledge gained regarding environmental characterization and cultivar performance will also be disseminated with key stakeholders, including farmers, students, technicians, and professionals.

Relevant data