Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in potato-pasture systems in Ecuador and Peru

The potato-pasture production systems in the Andean region (AR) of Ecuador and Peru are essential for the sustainability of households in both countries, providing economic, social, and nutritional benefits. In the AR of both countries, the production of potatoes and pastures for bovine feed has been expanding, generating economic and social benefits but also causing environmental problems when these activities are practiced using extensive production models. This is mainly due to poor agricultural practices, particularly the mismanagement of soils and inputs used in crop production. However, the potato-pasture production systems have great potential, especially due to the unmet demand for rotational crops and pastures used as the primary nutrient for producing milk and dairy products in both countries. These systems mainly rely on conventional management practices with production technologies where the use of tillage and nitrogen fertilizers is excessive, promoting higher GHG emissions and relatively low productivity. The project aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the use of Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices in the potato-pasture production systems of the AR in Ecuador and Peru. It includes the following components: 1. Establishment of the baseline through the characterization and typification of agricultural production systems in the study areas of Ecuador and Peru. 2. Evaluation of the effect of CA and conventional practices on crop productivity, soil conservation and nutrients, economic benefits, and GHG emissions. 3. Comparison of GHG emissions measured through gas chromatography with estimates made by the IPCC and integration of information using extrapolation methods at the regional level. 4. Capacity development through knowledge management, cooperation, and training. The project will be executed by a cooperation platform integrated by the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIAP) of Ecuador and the National Agrarian University La Molina (UNALM) of Peru. The project is funded by the New Zealand Government as part of its contribution to the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA).