By Audubon Americas
In a world where sustainability and agricultural efficiency are more important than ever, we present an essential guide that will transform your vision of field production: the Sugarcane and Rice Rotation Playbook.
Currently, agriculture faces significant challenges due to climate change and the constant pressure to increase food production. Nature-based solutions emerge as an effective alternative, utilizing ecosystems and their natural processes to address these challenges, promoting sustainable resource management, enhancing the resilience of agricultural systems, and contributing to environmental health. This emphasizes the importance of integrating nature and production.
The agricultural practice of crop rotation, especially between sugarcane and rice, is an innovative approach with potential as a nature-based solution. It helps improve the sustainability and resilience of agro-ecosystems. Rotation not only optimizes the use of available resources but also helps mitigate the impact of climate variations, protect biodiversity, and foster soil health, providing agronomic, economic, and environmental benefits for farmers.
The National Audubon Society, Calidris Association, Universidad Icesi, and Arroz Blanquita have joined forces to study the potential of sugarcane and rice rotation for bird conservation in the Cauca River Valley, Colombia. This manual explores the results of these studies, which demonstrate that cultivating rice in rotation for one or two cycles per year can improve the survival chances of regional bird species.
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