Brazilian soy farmers’ use of no-till farming without other regenerative practices pushed consumption of agrochemicals to soar by over 2000% in the three decades to 2023, think tank Instituto Escolhas said in a study published on Monday.
Based on data from official sources, the report estimated that Brazilian soy farmers’ use of agrochemicals, mostly herbicides, grew from 16,458 metric tons per year in 1993 to 348,809 tons per year in 2023.
“Without considering integrated systems … the practice of no-till farming alone can generate negative consequences for the soil, such as compaction and increased use of herbicides to control weeds,” one of the report’s coordinators, Jaqueline Ferreira, said in a press release.
No-till farming prevents erosion and boosts soil health, according to Instituto Escolhas. Yet as the practice grew in isolation, without other practices like crop rotation and providing living ground cover, weeds became a growing problem, requiring ever-greater quantities of herbicides.
“The practice was widely disseminated across Brazilian farms in isolation from other soil conservation and regeneration practices, making it highly dependent on the use of herbicides to control weeds,” the report said.
Farmers’ group Aprosoja Brasil did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
The growing use of chemicals far outstripped the expansion of Brazil’s soy crop. The planted area of soy rose 317%, from 10.7 million hectares in 1993 (26.4 million acres) to 44.5 million hectares in 2023, the report said.
According to the report, while one kilogram of agrochemicals could produce 23 bags of soybeans in 1993, just seven bags of soybeans could be produced with the same amount in 2023.
“The intensive use of synthetic inputs is highly harmful to the soil and its microorganisms,” the report said.
The report interviewed a total of 34 conventional, regenerative and organic soy farmers in Brazil’s states of Mato Grosso, Goias and Parana, all of whom reported being concerned for the resilience of their crops in the medium and long term, citing rising prices of agricultural products and the impact of climate variations.
Source: Reuters
