Over the next thirty years, many of the environmental problems related to agriculture will continue to be serious. However, the severity of some problems may increase more slowly than in the past and in
some cases may even be reduced.
Agriculture has enormous effects on the land. Agriculture accounts for the largest proportion of human land use. Grazing and cultivation alone accounted for 37 per cent of the world’s arable land area in 1999. Almost two-thirds of the water used by man is used for agriculture.
In Asia, the proportion rises to four-fifths. Agricultural production has profound effects on the environment as a whole. They are the main source of water pollution by nitrates, phosphates and pesticides. They are also the largest anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide, and contribute greatly to other types of air and water pollution.
Agricultural, forestry and fisheries methods and their extent are the main causes of the world’s biodiversity loss. The overall external costs of all three sectors can be substantial.
Agriculture also affects the basis of its own future through land degradation, salinization, excess water abstraction and reduced agricultural genetic diversity. However, the long-term consequences of these processes are difficult to quantify.
If more sustainable production methods are used, the effects of agriculture on the environment can be mitigated. There is no doubt that, in some cases, agriculture can play an important role in reversing these effects, for example by storing carbon in soils, improving water filtration and conserving rural landscapes and biodiversity.
CURRENT PANORAMA
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Our agroforestry business model includes rebuilding and reclaiming forests with indigenous trees. The production of biochar and coffee as well as apiculture at heights as well as cocoa, vanilla and moringa at low altitudes.
The objective of this model is to develop 3500 hectares of Agroforestry in a sustainable, economic and repeatable way through:
1/ Agroforestry production, which is achieved through the symbiotic and cooperative incorporation of various forest species, types of crops, animals and bodies of water so that the processes and residues of some become the inputs and nutrients of others. Another very important aspect to highlight is that the interaction between different species helps reduce pest threats.
2/ The production of agricultural, metallurgical, and construction biochar/biocarbon. From different biomasse with the purpose of replacing fossil carbon and improving soil health. Production of bio-oil, syngas, and heat, for respective applications.
3/ Carbon storage in soils, applying active biochar in crops increasing organic material and soil biotic activity. Thus creating long-lived CO2 sinks. By understanding the different natural processes, we generate very good results in terms of productivity and profitability, while improving the environmental conditions of the planet, and grafting carbon to soils, which, as is well known, is one of the global objectives on which we are currently working with greater determination. Precisely the global determination to achieve the SDGs represents an important opportunity for the implementation of Agroforestry in the world. There are many entities interested in promoting the use and implementation of this agricultural practice. For example, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is seeking to promote the integration of the different practices of the agricultural and productive sectors into a system that seeks the responsible management of natural resources to ensure their long-term sustainability. In addition to ensuring environmental interests, such as global warming and the protection of biodiversity, there is the economic and social approach that allows global food security, given the growth of the world population.
🇨🇴 Finagro: Fund for the financing of the Agricultural Sector. An entity that promotes the development of the Colombian rural sector
Due to Colombia’s location, the expectations of the agricultural sector were that it would become the backbone of the economy. However, between the 1970s and 1990s the country experienced a new orientation, deriving agriculture from its path of development and growth towards the exploitation of coca, minerals, hydrocarbons and terrorist groups generating violence and crime. What has been reinforcing corruption on the part of the country’s leaders, demolishing the cornerstone: State, public sector and private sector, regulating illegality. At present, global warming is grafted onto this situation, with micro climatic greenhouses, which causes more complications and leads to low yields in the food sector and the country’s economy.
Tierras de Montanas was born from an active group with which we have worked and led precision forestry and agricultural trials as well as developing a financial management unit where our metrics are very useful in the management of high quality carbon credits. Our group is encouraged by the intention to start the production of this model, with a detailed quantitative and analytical tracking and monitoring record and thus make it repeatable.
Coffee ranks third in Colombian exports, first in agricultural products contributing about 7.5% *OEC to the country’s external income. According to Finagro, the country has a potential of 7,300,000 hectares suitable for coffee production and according to the FNC, currently 974,000 hectares are planted, that is, 13% of the full potential. This guarantees the duplicity of the project in addition to, being a pioneer and generating employment, being a center for regenerative agroforestry education, Biochar for high yield production and activation of the land, and ending expensive fertilizers that rinse the organs of soil fertility. Colombia continues to lag behind in the use of biochar despite having the potential to generate enough raw material for its production. Each kilo of cherry picked contains 44% pulp and peel, and 40% moisture. From one kilo of cherry there are 440 grams of pulp and peel and 160gr of green coffee. >Colombia produces an annual average of 919,000 tons of excellent coffee, a residual biomass of 1.75 million tons of husk and pulp at 10% moisture and 750,000 tons of H2O. In theory, Colombia could produce 430,000 tons of biochar per year with characteristics rich in potassium, nitrogen and some phosphorus NPK (0.96:0.39:1.97). On the other hand, it is common knowledge that the water retention capacity of the soil, with the appropriate biochar application rate, increases considerably in order to be able to face the periods of drought and the water strategies that we consider in TDM Project specifications.
AGRI BIOCHAR
Tierras de Montañas has a compromise with the land of Tolima to starts with one of the most advanced project in terms of human and nature care.
ACQUISITIONS AND DUTIES
Coffee cookie and a smile!