- With the publication of the National Soil Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture (ENASAS) in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), Mexico became a forerunner of a comprehensive policy that ensures soil care, contributes to compliance with 17 objectives of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations (UN) and guarantees the sustainability of natural resources for present and future generations.
- Within the framework of the Expo Fertilizantes 2023, held in Boca del Río, Veracruz, the general director of Policies, Prospecting and Climate Change of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sol Ortiz García, highlighted that this scheme contributes to improving the quality of lives of producers and influences the improvement of other sectors such as forestry or aquaculture-fishing.
Through the National Soil Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture (ENASAS), which has promoted 120 actions to date, Mexico maintains its status as a pioneering and innovative country in health conservation policies and soil quality, highlighted the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The general director of Policies, Prospecting and Climate Change of the federal agency, Sol Ortiz García, highlighted that this public policy instrument contributes to improving the quality of life of producers and affects the improvement of other sectors such as forestry and aquaculture. -fishing, as well as biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles.
He affirmed that with the publication of ENASAS, in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), Mexico became a precursor of a comprehensive policy that ensures the care of the soil, contributes to the fulfillment of 17 objectives of the 2030 Agenda of the Organization of the United Nations (UN) and contributes to guarantee the sustainability of the ecosystem services provided by the soil, for present and future generations.
Within the framework of the Fertilizers Expo 2023, held in Boca del Río, Veracruz, Ortiz García explained that 28 percent of the production units identify the loss of soil fertility as the main problem. ENASAS seeks to contribute to solving this problem and accompanies the priority programs of this administration, such as the Fertilizers for Well-being program.
With the collaboration of the laboratories that make up the Mexican Network of Soil Laboratories (MEXSOLAN), farmers will be able to make informed decisions regarding the use of nutrients, inputs and better crop management for their plots, he noted.
Other measures promoted by Agriculture, he stressed, are the Doctors of Soils program, which through 95 doctors certified by Agriculture, in collaboration with the University Program for Interdisciplinary Soil Studies of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), promote the Soil care with a producer-to-producer training scheme.
He also highlighted the My plot does not burn initiative, which raises awareness among farmers about the risks of agricultural burning and which this year will be extended to 28 entities in the country, in addition to the signing of technical annexes that promote the planning of sustainable rural development in coordination with state authorities.
Ortiz García pointed out that functions such as water filtration, reduction of pollutants and carbon capture, among others, place the soil as an essential resource to guarantee food security and reduce water and air pollution, as well as the loss of biodiversity.
He added that more than 60 percent of the country’s soils have a level of degradation and part of this condition is associated with the impact of agricultural activities. In addition, 95 percent of our food and 25 percent of biological diversity come from the soil, so the primary sector can contribute to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases that affect climate change, through a better use of fertilization and livestock management.
He concluded his participation by inviting researchers, companies, producers and civil society in general to join the effort being promoted by the federal government in coordination with state governments, for the implementation of the actions contained in ENASAS.
A challenge as great as the conservation and restoration of degraded soils can only be achieved with the determined and coordinated participation of all sectors, he observed.
The panel entitled “Sustainable agriculture and soil fertility” was also given by researchers from the National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock Research (INIFAP), Andrés Vázquez Hernández, Olga Santiago Trinidad and Rigoberto Zetina Lezama, and from the College of Postgraduates (Colpos ), David Rosas Calleja, as well as experts in crop fertilization and soil analysis.
