Tour D2, 2 July: Tour leaders: Niels Damsgaard Hansen Freelance journalist, former editor-in-chief at FBG Medier Hanne Gregersen Freelance journalist Conservation Agriculture improves crop production and is climate resilient Conservation Agriculture (CA) is gaining ground as a farming system globally. It has many advantages for the farmer and society in the form of sustainability with regard to climate, biodiversity and nutrient retention in the agricultural soil. The system is recommended by FAO, among others, because it also im - proves crop yields and is climate resilient. Agriculture is part of the climate solution Farmers, researchers, NGOs and politicians realise that agriculture is integral to solving the current climate problem. For centuries, farming has emitted enormous amounts of CO2 by clearing forests followed by intensive soil tillage. Approximately half of the increase 25 in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere comes from agricultural activity; the rest is from the use of fossil fuels. CO2 emitted to the atmosphere can be brought back to the soil. CA is the most efficient method. Additionally, retain - ing organic material in the soil can help prevent desertification. Awareness of CA in Denmark is strongly increasing among farmers and coops such as Arla Foods and Danish Crown. Nestlé has also initiated a pro - cess to encourage farmers and processors to become climate efficient with the aid of regenerative farming – the foundation of which is CA – at the latest by 2030. We will visit two farmers, where there will be talks given by the chairman of Arla Foods and a biologist from Aarhus University. Conservation Agriculture comprises three basic principles: A) minimum mechanical soil disturbance (e.g. no tillage), B) permanent soil organic cover, and C) species diversification (never the same crop following in a crop rotation).
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