Argentina
Joaquin Etorena
Argentina serves as a good example of countries which have had a robust agricultural development and its efforts to achieve sustainable development. The country serves as a good case study of future rural development in both middle and high income countries. Argentina’s agricultural development in the past decade has contributed to deforestation and encroachment into other fragile areas. The cropland area has suffered land degradation of different form. It is estimated that only 37% of soil nutrients used by crops are replenished through soil fertility management practices. This is especially the case for poor farmers. However the over-application and improper management of agrochemicals has led to on-site and off-site contamination of land and water resources. Salinization also affects about 40% of the irrigated area. Using FAO’s land degradation and improvement (LADA) data and additional data collected to fill gaps of the LADA data, this study examines the cost of land degradation and the cost and benefit of taking action against land degradation. The study reveals that steps to address the challenging land degradation will require strengthening of the land tenure and agricultural extension services. The study also shows that payment for ecosystem services could greatly reduce the current off-site effects of land degradation. Stricter government regulation of protected areas will also enhance efforts to address land degradation. Additionally, the country’s effort to have an elaborate institutional arrangement to monitor land degradation will help policy planning and serve a good example for addressing land degradation in the world.
» Policy brief
