Assessing the limits of sustainable intensification for agriculture using a spatial model framework

Enrique G. Fernández, Magdalena Borges, Bruno Ferraro, Catalina Rava and Bruno Lanfranco

No 344273, IAAE 2024 Conference, August 2-7, 2024, New Delhi, India from International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE)

Abstract: In a collaborative effort with private agents of the oilseed industry, we carried out a research project to determine the feasibility of framing soybean production in Uruguay into sustainable development pathway. We adopted a spatial model based on land suitability analysis to estimate potential yields and the most suitable area for cultivation. We imposed several restrictions to define the potential cropping land based on risk erosion, current and alternative soil uses, transportation and logistics costs, and crop economic margins. We built different price-yields scenarios to estimate the potential area. With all restrictions imposed, the potential soybean area would be 2.1 million hectares by 2050, on rotation with other crops and pastures with an average yield of 3.3 MT/ha. This ad-hoc approach can be extended to any crop situation or region when the objective is to define how far it is possible to expand and intensify production without compromising the environment.

Keywords: Crop; Production/Industries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 29
Date: 2024-08-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-tre
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:cfcp15:344273

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.344273

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