7 Latin American countries pledge to restore 20 million hectares of degraded land

(Baonghean) - On the sidelines of climate change negotiations taking place in Lima, Peru, seven Latin American countries have pledged to restore 20 million hectares of degraded land due to over-farming and intensive farming. This figure is equivalent to 10% of the arable land in Latin America.

Seven countries including Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru signed an agreement that supports policies on reforestation and restoration of degraded land. However, Brazil - the region's largest agricultural country - did not participate in the agreement.

A photo of a land degraded by overexploitation by humans. Photo: AP/ Juan Karita

The agreement is part of the “20x20” initiative, spearheaded by Walter Vergara of the World Resources Institute (WRI). “Latin America will not be able to reduce emissions unless it rapidly addresses the problem of excessive land use for production,” Vergara explained. The restoration of 20 million hectares of degraded land must begin by 2020.

In Ecuador, a country where nature protection is enshrined in the constitution, a program called “Socio Bosque” has been tested to support smallholders, forest protectors or to improve soil conditions. In Guatemala, the government has used financial incentives to increase farmers’ income and security.

All of the global development policies to combat deforestation fall under the framework of the REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) Program, which was adopted at the Climate Conference held in Warsaw, Poland last December. With REDD, countries will receive subsidies if they manage their forest cover well.

However, most countries often underestimate the issue of forest protection compared to the development of agriculture, mining and forestry. Therefore, Walter Vergara hopes: “The 20x20 initiative will be the first step to restore degraded areas and move towards zero deforestation. It is important that countries realize what they gain by doing so. And we will be there to remind countries to fulfill their commitments.”

The programme will be supported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and major research organisations such as the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). “This is a long-term programme. It could take five, 10 or even 15 years to restore ecosystems,” explains Elcio Guimaraes, CIAT’s research director. “We have to help governments make the right choices in convincing people that their livelihoods depend on protecting the environment around them.” Three types of projects will be prioritised: reforestation using local trees; agroforestry; and the reintroduction of more sustainable farming methods.

Restoring ecosystems is not only time-consuming, it is also costly. Five investment funds that specialize in developing sustainable agriculture and forestry projects have so far contributed $365 million to the 20x20 Program. However, the actual amount needed to implement the program is in the billions of dollars. Meanwhile, Clement Chenost, manager of the Moringa Foundation, said it is important to have government support for the 20x20 Project.

Chu Thanh(According to LeMonde 8/12)