The SECUESVAC operational group, which is the acronym for “Optimization of carbon sequestration in agricultural soils associated with beef production” will present the project at the next edition of the FIGAN fair, the International Fair for Animal Production, which will be held from March 25 to 28 in Zaragoza, according to the Revista Cárnica newspaper.
The objective of this operational group is to measure and put figures on the carbon sequestration carried out in the area of the beef production model in Spain and, in this way, in addition to complying with the sustainability requirements specified in the strategic plan set by the EU, contribute to generating added value for the sector. “It is normal for everyone to have an opinion on what the sector emits, but practically no one focuses on the benefits it brings. And the beef production model in Spain contributes to fixing organic matter in the soil and in this way we generate this carbon sequestration,” explained Javier López, director of PROVACUNO in a recent seminar organized by the operating group itself.
Work methodology
Óscar del Hierro, researcher at the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Neiker, explained in this seminar the starting point and the work methodology to follow. Thus, based on the fact that the beef production model in Spain contributes to fixing organic matter in the soil and in this way generates carbon sequestration, farms have been selected in different geographical areas distributed throughout the national territory – there are currently about 30 – and the soils, the management systems associated with them and the application of manure have been classified.
From here, work will be done on taking samples to find out what the footprint is and generate a series of metrics that allow for the creation of control panels and hypotheses.
With this, an app and a management manual will be developed that will be made available to the sector with the aim of becoming a tool that serves as support and utility for livestock farmers and administrations and, in this way, they know how their carbon footprint or sequestration can evolve depending on the characteristics of the soils or management systems, and also including grazing.
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