The cost of soil degradation in one of the major breadbaskets in the world
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The global food system relies on crop production in limited number of regions around the world. The South American Pampas region is a major breadbasket due to favorable weather and fertile soils for reliable crop production and capacity to produce a large grain and oilseeds surplus. However, for decades, nutrient inputs have been much lower than in other regions, leading to heavy “mining” of soil nutrient stocks. Here we evaluated the impact of soil degradation using soil and crop surveys and field-level data sets from across the Pampas. Compared to a balanced nutrient input management regime, current nutrient management reduces total grain output by 41 million tons and farmer profit by US$ 6.3 billion annually, which leads to a severe decline in soil organic carbon and nutrient stocks. We conclude that the region must improve its nutrient management to retain its role as a highly productive, global breadbasket while preserving soil health for future generations.
