Source: People Food and Nature

By Esther Díaz

After centuries of farming practices in the rugged mountains of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the scars of deforestation are indelibly marked on the area known as Sierra Gorda. In the past, the steep slopes lost their protective forest cover and the soil was deeply eroded. Coupled with this, the soil’s capacity to store water was diminished, leading to a large decline in productivity. Little by little, the environmental capital of the Sierra Gorda slipped from the hands of its inhabitants with every mudslide. Looking for solutions to these and other problems, Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda (GESGIAP) was formed in 1989 by local residents. Since inception, the organization has understood how to work with various government entities to tackle issues in the field, taking ecology and biodiversity into consideration with an innovative approach and deep respect for mother earth.  In a region where 70% of the land is private property and the other 30% is community-owned, working with the local people has been and continues to be the foundation on which new projects are built. These community-based efforts also integrate the fight against poverty in this rural area located in the heart of Mexico. Martha Isabel Ruiz Corzo, Director and co-founder of GESGIAP, recalls, “what the land was like when we first arrived and little by little we started to talk to people about sustainability, and that there were other ways to do things. It was a big change.

“One of the first techniques GESGIAP used to restore the soil were trenches and live barriers. Although these techniques are good for capturing water in the soil, the downside is that stored carbon in the soil is released. That was one of the first lessons for GESGIAP: without carbon in the soil, which is present as organic matter, the earth loses its ability to capture and retain water. As a result, the effects of droughts are accentuated.

Using trial and error and intensive training of its staff, Bosque Sustentable A.C. (one of GESGIAP’s sister organizations) has chosen better alternatives, in a process made possible by the generous support of the Gonzalo Rio Arronte Foundation, amongst others. One of these alternatives is “keyline” hydrological design, a technique developed in Australia that provides valuable tools to restore the soil quickly — increasing microbiological activity and restoring fertility. It also ensures that water infiltrates the soil, forming large water stores and maintaining moisture in the humus, leading to the capture of carbon dioxide. Through observation in the field, a series of key points are used to form designs that take advantage of water runoff to restore water basins. According to these points, you draw contour lines going from the slope down from the valleys to lower areas of the adjacent ridges, producing infiltration canals along these lines, which in turn produce recharge zones. This technique is applicable to all types of terrain, regardless of how steep it is.

Another activity that Bosque Sustentable carries out is the local production of fermented bio-fertilizers that use natural ingredients found in the field, making them very cheap to produce and easy to obtain.  Through the use of crushed volcanic rock, the soil is replenished with minerals and local microorganisms, essential elements to soil regeneration.

Jacinto Vigil, a tomato grower from the Sierra Gorda, commented that “thanks to the training and advice we have received we now grow tomatoes at a lower cost. They are healthy, chemical-free and of great quality. We are no longer dependent on technological inputs because we now produce our own fertilizers.”

In addition, legumes have the ability to fix nitrogen in the soil and are used as a green manure, notably increasing biomass and organic matter in agricultural lands; therefore creating sponges that hold water. With just 1% increase in organic matter in the soil, you can capture 144,000 liters of water and 132 tons of carbon per hectare. In just two years, it is possible to reach 82% water absorption capacity, thus decreasing erosion by 68% and directly impacting the recharge of aquifers.

To complete the cycle, GESGIAP teaches best practices to livestock farmers. Cows produce high levels of methane because of their overcrowded living conditions and artificial diet. Managed correctly, however, cows are a tool to improve the health of our soils and increase their capacity to capture carbon dioxide. Currently there are 13 pilot ranches in the Sierra Gorda using holistic management, rotational grazing and careful planning which has produced positive results for their owners. “Cows are not the enemy, but an excellent ally to restore life and productivity to the soils. Ranch owners are happy to use these methods because they put a halt to the droughts caused by climate change that hit them economically and reduced the health of the soils,” says Mario Pedraza Ruiz, Director of Bosque Sustentable A.C.’s soil conservation program and holistic management instructor in the process of becoming certified by the Savory Institute.

Thanks to a simple analysis on Mario’s ranch, which is part of the Soil Carbon Challenge, he now knows how much carbon is contained in his soil. And while during the droughts of 2010 and 2012 (the worst in Mexico in 60 and 70 years, respectively) producers around the country lost many heads of cattle, Mario’s proper handling of moisture in the soil allowed him to survive without losses. As a result, increases in pasture, a complete independence from high-cost agrochemicals, healthier animals and soils with plenty of carbon stored, are already a reality in Sierra Gorda. Now, as a Savory Institute Hub and thanks to a new partnership with the Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fishing and Food (SAGARPA), producers and officials from other States of the Republic will receive training to replicate Sierra Gorda’s experience throughout Mexico. “We work from the bottom up and are confident that our model is an effective response to the effects of climate change”, says Mario.