https://eventosccarbon.com.br/ – 27th of May 2026
Adapt agroecological practices to the soil context: Strengthening Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) for Food Security, Climate, and Biodiversity”
Panellists
Andry Andriamananjara (Univ. Antananarivo, Madagascar)
Hervé Aholoukpè (INRAB, Benin)
Suzanne Reynders (INRAe France, Soil Carbon Futures)
Beata Emoke Madari (EMBRAPA Rice and Beans, Brazil)
Mediators
Budiman Minasny (Chair of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the international “4 per 1000” Initiative)
Tiphaine Chevallier (IRD)
As part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the international “4 per 1000” Initiative, this round table, jointly organised by “4 per 1000” and IRD, aimed to move beyond theory by sharing concrete examples of ongoing research on soil carbon, highlighting how agroecological practices are being implemented across different regions of the World, and discussing the main challenges and key research questions that remain to be addressed in different country contexts.
The discussions focused on the need for research to address the socio-economic issues that farmers encounter when implementing agroecological practices. In addition to the need for data on how these practices influence soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, there is a need to enhance our understanding of the difficulties, investments, risks, and both positive and negative externalities associated with implementing such practices. These questions have already been considered in research projects but need to be studied more thoroughly. The Soil Carbon Futures International Research Consortium was presented. These questions are included in its Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda, SRIA.
Examples of carbon research applied in Brazil, Madagascar and Benin were presented and the main challenges encountered were highlighted. The diversity of agroecosystems and soil types, the variability of SOC responses and soil health outcomes, and the necessity to adapt practices to specific contexts were outlined. The need for funding long-term experiments in different contexts was also recognized. The management of data, from its production to its quality and availability, poses significant challenges, as different stakeholders have varying priorities and means. Data sovereignty and the role of each stakeholder involved (farmers, scientists, and policymakers) are pressing issues that deserve more attention.
The event emphasized the need to pay closer attention to the contexts and the people involved in the implementation of agroecological practices, as well as in the generation of knowledge about soil health.