Use of indicators as a tool to measure sustainability in agroecosystems of arid land, San Juan, Argentina

Authors

  • Julieta Carmona Crocco Instituto Nacional de Tecnologías Agropecuarias (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria San Juan Calle 11 y Vidart 5427. Villa Aberastain. San Juan. Argentina.
  • Silvina Greco Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Almirante Brown 500. Chacras de Coria. Luján de Cuyo. CPA M5528AHB. Mendoza. Argentina.
  • Raúl Tapia Universidad Nacional de San Juan (UNSJ). Facultad de Ingenieria. Av. Lib. San Martín (Oeste) 1109. C. P. A. J5400ARL.
  • Mariana Martinelli Universidad Nacional de San Juan (UNSJ). Facultad de Ciencia Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN). Av. Ignacio de la Roza 590 (O). Complejo Universitario "Islas Malvinas". Rivadavia. C. P. A. J5402DCS. San Juan. Argentina.

Keywords:

multidimensional, analysis agroecology, dryland, non-irrigated land

Abstract

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The main objective of this study was to determine the sustainability status of three agroecosystems in arid areas, and to identify the critical aspects that limit it, through the use of economic, ecological and socio-cultural indicators. Three agroecosystems (AE) were selected from the Department of 25 de Mayo, San Juan. Its main economic activity is goat farming and, to a lesser extent, cultivation of orchards, as well as subsistence economic activities. To determine the state of sustainability, the indicators were selected and subse-quently standardized and weighted according to their relative importance with respect to sustainability. The results indicated that none of the dryland AE achieves sustainability simultaneously in its three dimensions. The systemic analysis through indicators showed that the critical variables are food self-sufficiency, water access, livestock survival, and technical assistance, among others. The methodology used is simple, allowing to detect the sustainability status of the three EAs, and to identify the critical variables that jeopardize the permanence of the AE over time.

Highlights

  • Agroecosystems in arid zones do not achieve sustainability in all three dimensions simultaneously.
  • The farm area of "‹"‹the agroecosystems was determined through participatory mapping.
  • According to the sustainability analysis, the critical variables that stood out were food self-sufficiency, access to quality water, the survival of livestock and the satisfaction of basic needs.
  • The use of indicators to measure sustainability is easy to use and low-cost tools.

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Published

01-06-2020

Issue

Section

Natural resources and environment