Agricultural zoning: what is it and why is it important

The Agricultural Zoning of Climate Risk (ZARC) is a methodology developed by Embrapa and other partners, which aims to provide guidance to rural producers regarding the most suitable planting periods, according to the culture and municipality of interest.

It takes into account the characteristics of the climate, the type of soil and the cycle of the cultivars, to prevent the plant from being exposed to unfavorable weather conditions at the most sensitive moments of its cycle.

It is reviewed and published annually in the form of ordinances, in the Federal Official Gazette and on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA).

Agricultural zoning was used for the first time in the 1996 crop for wheat. Today the study is carried out for more than 40 cultures and has a national geographic scope. It is coordinated by MAPA, and the methodology and application are carried out by Embrapa.

In the video below, check out how ZARC works:

Source: Ministry of Agriculture.

Use of agricultural zoning to obtain rural insurance and credit

Agricultural zoning, in addition to being a guide for rural producers to make their cultivation decisions, has also become an important tool for rural credit guarantors.

Rural credit and insurance programs such as the Agricultural Activity Guarantee Program (Proagro) and the Rural Insurance Premium Subsidy Program (PSR) have used ZARC to provide guidance on the risks of national agricultural production.

In addition, other financial agents also condition the granting of rural credit to the use of the ZARC by the producer.

Obtaining rural credit is conditioned to the use of agricultural zoning
Rural credit granting programs have used the ZARC as a guide for decisions on climate risks.

According to Embrapa, the country has already avoided losses of around 3,6 bilhões of reais in productivity annually, thanks to the adoption of the ZARC for granting cost and insurance credits for rural producers.

ZARC App – Planting Right

In 2019, Embrapa developed, together with other institutions, a free application, which gathers the official information contained in the Agricultural Zoning of Climate Risk.

The application allows the producer to select the municipality, soil type, crop and cycle of interest, and then provides information on the best planting season and the risk of loss rates associates.

In addition, it also offers, for 10 species, a list of cultivars considered suitable for each location, which are registered in the National Register of Cultivars (RNC).

This list presents information on the main agronomic characteristics of the cultivars, such as potential yield, maturation and flowering time.

Another function of the application is the climate monitoring from the planting date informed by the producer. Information is provided for the different stages of crop development, regarding the storage of water in the soil, the accumulated precipitation, the number of days without rain and the minimum and maximum temperatures.

The aim is to help the producer make his decisions based on reliable information, helping to plan the harvest in order to minimize the risk of losses caused by climatic events.

Producer analyzing his crop, after following agricultural zoning recommendations
Following the technical recommendations, the farmer has greater security when planning crops.

productivity ZARC

In May 2019, the research project called “Risk Assessment and Agroclimatic Resilience” (ARRA) began, led by Embrapa Cerrados and in partnership with 19 other Embrapa research centers.

The objective of this project is to develop new methodologies risk assessment, productivity and agroclimatic resilience of agricultural production systems. The idea is to gradually replace the current ZARC methodology.

Today, the methodology indicates the best planting dates based on a water stress index. The aim is to adapt this method to work with productivity probability.

According to the lead researcher of the project, Fernando Macena, the new ZARC will indicate the “probability of obtaining a certain yield, depending on a certain sowing date, cultivar and soil type. That is, if I plant soybeans between October 10th and 20th in a given place, there is an 80% probability of producing at least 4 kg/ha”, he demonstrates, as an example.

Data are being collected on the crop performance in experiments conducted under ideal conditions of irrigation, fertilization, management, disease and pest control.

These data are used to calibrate mathematical models of yield for each crop studied, serving as potential productivity benchmark.

This potential yield reference is then used in the calculation of yield probabilities as a function of historical climatic data provided by agrometeorological stations in each Brazilian municipality.

The project initially covers the main agricultural crops in the country: soy, corn, wheat, rice, beans, sugar cane, cocoa, signal grass and forage palm. The adaptation of the methodology for Integrated Crop-Livestock (ILP) and Integration Crop-Livestock-Forest (ILPF) systems is also being studied.

According to Macena, the new ZARC methodology will have more sophisticated information, bringing greater security to producers, credit institutions and the government.

agricultural calendar

As we have seen so far, agricultural production is a high financial risk activity, as it is subject to the weather. Therefore, every rural producer needs to do a good planning.

To help with this issue, the farmer can count on the use of a agricultural calendar. It is a tool that can help both to make decisions about what to grow and to monitor activities during the harvest.

Man throwing seeds to the ground for planting
With the use of the agricultural calendar, it is possible to avoid large financial losses related to production.

With a search on the internet, we can find from simpler calendars, citing the best times for planting different crops according to each region of the country, as well as some more complete, bringing ideal times for other activities besides sowing and harvesting, such as analysis of soil, fertilization, drying, storage, in addition to a more specific separation by State.

However, the ideal is for each producer to create their own calendar. Therefore, we will help you by telling you the most important information to consider when planning your harvest and creating your calendar:

  • Consult Agricultural Zoning

First, consult the ZARC. With this information, you will already know which crops can be planted in your location, considering the climate and soil, in addition to being able to consult the planting seasons and the list of cultivars.

Example of using the agricultural calendar
Example of the use of the agricultural calendar: the use of super early or early soybean cultivars in the off-season soybean-corn system has allowed the producer to carry out both crops.

Then analyze your property. According to the size of the area and the relief, check if there are conditions to cultivate the species on your land, and if the mechanization of operations is necessary and possible.

Another aspect to consider is the consumer market and the distance to it, as well as the need to store the production and the logistical distribution system necessary for its outflow.

In addition, it is always good to research the socioeconomic characteristics of the region, and whether there is demand for the species you intend to grow.

It is also necessary to check the availability of manpower, as well as the need for qualification of the same.

Last but not least, take crop rotation into account when deciding which species to grow. It is essential that there is variation in agricultural production to maintain soil fertility and crop health.

By collecting this information, you will make more accurate decisions about what to plant and when to plant it, simply by distributing agricultural operations according to the period required for them to be carried out.

Also check out our article on direct planting and the advantages of this practice.

Anna Evans

Author-editor

View all posts by Anna Evans →
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