Organic fertilizer (biofertilizer) production module in the Tota Lake basin – Colombia

Summary

Climate change scenarios for the Lake Tota basin for the period 2026-2050 predict changes in rainfall patterns, with increments between 15% and 40% in the wet scenario, and reductions between 10% and 20% in the dry scenario. Mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures would all increase by 0.5 to 1°C (Armenta Porras, 2019). As for climate variability, changes are expected to be increasingly significant: in the projected period, there would be increases of more than 100% in precipitation or reductions of 80%. This situation would gradually affect the basin, considering that approximately 40% of the total area corresponds to agroecosystems and that a large part of the income of families in the area depends on annual agricultural productivity.

Soil is directly impacted by climate change. Its moisture can be severely affected, gradually decreasing with prolonged temperature changes. Similarly, soil erosion can accelerate due to extreme phenomena like droughts, frosts, and intense rain, among others. Additionally, for the Lake Tota basin, the use of agrochemicals and fertilization with raw chicken manure has been identified as a structural factor impacting the soil. This has caused problems due to its degree of toxicity, leading to contamination of adjacent water sources, affecting ecosystem relationships with various species of fauna and flora, and depleting the soil’s agricultural yield capacity.

There is therefore a challenge to improve current practices of soil use and quality in the agricultural and livestock sectors, in order to increase the resilience and adaptation of this important element of the productive and social system of the Lake Tota basin. This would contribute to safeguard food security and sovereignty, and to enhance the agrobiodiversity in the area.

Organic fertilizers are mixtures that can provide nutrients to the soil and promote plant growth. Among the types of organic fertilizers that can be found are ( CEDECO, 2005):

– Compost (solid fertilizer): This widely used fertilizer is the result of an organic matter decomposition process, where aerobic microorganisms create a quality product for plant nutrition. It has multiple advantages, one of the most notable being the increase in soil water retention capacity when used correctly.

– Bocashi (solid fertilizer): A slightly fermented fertilizer that requires some additional elements to compost. It is obtained in approximately 10 to 15 days, and original recipes can be improved with ingredients available on each farm or productive property.

– Liquid bio-fertilizer: Made from the anaerobic fermentation of fresh cow manure and additions such as milk, whey, molasses, among others (Stobia, Fernández Viera, Dutto, & Ledesma, 2017). It can be made in large volumes and used in dilutions of 4% to 10%. They provide a large amount of vitamins, enzymes, and amino acids.

For the development of a bio-fertilizer or composting module, it is necessary to:

• Choose an appropriate place, protected from rain and livestock animals.
• Review which raw materials are available on the farm or property.
• Consider the nutritional requirements of the crop to be enriched.
  

Organic fertilizers provide a microflora consisting of groups of fungi and bacteria that help in the plant growth process  (Bhardwaj, Wahid Ansari, Sahoo, & Tuteja, 2014). In both cases, microorganisms and plants interact symbiotically to balance soil conditions.

This solution was implemented by the Adaptation to the Impacts of Climate Change on the Water Resources of the Andes (AICCA) Project (https://aicca.condesan.org/colombia/). AICCA is funded by the Global Environment Facility (FMAM/GEF), implemented by CAF – Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) – and executed by the Consortium for the Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion (CONDESAN).

Overview

Location:

• Colombia

Implementation sites:

• Single country
• Multiple locations

Mountain region:

• Andes

Province:

• Boyacá

Site locations:

• Aquitania, Tota, Sogamoso.

Solution scale:

• Local

Ecosystem type(s):

• Agricultural land

Solution type(s):

• Land use practice

Sector(s):

• Agriculture

Climate impact(s) addressed:

• Drought
• Flood

Other climate impact(s) addressed:

• Productivity loss, crop loss, reduced food security.

Climate impact time-scale(s):

• Slow Onset

Main benefit associated with the solution:

• Environmental benefits (e.g. biodiversity preservation, water security, food security)

Co-benefit(s) associated with the solution implementation:

• Economic benefits (e.g. job creation, tourism)
• Environmental benefits (e.g. biodiversity preservation, water security, food security)
• Social benefits (e.g. poverty reduction, inclusiveness and equity, health and well-being)

Sendai targets:

SDGs:

• 
• 
• 
• 

Solution details

Main beneficiaries & outcomes

The main beneficiaries are female heads of household in the municipalities of Tota, Cuitiva, Aquitania, and Sogamoso, who have high vulnerability for food security. This solution is widely accessible as it does not require high initial investments; however, it is important to note that it requires labor, which implies production costs. During the implementation process, various population groups were involved. A greater interest was identified among women and children, however, these types of adaptation measures actively involved the whole family unit, obtaining good results.

The use of appropriate organic fertilizers for crops would increase the adaptive capacity of the agricultural sector, improving the physical and chemical properties of the soil, contributing to water retention, the amount of organic matter, and plant nutrition; thus increasing resilience in productive systems. Among the co-benefits of this solution, we identified:

• Strengthening family food sovereignty.
• Increasing the adaptive capacity of families.
• Support in generating leadership and entrepreneurship skills.
• Recognition of local and ancestral knowledge.
• Support for the economy of the families.
• Decrease in living costs.
• Savings in the cost of agricultural inputs such as chemical fertilizers.
• Improvement of land use practices.
• Increase in beneficial soil microbiota for plant development and water regulation and retention.
• Decrease in pollutants infiltrated in the soil, which are deposited in adjacent water sources.

 

Planning and implementation

 

The planning and implementation process was led by the Project on Adaptation to the Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources in the Andes (AICCA) which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and executed by the Consortium for the Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion (CONDESAN). In Colombia, the project was executed jointly with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (Minambiente) and the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam). In the implementation phase, the Agrotourism Organization Bosque Nativo provided support.

The methodology included:

• • • Socio-environmental diagnosis.
    • Analysis of the adaptation capacities in the area.
    • Beneficiary selection.
    • Construction and implementation: Implementation was carried out using the “learning-by-doing” methodology, involving the inhabitants of each property throughout the process; which consisted of:
      • Site preparation: The place or area where the space for each type of biofertilizer was to be located was selected. It was recommended that it be a compact soil area, protected from strong wind and rain. Tools such as shovels, sticks, and buckets were also prepared for mixing some ingredients.
      • Raw material preparation: According to the type of organic fertilizer needed and the availability of space, raw materials were prepared. It was also essential to check which inputs were available on the property or farm, and make necessary substitutions according to the function of each ingredient. 
      • Preparation of Solid organic fertilizer: The estimated preparation time for this fertilizer is 15 days and it is made in the presence of oxygen (aerobic).
      • Preparation of Liquid bio-fertilizer: This is made from the anaerobic fermentation of fresh cow manure, so it was essential to keep the tank airtight.
      • Application of the obtained fertilizers to the various crops.

The stakeholders are:

• • • AICCA Project: leader of the planning and implementation processes of organic fertilizer production modules.
    • Municipal Mayoralties of Aquitania, Tota, and Cuitiva: local facilitator and technical support within the implementation process.
    • Beneficiary community: participants in the planning, design, and implementation processes of the modules.

Finance

The project was funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Funding was provided as a grant.

Innovation

The adaptation measure of a bio-fertilizer production module, in some ways, revives practices in high mountain agricultural areas that were carried out previously and benefit the quality of the soil and food produced in agricultural systems. This latter aspect is important for commercializing value-added products, mainly considering that the use of chemical fertilizers (according to health studies), in incorrect concentrations, can decrease their nutritional quality. Therefore, products fertilized with organic fertilizers are opening new possibilities for healthy market niches.

Long term project sustainability and maintenance

Long term ownership/costs will be assumed by the beneficiary community.

Capacities for design and implementation

Knowledge

Local knowledge was important in the development of this adaptation measure, considering that these types of practices were carried out in the past; however, currently generated technical information allows optimizing quantities and inputs for the effective development of bio-fertilizers.

Technology

For the design, the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was fundamental, particularly for the territorial analysis for adaptation.

Political / Legal

The development of this solution was articulated within the framework of the National Climate Change Policy, specifically aligned with the strategic line of management and conservation of ecosystems and ecosystem services for low-carbon and climate-resilient development. Furthermore, within the framework of the National Adaptation Plan, guidelines were established to address planned adaptation, including implementing adaptation measures. Finally, at the local level, the National Council of Economic and Social Policy (CONPES) document, 3801 of 2014, regulates the environmental management plan for the Lake Tota basin, among its objectives is to increase the development of sustainable productive processes and the diversification of products in the Lake Tota basin. This national framework motivated local teams for the development of this solution and facilitated the justification for its implementation.

Institutional

The local partners for the implementation of the bio-fertilizer production module measure were the Municipal Mayoralties of Aquitania, Tota, and Cuitiva. The coordination mechanism was established through framework agreements for the development of climate change adaptation measures. Commitments were defined by the parties to guarantee adequate coordination in the implementation, which has been successful, as it has allowed for adequate management with the local community.

Socio-cultural

Within the framework of the project’s governance and sustainability strategy, guidelines were established to engage in co-development spaces with communities and jointly evaluate specific needs related to climate variability and climate change. Additionally, in the implementation process, community leaders are the main managers of the measure, so their participation was indispensable in the development of the pilot actions that comprise the bio-fertilizer production measure.

Outlook & Scalability

Barriers and adverse effects

The main barrier to the implementation of the solution was ensuring the continuity of the development of these agroecological practices, considering that they involve tasks that represent additional time in agricultural activities. This is accentuated by the ease of acquiring chemical fertilizers. The solution has no known or expected side effects / adverse effects (e.g., on the ecosystem, on equity in risk distribution) now or in the future.

Transformation and future outlook

Soil quality is fundamental for the productivity of the agricultural sector, which is highly vulnerable to climate changes and climate variability. The impacts of this situation can be localized; however, they could cause floods and landslides in cultivated lands, proliferation of pests and expansion of diseases, changes in crop vegetative cycles, changes in pest cycles, greater seasonality of production, losses in crop production and yield, import of agricultural products, among others. It is for this reason that the use of appropriate organic fertilizers for crops would increase the adaptive capacity of the agricultural sector, improving the physical and chemical properties of the soil, contributing to water retention, the amount of organic matter, and plant nutrition; thus increasing resilience in productive systems.