Soils worldwide are being overexploited, as has happened in Chile as well. Intensive agricultural practices, fires, floods, and poor soil management have led to significant soil degradation. Therefore, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chile decided to commission a report to determine the actual state of Chilean soils detailing the problems Chile faces with regard to soil management in order to explores the opportunities that exist for solutions offered by Dutch companies.
Beeld: © LAN Chile
Soil report conclusions:
- Due to climate change, the vegetation that supports soil, such as sclerophyllous forest, deciduous forest and laurel forest, are particularly threatened by the decrease in rainfall.
- The Environmental Performance Index, which ranks countries' performance on environmental issues, places Chile at number 58 worldwide, the highest position in South America.
- 50% of Chile's land area is affected by erosion, equivalent to more than 38 million hectares.
- 21.7% of the continental national territory is being affected by the phenomenon of desertification, more than 16 million hectares.
- Organic production has shown significant growth, driven by growing international and local demand for healthier and more sustainable foods. By 2023, Chile is positioned as a major producer of organic foods, especially in sectors such as fresh fruit (apples, grapes, and berries), olive oil and wine.
- There were an estimated 300,000 hectares of regenerative livestock farming with holistic management, of which 62.567 hectares are EOV certified by the Savory Institute.
- The main management practices that Chile carries out to improve soil quality are the incorporation of organic matter, crop rotation and rotational animal grazing.
- The main public institutions that play a role in protecting Chile's soils are SAG, INDAP, CONAF, MOP, CIREN, ODEPA, INIA, and INFOR.
- Today, in Chile there is greater awareness about the reality of climate change and the degradation of soil and pollution of water bodies. It is recognized that conventional practices no longer provide the results they once did, leading to a search for sustainable methods that not only prevent damage but also regenerate the environment and soils.
Interested in the report? You can download it below under 'Zie ook'.
Register for webinar on Chilean soils
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chile is going to organize a webinar on Chilean soils, which will take place on Wednesday, June 18th 2025, at 16:00 PM NL time - 10:00 AM CL time, via Zoom platform.