subject: How Upstream Soil And Water Conservation Yields Downstream Benefits [print this page] Farmers can provide a multitude of soil and water conservation practices benefits - both onsite as well as offsite - which may prove to be economically significant. These practices include the reduction of agricultural demand for water, the regulation of the flow of sediment and water, the storage of carbon in the soil, overall higher farm productivity, and the reduction of the farms vulnerability to flooding and drought.
Until now payments for environmental services have been primarily directed at forest conservation projects. Their goals were to protect offsite benefits that are usually associated with regulating the flow of water and soil.
This has often been hindered because it is difficult to quantify the environmental services. It is also challenging to assure any potential buyers that there will be ample access to such services in the future.
To be considered viable, onsite productivity benefits of soil and water conservation practices should be more demonstrable. As such they may motivate more farmers and ranchers to adopt these practices.
However there will be upfront costs involved. In order for farmers to be motivated to adopt these practices they will have to be shown and will need to understand that both offsite and onsite practices can be sustainable and that they make good economic sense.
Therefore, it would make sense to start with the direct benefits and livelihood needs of upstream communities. Once accomplished, the links to the downstream benefits will then be able to proceed on an incremental basis.
This approach will tend to develop and strengthen bonds in upland areas. This will enable the necessary collaborations which will be necessary to ensure that the proper scale is reached. Only then can substantial benefits be delivered.
Once this is accomplished those who live downstream will have the opportunity to see and experience how these services enhance their well-being. It might also make it possible for payments to be arranged that are contingent on the delivery of these services.
Any upland soil and water conservation practices can have both upstream as well as downstream ecosystem benefits. Practices can be implemented that will restore and/or maintain the soil's capacity to retain water, nutrients, and organic matter.
If that happens, then farmers will be able to dramatically reduce the amount of water that they need. Consequently, their vulnerability will then be reduced primarily to the extremes that are brought about by flooding and draught. It will also increase the farmer's soil carbon storage and the productivity of their farms.
In addition, if runoff and the need for fertilizer are reduced, the quality of the downstream water will inevitably be improved.
