4.1 Evolution of ZT/CA adoption in Brazil
The evolution of ZT/CA adoption (Figure 1) shows a growth of 290% in
the area with ZT/CA in the last 20 years. Initially, 20 years ago, the
increase in soil water infiltration led farmers and technicians to
neglect the conservation practices and technologies, because they
assumed that the no-tillage system alone would be enough to control soil
losses by water erosion. The consequences of this actions were the
increasing of soil loss, mainly during years with heavy erosive rains.
Thus, after 2017/2018 the government agencies policies and plans
emphasized that, to mitigate water erosion, the adoption of all three
basic principles of ZT/CA, associated with conservation practices such
as terracing and controlled traffic, was more than necessary.