Browsing by Author "Saavedra, Ana Karina"

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    Adaptive watershed management in Tiraque, Bolivia
    Botello, Rubén C.; Figueroa, I.; Amaya, Nadezda; Vargas, O.; Saavedra, Ana Karina; Alwang, Jeffrey R. (2008)
    Poster outlining the project's objectives at the Bolivia site. The overall objectives are: to enhance and support the local capacity to raise policies and interventions to increase incomes, improve social conditions and protect environment in Guaranda, Ecuador and Tiraque, Bolivia. The project's primary objectives are: 1) to understand the economic, social, political and environmental conditions and their determinants in Chimbo, Ecuador and Tiraque, Bolivia, 2) to generate and validate sustainable technological alternatives to improve production systems and increase incomes while being environmentally friendly, 3) to create a system to assess alternative actions policies and intervention impacts in the income creating and the social and environmental conditions, 4) to build a local capacity to assess alternative policies, make and fulfill decisions and strengthen the social capital.
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    Assessment of nitrogen dynamics and cropping system sustainability in the Andean region of South America with a new tool available for computers and smartphones
    Delgado, Jorge A.; Alwang, Jeffrey R.; Escudero, Luis O.; Saavedra, Ana Karina; Monar, Carlos; Barrera, Victor H.; Botello, Rubén C. (2013)
    Implementation of best soil and water conservation practices will be key to addressing challenges we will confront in the 21st century. With challenges such as climate change and continued population growth, there is a need for tools that can help us quickly assess how to maintain sustainability of cropping systems, which will be essential for maximizing agricultural production, especially in fragile soils of the Andean region of South America. Nitrogen (N) inputs are key for agricultural production, but because N is so mobile, high efficiency in the management and use of N input is necessary to reduce risk of N losses to the environment while maximizing production. One of the key crops in this region is the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) crop. This crop leaves a small amount of crop residue after harvest, which increases the potential for a high rate of erosion, especially in the steep soils where the crop is cultivated in this region. A new Nitrogen Index with a Sustainability Index has been calibrated and validated for this region. The tool is available in the English and Spanish languages and can be run in metric or English units. It can be run on desktop and laptop computers (using the software written in the programming language Java™), or on a smartphone that has the Android™ system (via the “app”). The tool is very user friendly and can be used by conservationists, field agronomists, technical personnel, and others. It was found that the tool can accurately assess nitrogen dynamics and evaluate the crop uptake for crops grown in this region, such as corn (Zea mays L.) and potato (P
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    Assessment of nitrogen dynamics and cropping system sustainability in the Andean segion of South America with a new tool available for computers and smartphones
    Delgado, Jorge A.; Alwang, Jeffrey R.; Escudero, Luis O.; Saavedra, Ana Karina; Monar, Carlos; Barrera, Victor H.; Botello, Rubén C. (2013)
    Implementation of best soil and water conservation practices will be key to addressing challenges we will confront in the 21st century. With challenges such as climate change and continued population growth, there is a need for tools that can help us quickly assess how to maintain sustainability of cropping systems, which will be essential for maximizing agricultural production, especially in fragile soils of the Andean region of South America.
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    Does density fractionation of SOC represent chemically different carbon pools?
    Mulvaney, Michael J.; Graham, M.; Xia, K.; Barrera, Victor H.; Botello, Rubén C.; Saavedra, Ana Karina; Mamani, Pablo (2012)
    Organic matter stabilization is thought to be a process of physical protection and chemical recalcitrance. The determination of recalcitrant soil organic carbon (SOC) often relies on operational definitions provided by various fractionation techniques, usually particle size or density fractionation. However, it is unknown if these operational definitions represent true chemical recalcitrance.
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    A new nitrogen index to assess sustainability of cropping systems of Andean regions of South America
    Delgado, Jorge A.; Alwang, Jeffrey R.; Monar, Carlos; Escudero, Luis O.; Saavedra, Ana Karina; Barrera, Victor H.; Botello, Rubén C. (2012)
    Population growth, impacts from a changing climate, and other challenges highlight the need to conserve soil and water quality so that maximization of crop yields to feed the expanding world population can be achieved and sustained into future generations. The Andean regions of South America are predominantly risky landscapes that have high slopes susceptible to erosion, especially after harvesting crops that leave low amounts of crop residue such as potatoes, and/or removing the straw from grain systems following cultivation of these landscapes. Tools that can be used by technical personnel who work with local farmers on these agricultural systems are needed to enhance communication with farmers and local communities in Andean regions and increase conservation. A new Nitrogen Index available in the English and Spanish languages, in metric and English units, and with a Soil Sustainability Index, was developed and evaluated for these regions by comparing results from the tool with research data. This Index is being used as an educational tool at the Universidad Estatal de Bolìvar in Guaranda, Ecuador, and is helping its users assess the effects of management practices on the sustainability of cropping systems in their region. Preliminary results from evaluation of the new Nitrogen Index and its Soil Sustainability Index for these high-risk cropping system-landscape combinations of South America will be presented. These preliminary results suggest potential exists to use the tool to help assess effects of management practices on the sustainability of systems and on nitrogen use efficiencies in Andean regions of South America.
  • Positive impacts in soil and water conservation in an Andean region of South America: Case scenarios from a US Agency for International Development multidisciplinary cooperative project
    Monar, Carlos; Saavedra, Ana Karina; Escudero, Luis O.; Delgado, Jorge A.; Alwang, Jeffrey R.; Barrera, Victor H.; Botello, Rubén C. (2013)
    The Andean region of South America faces many challenges to increasing agricultural productivity: shrinking farm sizes, poor soils, erratic rainfall, and very high erosion rates. This article summarizes the positive impacts of the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program’s (SANREM CRSP) promotion of conservation agriculture (CA) in the region. SANREM emphasizes thorough and holistic evaluation of the impacts of CA, and active participation of local farmers. Farmer field schools in the Illangama watershed in Ecuador proved an effective means of encouraging CA adoption by demonstrating its positive effects. Other positive impacts are listed, emphasizing the increases in yields and economically beneficial diversification. A need for new, bilingual tools to assess the impacts of CA is identified; the article presents the adaption of the Mexican Nitrogen index for Ecuador and Bolivia as a successful example of tool development. The strong international cooperation for this project has provided an illustration of the positive results of soil and water conservation practices that will assist in addressing the environmental challenges and constraints of the twenty-first century.
  • Proyecto “SANREM - BOLIVIA” avance de actividades: 2011 – 2012
    Saavedra, Ana Karina (Blacksburg, VA: SANREM CRSP, 2012)
    Presentation of activities in Bolivia of SANREM CRSP during 2011 - 2012
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    Stream flow monitoring to support watershed assessment in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Zambia
    Heatwole, Conrad D.; Peñaranda, M.; Saavedra, Ana Karina; Montúfar, C.; Lunga, W. (2008)
    This presentation discusses a study to implement a low cost, rapid assessment of stream flow in watersheds in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Zambia. The stream flow monitoring stations include a staff gauge and data-logging pressure sensor. Additional low-tech flow measurements include use of flow meters, salinity method, and floats. Criteria for stream site selection include meeting study objectives, accessibility to researchers and local observers, hydrologic suitability (stable channel, even flow, protected from flooding and sedimentation), and security. Weather data is collected by weather stations, data-logging rain gauges and manual rain gauges. Keys to successful implementation have been the collaborations with host-country partners and engaging the community through existing channels. Outcomes to date are positive; the data collected by local observers has been very satisfactory, and of the 22 stations implemented, 1 sensor was stolen and two stations washed out.