MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pasture improvement in Tierra del Fuego.

A group of ten Tierra del Fuego farmers with 100,000 sheep and 150,000 hectares are involved in a pasture improvement project with support from Chile's Development Corporation and other aid programs.

Titled "Introduction of species and technology for the improvement of sheep farming in Tierra del Fuego" the long term project involves an investment equivalent to 200,000 US dollars in the first few years.

Agronomist Juan Carol García in charge of the project said the objective is not to improve all the farms pasture but rather concentrate in a few hundred hectares which will be used for a strategic food supplementation at critical moments such as lambing, helping pregnant ewes or fattening lambs for market.

"People believe the soil of Tierra del Fuego is one of the poorest, and given decades of exploitation and doing nothing it could be right, but the fact is the soil is productive and we've managed excellent results", indicated Mr. García.

Basically the project targets different grazing varieties in "research gardens", financial assessment of investments and management strategies of fields and paddocks with natural pastures.

"The project has motivated several of the farmers since we've proved pastures can be improved and they've responded investing in equipment and machinery which is most encouraging", said Mr. García.