A renewed view of conservation agriculture and its evolution over the last decade in Spain

• The manuscript proposes renewed definitions for conservation agriculture in Spain.
• Researchers, advisers and farmers across the country agree on the proposed definitions.
• Paper reviews the evolution of conservation agriculture over the last decade.
• Adoption of no-tillage and groundcovers in orchards is constantly increasing in Spain.

The interest in conservation agriculture in Spain is evidenced by practical and institutional aspects. The practical aspect is reflected by the area cultivated under this farming system, 1.28 Mha in perennial crops and 0.57 Mha in arable crops, both for 2013. The period under review was 2009–2013 for arable crops and 2006–2013 for perennial crops. In that period, figures increased 208% for no tillage in arable crops, and 54% for groundcovers in perennial crops. The institutional support is reflected by the financial funding given to conservation agriculture farming practices by some Spanish Regional Governments, primarily through Rural Development Programs, that reached over € 200 million in the 2000–2006 period. The origins of soil conservation practices date back to the 1930s and have evolved in parallel in America and Europe. This parallelism has led to the use of different terminology for similar practices that do not always fall within the scope of conservationist practices. Consistent with the literature, and based on the results of 6 meetings with 144 Spanish experts, this paper aimed at clarifying terms and practices applied under the conditions of Spain, but could be useful for other geographies. This article also proposes definitions to clearly describe the different concepts for experts, advisers, and also for policy makers to accurately allocate funds in the European financial framework 2014–2020.