Rapid Assessment Case Study: The Environmental Information Infrastructure of Pulse Production in Canada

This case study examines the environmental information infrastructure supporting lentil production and conservation tillage in Canada, specifically within the Prairie region. It analyzes how information flows between farmers, researchers, and organizations to manage soil fertility and erosion, while identifying gaps between farm-level informal monitoring and national-level formal reporting.

• Canada is the world's top exporter of lentils and the second-largest producer of pulses. Production increased from 343,000 tonnes in 1991 to a record 1,307,000 tonnes in 2009, with approximately 97% of the crop grown in the brown and dark-brown soil zones of Saskatchewan.
• The transition to pulse production and conservation tillage provides significant environmental benefits, including reduced reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers due to the nitrogen-fixing ability of legumes. This shift helps mitigate soil erosion and salinity issues associated with traditional summer fallow practices.
• Pulse production involves specific environmental risks, primarily a heavy reliance on herbicides and fungicides to manage weeds and diseases. Diseases such as Ascochyta blight can affect 60% to 70% of planted areas, and Anthracnose can affect 40%. Additionally, pulses leave less crop residue than cereals, potentially increasing winter erosion risks in brown and dark-brown soil zones.
• The information infrastructure at the farm level relies heavily on informal networks and observable metrics. Farmers use 'eyeballing' and indicators like 'mellowness' (reduced soil density) and rainfall pooling to assess soil structure and loss, sharing these findings via word-of-mouth and newsletters.
• Formal environmental monitoring at the provincial and national levels is conducted primarily by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Key metrics include soil-loss rates, soil organic carbon, and summer-fallow trends, which are often reported in the Ag-Environmental Indicator Report Series.
• Significant barriers exist in linking farm-level data to national assessments. Informal observations cannot be easily aggregated, and formal data from private soil-testing firms is often proprietary and not shared publicly. Furthermore, the independent status of the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association (SSCA) compared to government-led extensions in Alberta and Manitoba created a 'border effect' in the rate of adoption of conservation tillage.

APA

Barr, J., Gough, A., & Russillo, A. (2009). Rapid Assessment Case Study: The Environmental Information Infrastructure of Pulse Production in Canada. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/rapid_assessment_case_study.pdf

Chicago

Barr, Jane, Angeline Gough, and Aimee Russillo. Rapid Assessment Case Study: The Environmental Information Infrastructure of Pulse Production in Canada. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/rapid_assessment_case_study.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Barr |first1=Jane |last2=Gough |first2=Angeline |last3=Russillo |first3=Aimee |title=Rapid Assessment Case Study: The Environmental Information Infrastructure of Pulse Production in Canada |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=November 2009 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/rapid_assessment_case_study.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{barr2009rapid, author = {Barr, Jane and Gough, Angeline and Russillo, Aimee}, title = {{Rapid Assessment Case Study: The Environmental Information Infrastructure of Pulse Production in Canada}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/rapid_assessment_case_study.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }