Agricultural Nitrogen Use Efficiency in the Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga: Modeling Scenarios for 2030 and 2040

The Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) consists of a broad set of information that addresses the basics of crop nutrition and the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Framework, being a critically important concept for evaluating crop production systems. Estimates of NUE have been widely used as an indicator to evaluate the progress in nutrient management (Brentrup and Palliere, 2010; Norton et al., 2015; Sutton et al., 2013). The objective of NUE is to increase the overall performance of cropping systems by providing economically optimum nourishment to the crop while minimizing nutrient losses from the field and supporting agricultural system sustainability through contributions to soil fertility or other soil quality components (Fixen et al., 2015). Improvements in NUE contribute to achieving the best management practice (BMP) by providing the best combination of economic, social, and environmental performance—the three pillars of sustainability. NUE can be measured or estimated at multiple scales, from crop producers to regional or national levels. This indicator represents the ratio between the amount of N input and output (Output/Input). While using a NUE of 1 as an indicator of soil fertility sustainability might seem ideal, it can be misleading because losses from erosion and leaching are usually not included and are difficult to estimate. Thus, we consider a range of 0.5 to 0.9 as desirable for the region, though further studies are necessary to determine the optimal range considering local characteristics and agricultural practices. A NUE greater than 0.9 indicates that more nutrients are removed with the harvested crop or livestock products than are applied by fertilizer and/or manure, a situation equivalent to “soil mining” of nutrients. Conversely, low NUE (<0.5) indicates inefficient use and a high risk of losing N to the environment, potentially impacting soil, water, and air. This dataset includes empirical data and model simulations developed within the framework of the NEXUS project (https://nexus.ccst.inpe.br/), which aimed to analyze the interrelationship and challenges of agricultural production, energy, and water resource use in the Caatinga and Cerrado regions. The NEXUS project, conducted between 2018 and 2024, adopted a participatory multiscale approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods from natural and social sciences. Over its six-year duration, the project involved more than one hundred stakeholders from various sectors, producing diagnostics and scenarios for sustainable futures in these biomes. Scenarios Descriptions: The “Green Transition” scenario aligns with the dominant narrative in the business sector regarding sustainability, focusing on efficiency gains and technological solutions (e.g., low-carbon agriculture, energy transition led by large corporations) to address environmental challenges. This scenario envisions agricultural production concentrated in highly productive areas, enabling the restoration of natural vegetation and an increasingly urban future. On the other hand, the “Lives in Balance” scenario reflects the aspirations and struggles of social movements and traditional communities for recognition and the coexistence of multiple ways of life. It advocates for the transformation of production systems, particularly in the decentralized production of food and energy, and emphasizes strengthening family farming and agroecological systems. Dataset usage: This dataset is freely available for use. However, please ensure that you properly cite both the repository and our papers if you utilize this dataset. Tôsto, K.L., Pacheco, F.S., Gomes, L., Miranda, M., Oliveira, S.M.L., Pessi, D.D., Cox, C., Ometto, J.P.H.B., 2019. Nitrogen use efficiency: a local and regional approach for Brazilian agriculture. Raega - O Espaço Geográfico em Análise 46, 125-139. Pacheco, F. S.; Ometto, J. O. Chapter 20: Assessment of nitrogen flows, impact and solutions in Latin America. In. International Nitrogen Assessment. Cambridge University Press. 2024. Acknowledgment: This dataset is part of the NEXUS project, funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation – FAPESP (2022/00917-0 and 2017/22269-2). We also acknowledge the support of the International Nitrogen Management System project (INMS), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). References: Brentrup, F., Palliere, C., 2010. Nitrogen Use Efficiency as an Agro-Environmental Indicator. In Proceedings of the OECD Workshop on Agrienvironmental Indicators, March 23-26. Leysin, Switzerland. Fixen, P., Brentrup, F., Bruulsema, T., Garcia, F., Norton, R., Zingore, S., 2015. Nutrient/fertilizer use efficiency: measurement, current situation and trends, in: Drechsel, P., Heffer, P., Magen, H., Mikkelsen, R., Wichelns, D. (Eds.), Managing Water and Fertilizer for Sustainable Agricultural Intensification. IFA, IWMI, IPNI, IPI, p. 8. Norton, R., Eric Davidson, Roberts, T., 2015. Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Nutrient Performance Indicators. Global Partnership on Nutrient Management. Avaliable at: www.nutrientchallenge.org. GPNM. Sutton, M.A., Bleeker, A., C.M., H., M., B., B., G., W., D.V., Van Grinsven, H.J.M., 2013. Our Nutrient World: The challenge to produce more food and energy with less pollution. Global Overview of Nutrient Management. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Edinburgh on behalf of the Global Partnership on Nutrient Management and the International Nitrogen Initiative. Available at: http://www.initrogen.org/node/63 (accessed 30 January 20177).