Sustainable Agriculture For Future

 History and basic concepts

Much has changed in agriculture since the end of World War II. Food and fiber productivity has risen sharply thanks to new technologies, mechanization, greater use of chemicals, specialization, and government policies that support maximizing production and lowering food prices. These changes have allowed fewer farmers to produce more food and fiber at lower prices.

Although these developments have a positive impact on agriculture and reduce many risks, they also have significant costs. Most important are land depletion, groundwater pollution, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, declining family farms, neglect of living and working conditions of agricultural workers, new health threats, and human survival due to the spread of new pathogens, concentration in the food industry. and the collapse of farms and rural societies.

Over the past four decades, there has been a growing movement to challenge the demand for these high costs and offer innovative alternatives. Today, this sustainable agricultural movement is increasingly supported and welcomed in our food production systems. Sustainable agriculture has three main objectives: environmental health, economic sustainability, and social equality.

Various philosophies, policies, and practices have contributed to these goals, but some common themes and principles are included in most definitions of sustainable agriculture.

Staying in the countryside is based on the principle that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Therefore, long-term management of natural and human resources is as important as short-term financial income. Human resource management includes taking care of current and future social responsibilities, such as the working and living conditions of workers, the needs of rural communities, and the health and safety of consumers. Land and natural resource management include maintaining or improving the quality of these resources and using them to ensure their future reproduction. Stakeholders should also ensure the welfare of the animals on the farms where the animals are cared for.

The perspective of agroecosystems and food systems is important in understanding sustainability. Agro-ecosystems are understood in the broadest sense of the term, from individual fields to farms and ecosystems. Agricultural ecosystems and food systems, including the elements of food distribution and consumption, also extend from the farmer to the local community and to the global population. Emphasizing a systems perspective provides a holistic view of our agricultural production and distribution activities and how it affects human communities and the natural environment. Instead, the system approach provides us with tools for assessing the impact and environmental sustainability of human society and agricultural institutions.

The approach to agroecosystems and food systems also requires multifaceted research, education, and action. Not only researchers from various fields but also farmers, workers, retailers, consumers, politicians, and others involved in our agri-food systems play a critical role on the path toward more sustainable agriculture.

After all, sustainable agriculture is not a well-defined end goal. The scientific understanding of what sustainability means in environmental, social, and economic terms is constantly evolving and influenced by current issues, perspectives, and values. For example, 20 years ago the flexibility of agriculture to climate change was not considered a critical issue, but now it is receiving more and more attention. In addition, the details of what a resilient system is may change due to certain conditions (e.g., this is a controversial term. Therefore, it is more logical and appropriate to consider agricultural systems as a continuum from unsustainable to highly resilient). , instead of being classified as viable/unsustainable).

Sustainable agriculture and natural resource management

As natural resources are used to produce food and fiber, the ability of future generations to produce and thrive decreases. The decline of ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, the Mediterranean, pre-Columbian southwest, and Central America is thought to have been heavily influenced by the destruction of natural resources due to unsustainable agricultural and forestry practices. A sustainable approach to agriculture aims to use natural resources in such a way that they can restore their productive capacity while minimizing negative impacts on ecosystems outside the farms. One way farmers try to achieve these goals is by thinking about how they can take advantage of existing natural processes or design their farming systems to incorporate the essential functions of the natural ecosystem. By creating biologically integrated agro-ecosystems that are more dependent on internal nutrient and energy cycling, it is often possible to maintain an economical production system with less potentially toxic interference. For example, farmers seeking a higher level of environmental sustainability may consider how to reduce the use of toxic pesticides by using natural methods to reduce the pest population. This can be achieved, for example, by making fences at the edges of farms or by planting ground cover between rows, by providing habitat for pests and birds to repel pests, or by planting more diverse plants that confuse or repel pests. Maintaining high genetic diversity by keeping as many crops and animal breeds as possible will provide more genetic resources for breeding for disease and pest resistance.

Studies of different types of natural and human systems have taught us that systems that have survived over time do so because they are extremely durable, adaptable, and versatile. Sustainability is important because most agroecosystems are dependent on conditions (climate, pest population, political context, etc.) that are often very unpredictable and rarely stable over long periods of time. Flexibility is an important element of stability because it is not always possible or desirable for an agricultural system to return to its full form and function before a disease, but it can adapt and rebuild to accommodate changing conditions. condition. Diversity often helps ensure stability because the more diverse a food system is, whether it is cultural or cultural knowledge, the more tools, and equipment the system needs to adapt to change.

Protecting the resources needed for agricultural productivity also means maintaining the integrity of the soil as a complex and highly structured entity of mineral particles, organic matter, air, water, and living organisms. Farmers interested in long-term sustainability often prioritize soil care because they know that healthy soil supports healthy crops and livestock. Maintaining soil function often means focusing on maintaining or even increasing organic matter in the soil. The organic matter of the soil acts as an important source and deposit of nutrients, a substrate for microbial activity and acidity, water content, pollutants, etc. serves as a buffer against changes in atmospheric CO2 and therefore climate change. Another important function of soil organic matter is to provide better soil structure, allowing for better water ingress, less runoff, better drainage, and greater stability, thus reducing air and water erosion.

Due to the high reliance on fertilizers, the function of the agroecosystem is isolated from the internal cycle of essential plant nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Phosphate ores are currently mined for fertilizer production, but global resources are only expected to support food production over the next 50–100 years. Thus, phosphate prices are expected to increase unless new reserves are discovered and innovations are developed to recover phosphate from waste. The reuse of nitrogen and phosphorus (on a farm and regional scale), improving the efficiency of fertilizers, and the use of organic food sources (animal and green manure) are important aspects of sustainable agriculture. Nutrient reuse has become possible through diversified agriculture, where the production of cattle and crops is more spatially aggregated. For these reasons, comprehensive mixed farming systems, especially in developing countries, can make a significant contribution to the future sustainability of agriculture and global food security.

In many parts of the world, water for agriculture is scarce and/or deteriorating. Excessive surface water extraction leads to the destruction of important coastal areas, and excessive groundwater extraction threatens future irrigation opportunities. Salts, excess nutrients, and pesticide contamination are common water quality problems. Selecting and selecting more drought -tolerant and salt -tolerant and salt-tolerant types of crops, using smaller irrigation systems, and managing soil and crops to reduce water loss are ways to utilize water better on sustainable farms.

Modern agriculture is highly dependent on non-renewable energy sources, especially oil. The continued use of these non-renewable resources cannot be sustained indefinitely, but it will be an economic disaster if we suddenly abandon our reliance on them. Sustainable agriculture aims to reduce the flow of external energy and replace non-renewable energy sources with renewables (e.g., solar and wind energy, biofuels from agricultural waste, or animal or human labor, when economically possible).

Sustainable agriculture and society

Agro-ecosystems cannot be maintained for long periods of time without the knowledge, technical skills, and skilled labor force required for effective management. Due to the dynamic nature of agriculture and area, sustainability requires a diverse and adaptable knowledge base based on formal and empirical science as well as the knowledge of local farmers. Social institutions that support the education of farmers and scientists, encourage innovation, and encourage collaboration between farmers and researchers can increase agricultural productivity and long-term sustainability.

Social justice issues often precede discussions about sustainable agriculture. In most developed countries, wages for agricultural workers are so low that the agricultural sector is highly dependent on migrant workers from poor countries, leaving farmers vulnerable to changes in immigration policy and harassment from government social services. The uncertain legal status of many of these workers also contributes to their average low wages and living standards, job insecurity, lack of promotion opportunities, and exemption from health and safety measures that are commonly used in other industries. Harvest resources from multiple farmers to provide better housing, distribute workers on farms with different crops to reduce seasonal employment, share farm income, help workers who buy and manage their own farms, and change to make them affordable. Providing workers with health insurance and training opportunities are alternative ways to increase professional and social equality.

The growing integration of food producers, traders, and suppliers of agricultural equipment mean that farmers are unable to financially negotiate better prices for their inputs and crops. This means that profit margins are under pressure, leaving many farmers with few resources to improve the environment and working conditions. Integration with production, processing, or marketing cooperatives is a way of increasing the relative economic power of farmers. Conducting certain processing operations on the farm before selling their products, producing high-quality specialty products, creating direct marketing opportunities without intermediaries, and finding specialty markets are different. more ways for farmers to earn more than the economic value of their products. Aggregation policies can also protect farmers in the long run.

This economic pressure on farmers further oppressed many rural communities as farms and related local farms were closed. Economic development policies and tax structures that encourage more diversified agricultural production on family farms can lay the foundation for a healthier rural economy. Consumers can also play a role within the market structure. Through their marketplaces, they send compelling messages to manufacturers, retailers, and others in the system about what is important to them, including environmental quality and social justice.

After all, some of the same economic needs that undermine the sustainability of farming raise social justice concerns for consumers in low-income communities who often do not have access to healthy food while traditional supermarkets are moving to more profitable areas to feed them. maintains profit margins. Food production and marketing plans aimed at improving the food security of the population, including community and home gardens, farmers' markets, the use of fresh local agricultural produce in school meals, and local food cooperatives, represent efforts to eliminate it. In addition, the approach to food systems also examines the impact of agricultural practices on the safety and nutritional value of final products reaching consumers, for example by minimizing or eliminating toxic residues.

Conclusion

Social, economic, and environmental sustainability are closely related and essential for truly sustainable agriculture. For example, farmers facing poverty are often forced to consume their natural resources, such as soil fertility, to make a living, although long-term environmental degradation can affect their livelihoods. Only through policies that combine social, environmental, and economic interests can society contribute to the development of society.