What Is Sustainable Agriculture?
The importance of sustainable agriculture summons close attention today, and here is why. People strongly rely on farming for fiber, food, and livestock forage, and while the planet’s population grows, the demand raises too, with a threat of a resource shortage.
Sustainable agriculture insists on moderate consumption of non-renewable resources, with nature and future generations in mind. The approach advocates switching to renewable energy sources, sparing land use, and eliminating nature pollution. Farmers seek successful management solutions, and the remote sensing technology in sustainable agriculture provides data for the most accurate and reliable analytics
Irrigation Techniques In Sustainable Agriculture
Crop production greatly relies on irrigation involving a tremendous use of aquatic and energetical resources. Sustainability aims to support plant hydration needs yet optimize water and energy consumption. Sustainable water use in agriculture is carried out through planting less-water-consuming crop species and implementing smart irrigation techniques. In particular, drip vs. furrow (flood) irrigation requires 20-40% less water while getting 20-50% more crops
Sustainable Agriculture And Cover Crops
By sowing cover crops off-season, farmers protect their fields from soil erosion. The technique also helps in building up the organic matter when cover crops are used for green manure, which decreases expenses on fertilizers. Besides, cover cropping tackles weeds and retains soil moisture. Flowering cover crops naturally support the populations of bees and other pollinators.
Opposite to regular plowing in conventional farming, reduced or no-till practices prevent soil loss due to wind and water erosion. The no-tilling approach suggests sowing right into the crop residue with the least soil and biota disturbance. Since planters or drillers incorporate seeds immediately after digging, no-till prevents soil compaction, minimizes operation time and fossil emissions, contributing to economic and ecological stability
Apart from chemical pest control, integrated pest management (IPM) employs other methods that are even more efficient when used in complex. The role of IPM in sustainable agriculture is to minimize harm for humans and non-target species as well as nature in general. Therefore, integrated pest management in sustainable agriculture primarily relies on biological and cultural control. In particular, biological measures include (but are not limited to) using predators like ladybugs to kill aphids or poultry to eat up pests, their larvae, and eggs (e.g., ants, bugs, flies, woodlice, etc.).
Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable agricultural approaches and practices provide solutions for producing food as well as other agricultural products at a low environmental cost that does not threaten food accessibility and availability, as well as future generations' general well-being Sustainable agriculture can be defined as “an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that over the long term will satisfy human food and fiber needs, enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which, the agricultural economy depends, make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls, sustain the economic viability of farm operations, and enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole” .
Sustainable agriculture can also be defined as “an agriculture/farming system in sustainable ways to satisfy people's present food and textile needs, without compromising the ability for contemporary or next generations to acquire their needs based on an understanding of ecosystem services”.
Regenerative agriculture is a growing movement that focuses on improving soil health, biodiversity, and addressing socioeconomic disparities. The authors have explored its origins and intentions through three phases of work and found that the consistent goal is to regenerate or rebuild agricultural resources to achieve sustainable agriculture, aligning with international efforts to improve ecosystem function. While there isn't a confirmed definition, the authors propose the "Farmscape Function" framework to monitor the impact of change in agricultural resources over time and support data-based innovation. Regenerative agriculture is seen as a state of agriculture rather than a specific type.
REFERENCE
McBratney, A. (2021). Regenerative Agriculture and Its Potential to Improve Farmscape Function. Sustainability, 14(10), 5815. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14105815
Muhie, S. H. (2022). Novel approaches and practices to sustainable agriculture. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 10, 100446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2022.100446
Setsoafia, E. D., Ma, W., & Renwick, A. (2022). Effects of sustainable agricultural practices on farm income and food security in northern Ghana. Agricultural and Food Economics, 10(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-022-00216-9
Commentaires