"Agriculture has changed dramatically, especially since the end of World War II. Food and fiber productivity soared due to new technologies, mechanization, increased chemical use, specialization and government policies that favored maximizing production ... Although these changes have had many positive effects and reduced many risks in farming, there have also been significant costs. Prominent among these are topsoil depletion, groundwater contamination, the decline of family farms, continued neglect of the living and working conditions for farm laborers, increasing costs of production, and the disintegration of economic and social conditions in rural communities."
"Not only does sustainable agriculture address many environmental and social concerns, but it offers innovative and economically viable opportunities for growers, laborers, consumers, policymakers and many others in the entire food system."
Sustainable agriculture includes three important components: environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity, resting on the principles of sustainable development.
Having a systems perspective helps us to understand sustainability wherein the the system is visioned on all different scales (from the invidual farm to a whole community) giving us the ability to understand the connections between the different parts of the system. This also implies an interdisciplinary approach in research and education.
The writer also notes correctly "that reaching toward the goal of sustainable agriculture is the responsibility of all participants in the system, including farmers, laborers, policymakers, researchers, retailers, and consumers."
First the articles focuses on various natural resources:
WATER
- Water supply and use: storage, transfer, drought
- Water quality: salinization, contamination
- Wildlife: diversity, habitats
AIR: smoke, dust, traffic
SOIL: erosion
Now we go over to some plant production practices:
SELECTION OF SITE, SPECIES AND VARIETY: well suited to the site and to conditions on the farm
DIVERSITY: diversification of crops (including livestock) and cultural practices to enhance the biological and economic stability of the farm
SOIL MANAGEMENT: enhance and protect soil quality
EFFICIENT USE OF INPUTS
FARMER GOALS AND LIFESTYLE CHOICES: management decisions that promote sustainability, nourish the environment, the community and the individual
Also important are the animal production practices:
MANAGEMENT PLANNING
ANIMAL SELECTINO
REPRODUCTION
HERD HEALTH
GRAZING MANAGEMENT
CONFINED LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION
Lastly, we have the economic, social and political context:
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL POLICY: policies are needed to simultaneously promote environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity
LAND USE
LABOUR: working toward socially just and safe employment that provides adequate wages, working conditions, health benefits, and chances for economic stability
RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: sustainable agriculture practices and policies can help foster community institutions that meet employment, educational, health, cultural and spiritual needs
CONSUMERS AND THE FOOD SYSTEMS: strategies that broaden consumer perspectives, so that environmental quality, resource use, and social equity issues are also considered in shopping decisions. At the same time, new policies and institutions must be created to enable producers using sustainable practices to market their goods to a wider public
That about sums up the article. Keep in mind that while the paper suggest various strategies, there is not a one-solution-for-all. Every biological production system is unique depending on multiple factors such as climate, soil and cultural conditions. Reaching sustainability is therefore something that needs to be carefully planned, discussed and managed with all the important actors.
