SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS THROUGH SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Agriculture, which provides food for the teeming population and raw materials for industries, can also threaten public health and the environment if not properly practiced.  Specifically, traditional agriculture systems have spiked many environmental problems and farming practices ,such as frequent soil tillage and monoculture, degrade soil health.  Also, overuse of herbicide has caused superweeds epidemic, and frequent fertilizer runoffs poison the water bodies to create aquatic dead zones. Overall, traditional food production systems are not sustainable.

To attain a sustainable food system, it is imperative that farmers and other agriculturists become innovative and adopt modern farming systems that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. Farming practices that are healthy and use innovative science-based approaches to maximize productivity while reducing environmental destruction should be encouraged. This development will provide a potential solution that will enable agriculture to feed a growing population within the changing environmental conditions without long-term dire consequences.

Sustainable agriculture is simply farming in sustainable ways to meet the society’s food and raw materials needs without compromising the soil’s ability to produce for future generations. Furthermore, farming sustainably means working favourably with nature rather than against it, to maintain long-term increased productivity and soil health. Indeed, agriculture has an enormous environmental footprint and significantly contributes to climate change, water scarcity and pollution, land degradation, and deforestation among others.

Sustainable agriculture, on the other hand, deploys environment friendly methods of farming to produce crops or rear livestock without damage to human or natural systems. It prevents the adverse effects of farming on soil, water, biodiversity, climate or downstream resources, farms, farmers and neighbouring environment.

Sustainable agricultural practices and farming methods include, but not limited to, Permaculture, Biodynamic farming, Hydroponics and Aquaponics, Urban Agriculture, Agroforestry and Food Forests, Polycultures and Crop Rotation, Heirloom, Natural Animal Raising, Natural Pest Management, Mulching and Manual Weed Control. These practices promote environmental sustainability and preserve the natural systems and resources that farms rely on.

They also build and maintain healthy soils, conserve soil water, reduce air, water and climate pollution and promote biodiversity. Sustainable agriculture should be adopted and practiced increasingly to attain and maintain food security.

Established commercial and industrial agriculturists are encouraged to prioritise environmental health and wellbeing in their quest for increased profitability. They should adopt best practices that promote soil health, minimise water use, lower pollution levels and promote biodiversity for sustainable food production. Accordingly, policies that capture social, environmental, and economic interests should be created to promote adoption of sustainable agriculture and food production practices.