Defining Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable agriculture can be defined as farming practices that consider the ecological functions that are usually found in natural ecosystems such as nutrient cycling, biodiversity, evolution, etc. This consideration also extends to all organisms, from plants and insects to microorganisms in the soil. Sustainable agriculture promotes systems that are economically viable, environmentally friendly, and safe for public health. In general, sustainable agriculture reduces inputs from fossil fuels, especially in terms of pesticides and fertilizers.
Sustainable agriculture has been practiced and continues to be practiced across the world. If done correctly, it has many benefits including maintaining soil health, reducing pest and weed issues, and promoting biodiversity (which is important for pest and weed control). In the world, sustainable agriculture has been practiced as a subsistence type of farming. This is especially true in developing countries. Slash and Burn Agriculture is an example of this type of farming. However, with the negative impacts of conventional agriculture that we have seen previously, sustainable agriculture is being picked up by many worldwide.
There are several methods of sustainable farming. In this module, we will look at only a few of them: integrated pest management, organic farming through intercropping, and maintenance of biodiversity. But first we need to also look at why sustainable agriculture is becoming such an issue. This relates to food security, food safety, and social equity.