Sustainable agriculture pdf
Currently, 2 billion hectares that were once productive are degraded. Up to 44% of agricultural land is located in drylands, which are home to 30% of the world’s population (FAO, 2020). The current growth in agricultural production has such a large environmental impact that it is essential to promote sustainable agriculture.
Sustainability implies producing while meeting human needs, without destroying nature and making rational use of resources (Zarta, 2018). Sustainable agriculture is the result of individual action by farmers supported by environmental movements (Muro, n.d. b).
Sustainable agriculture is fundamental to face the environmental challenges of this time: degradation of natural resources, climate change, decoupling between production and conservation, and emergence of new diseases.
Sustainable food and agriculture contribute to the four pillars of food security (availability, access, utilization and stability) and to the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social and economic).
Sustainable agriculture projects
Sustainable agriculture is a type of agriculture that is characterized by offering greater environmental protection while seeking high levels of agricultural efficiency. It also proposes regional policies and seeks responsible sourcing.
As a result of these actions, rural environments or markets are the main recipients of this type of policy. The aim is to improve their living conditions, away from industrial operations, while ensuring their welfare.
Since its birth, in the seventies of the last century, it has been gaining relevance and presence in the social and political agenda. All this, together with a green and planet-friendly perspective.
Sustainable agriculture examples
The current world population is close to 7 billion people and it is estimated that by 2050 this figure will reach 9 billion, which means that education, employment and the food industry, among others, will have to expand proportionally. The food industry will have to increase proportionally in order to supply the needs of the population, a population that already suffers from hunger. In Mexico, food in large part and especially in rural areas depends heavily on regional agriculture. Without it, the levels of food insecurity in our country would increase. It is for this and many other reasons that Mexico needs to boost agriculture economically so that the quality and well-being of the population does not consequently decrease. And Mexico should not only focus on agriculture in general, but also implement the culture and tradition of sustainable agriculture, which maintains a balance between all the components involved and is focused on the sustenance of the population.
Sustainable and sustainable agriculture
It is one of the primary sector activities of every nation, being the most important resource available to man for his subsistence; a portion of agricultural products is consumed directly and another is provided to the industry to obtain food derivatives, textile, chemical or manufacturing materials.
Agriculture is defined as “the art of cultivating the land” from the Latin ager, agri (field) and cultura (culture). It is an activity that deals with the production of soil cultivation, the development and harvesting of crops, the exploitation of forests and woodlands (forestry), and the breeding and development of livestock.
Modern agriculture employs all the resources provided by science and technology; in the selection of seeds, use of chemical fertilizers and irrigation systems, protection of plants against parasites and pests, and is becoming more and more advanced in mechanization, which determines a continuous increase in land yields.