I find this line quite interesting. There is no concrete definition of sustainable agriculture and also no dividing line to define sustainable agriculture and unsustainable agriculture. I think, this single line is trying to say lots of things. I want to bring this discussion forward to understand perspectives of researchers involved in different dimensions of sustainable agriculture and understand it from three perspectives mentioned in the questions i.e. Philosophical, farming system and management techniques. Please put your thoughts in comments.
try to define it the other way: Whats non-sustainable agriculture? You can identify issues of non-sustainability in agriculture (like heavy metal contamination through P fertilizers, eutrophication of aquatic environments), but agriculture on the whole can never be "non-sustainable". Unfortunately anything causing chanes is quicly addressed as "non-sustainable" in our days! Sick to the good definition from 1987:
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
From "Our Common Future", The Brundtland Commission, 1987
In simplest terms, sustainable agriculture is the production of food, fiber, or other plant or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare.
Sustainability is all about BALANCE. If the level of inputs balances the level of outputs then productivity can be sustained. As the productivity level is increased so must the level of inputs be raised if the resources are not to be mined and deterioration of the system take place at some time in the future. We ought not to delude ourselves that low level productivity per se can be sustained - salinisation, for example, could be the end result. We should not delude ourselves that organic farming per se or chemical-free farming per se are sustainable. They can be, but only if some basic principles are followed.
The philosophy of sustainable agriculture is gaining ground in a world becoming acutely aware of finite fossil fuel resources and adverse impacts of agriculture and other industries on the environment. In spite of substantial advances in productivity through applications of fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation, we are learning that inappropriate or excessive use of these inputs can have unexpected and undesirable effects on the environment, natural ecosystems, and the world's human inhabitants. In order to develop the systems that will provide for our needs without endangering the quality of life of future generations, we must concentrate on an efficient use of renewable resources that are available within the immediate production environment. We need to reduce fossil fuel use to minimum essential levels. We must develop technologies that conform more closely with the environments where they will be used. The urgency associated with coming to grips with the problem is becoming more evident every day. These necessities precisely coincide with the capabilities of the FSR/E approach.
https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi27rO1hOjNAhUML48KHT-oBBMQFgh_MAk&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.regional.org.au%2Fau%2Froc%2F1989%2Froc198991.htm&usg=AFQjCNFpwBKEBm_bOZpHsfuQ3UyhgiSGkw&sig2=Z7YNXHEtI63vp0XMQM8-XQ
are you pointing to any specific area in agriculture. Sustainable farming calls various areas like husbandry, fertilizers, solar energy.
Deepak,
I am trying to bring conceptual discussion in order to discuss about philosophy and concept of sustainable agriculture but not focused in particular area. It may include philosophical discussion from all area of agriculture. It must be interesting to learn about philosophy of sustainable agriculture in particular area of agriculture as well. Lets put thought from all sector.
try to define it the other way: Whats non-sustainable agriculture? You can identify issues of non-sustainability in agriculture (like heavy metal contamination through P fertilizers, eutrophication of aquatic environments), but agriculture on the whole can never be "non-sustainable". Unfortunately anything causing chanes is quicly addressed as "non-sustainable" in our days! Sick to the good definition from 1987:
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
From "Our Common Future", The Brundtland Commission, 1987
Personally, I have many issues with the term "sustainable". In terms of definition, there are several which may be acceptable to this forum, including perhaps the Brundtland definition, although it may be acceptable to define sustainability as " the ability to continue a defined behaviour indefinitely".
Whatever definition, the point that I struggle with is that sustainability must apply to a complete system, not an element within it. In just the same way that it may be stated that Nature produces no waste, this does not imply that individual species within Nature produce no waste. What happens is that one species adapts to use the waste of another. Likewise, if we consider any one species within a Natural system, their is no indication that anyone of them continues to exist as a species indefinitely. What we observe is the ability to adapt to changing needs, the greater the degree of flexibility and sensitivity to change (fungal networks and plants for example) the greater the system is able to sustain. Nature is a wonderful example, and in a total system, agriculture is one activity of many.
Therefore, I would hesitantly suggest that what is meant by sustainable agriculture is a method of producing agricultural outputs (produce) to meet required needs in a way that can adapt to the inevitable changing conditions that the future will bring, whether man made or not.
In this context, agriculture is an area of activity, a sector within the whole, that can meet an overall desire for the entire system to sustain.
Compartmentalising any one aspect of the whole can lead to conflicting situations and compromises, whereas viewing all activities that make up our entire system (all areas of life) changes our perspectives from need to sustain one silo of activity to a need to be aware, communicate, adapt and feedback from that one silo of activity to all the others
Respectfully
Phil
the discussion is quite interesting, I agree with colleagues, but for me the three concepts are applicable to the definition, when they are united in a whole
then advance sustainable agriculture
If the production of agriculture is according to the procedure of sustainable, that means it is sustainable agriculture and if you always refers to the environment, it means sustainable agriculture is a philosophy, as well as you conduct farming system and management strategies. The elements of sustainable agriculture is farming system such as permaculture, agroforestry, mied agriculture, multiple cropping, and rotation, as long as you do in environmental friendly.
Sustainability is a loaded concept. It is a philosophy whose meaning, boundary,, methods and techniques for measurement, strategy options to achieve it are still being debated. On the other hand, its practice is also under way e.g. look at the UN sustainable development goals, which encompass sustainable agriculture.
Farming systems could be an approach to address sustainable agriculture and related strategies may be proposed. If any other approach is adopted, strategies may also differ.
Hope these general remarks are useful to look for appropriate literature.
Let me concentrate on the side of sustainability from philosophical perspective;
If sustainability means growth in the sector 5.1 per fiscal year; it is can't be called sustainability because this is a constant steady and things always moves every time; because it can be affected with different endogenous and heterogeneous factors. So if we believe that things are affected then there is a probability to move to the infinity direction; with probability of sustaining to be closer to zero.
On the other side; if we assume that sustainability means only growth or development with positive incremental on the plus of the initial ; then sustainability does mean increasing at increasing rate for short term may be; if we constant other factors of influence which is the likelihood will be difficult since we can not keep intact the unforeseen factors like environment, exogenous and variability which can create a stress to the idea sustainability. Then it will appear that sustainability is a ineffable word of an eye catching that is hard to defined it with factual realism.
The Basics Tweet Sustainable Agriculture Environmental Preservation Protection of Public Health Sustaining Vibrant Communities Upholding Animal Welfare Industrial Crop Production Industrial Livestock Production A Sustainable Food Future
In simplest terms, sustainable agriculture is the production of food, fiber, or other plant or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare. This form of agriculture enables us to produce healthful food without compromising future generations' ability to do the same.
The primary benefits of sustainable agriculture are:
Sustainable farms produce crops and raise animals without relying on toxic chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified seeds, G or practices that degrade soil, water, or other natural resources. By growing a variety of plants and using techniques such as crop rotation, conservation tillage, and pasture-based livestock husbandry G, sustainable farms protect biodiversity and foster the development and maintenance of healthy ecosystems.
Food production should never come at the expense of human health. Since sustainable crop farms avoid hazardous pesticides, they're able to grow fruits and vegetables that are safer for consumers, workers, and surrounding communities. Likewise, sustainable livestock farmers and ranchers raise animals without dangerous practices like use of nontherapeutic antibiotics G or arsenic-based growth promoters. Through careful, responsible management of livestock waste, sustainable farmers also protect humans from exposure to pathogens, toxins, and other hazardous pollutants.
A critical component of sustainable agriculture is its ability to remain economically viable, providing farmers, farmworkers, food processors, and others employed in the food system with a livable wage and safe, fair working conditions. Sustainable farms also bolster local and regional economies, creating good jobs and building strong communities.
Sustainable farmers and ranchers treat animals with care and respect, implementing livestock husbandry practices that protect animals' health and wellbeing. By raising livestock on pasture, these farmers enable their animals to move freely, engage in instinctive behaviors, consume a natural diet, and avoid the stress and illness associated with confinement.
Industrial Agriculture
Unfortunately, most food produced in the US is no longer grown or raised on sustainable farms. During the mid-1900s, US agriculture began to industrialize, becoming increasingly mechanized and reliant upon resource-intensive inputs like synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides. Over time, farms became larger, more specialized, and centralized, creating a process of extreme consolidation that drove many small farms out of business, and ultimately resulted in market control by a handful of powerful corporations.
Although industrial agriculture now produces great quantities of food at low prices, it is able to do so only by implementing practices that threaten the environment, human health, rural communities, and animal welfare.
Today, industrial crops are produced on huge monocrop Gfarms, which rely extensively on chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and genetically modified crop varieties. These practices deplete and degrade soil, reduce biodiversity, G and generate air and water pollutants that degrade the environment and threaten the health of farmworkers, neighbors, and consumers.
The majority of meat, eggs, and dairy products are now produced on enormous industrial livestock facilities. Also known as factory farms or CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations G), these facilities confine thousands (and, in some cases, hundreds of thousands) of animals in cramped conditions without access to the outdoors. In addition to compromising animal welfare, factory farms generate a huge amount of waste, which pollutes air, water, and soil, degrading the natural environment and threatening public health.
Although industrial agriculture currently dominates the US food system, public awareness of the problems caused by this model has grown rapidly, building extensive support for sustainable agriculture, creating a robust market for sustainable foods, and inspiring formidable demand for agricultural policy and regulatory reform.
Sustainable Table works to support the transition to a sustainable food future by educating people about the benefits of sustainable agriculture (and the problems with the industrial alternative), and by providing tools and resources to help consumers make better food choices. Find detailed information about the food system on our issue pages, learn to shop and cook sustainably by visiting In the Kitchen, and find farms, stores, restaurants, CSAs, G and other sources of sustainable food using our Eat Well Guide. Be sure to visit our Take Action page to learn how you can spread the word and help build a better food system.
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