Agriculture sustainability and food security is our
insurance policy for future development
By the year 2025, %83 of the expected global population of 8.5 billion will be living in developing
countries. Yet the capacity of available resources and technologies to satisfy the demands of this
growing population for food and other agricultural commodities remains uncertain. Agriculture
has to meet this challenge, mainly by increasing production on land already in use and by
avoiding further encroachment on land that is only marginally suitable for cultivation. By 2025
about 925 Million hungry this number will increase up to 2 Billion hungry people on 2050.
(Source: UN sustainable development)
These data must not only worries us but also it must fuel our motivations and strengthen our
commitment in finding new avenues to increase our farming productivity and develop our
agricultural systems to be more adoptive and sustainable for our future generations so we can
meet the current growing demand of food, and reserve these same resources for our future
generation so they can keep up with the continuous growing demand of food for decades to
come.
Facts:
Until the Industrial Revolution, the vast majority of the human population labored in
agriculture.
As of 2011, the International Labor Organization states that approximately one billion people
or over 1/3 of the available work force are labored in agriculture.
By 2050 the worlds population will reach 11 Billion, doubling the food quantities which we do
consume nowadays.(Source: International Labor Organization)
Agricultural land (% of land area) in Jordan (Source: World Bank)
(2009) %11.5 (2010) %11.3 (2011) %11.3 (2012) %11.7
Population Growth rate in Jordan as of 2013 is %2.2 (source: World Bank)
What is sustainable agriculture?
Sustainable agriculture is the system of farming (cultivating land, harvesting and selling farm
products), while enhancing wise rural land development in concert with community interests
and environmental protection. We must meet the needs of the present without jeopardizing or
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Understanding sustainability.
We must envision the broadest sense; it starts at the individual farm, and ends at the
consumers table going through the full cycle of the ecosystem (farmers, farmworkers,
consumers, policymakers and others). An emphasis on this ecosystem circle allows a larger and
more thorough view of the consequences of farming practices on both human communities and
the environment. A systematic approach gives us the tools to explore the interconnections
between all agents in this ecosystem cycle.
Adopting sustainable agriculture is a process, which will involve all agents of the mentioned
above ecosystem, and this transition will require a series of small, realistic steps. By laying out
our plan to achieving agricultural sustainability we must consider both the family economics and
the farmers potential profitability and how we as researchers can influence how fast or how far
participants can go in the transition. It is important to realize that each small decision can make
a difference and contribute to advancing the entire system further on the "sustainable
agriculture continuum." The key to moving forward is the will and commitment to take the next
step forward.
Its important to point out to all agents (participants) in this ecosystem cycle that reaching a
sustainable agriculture is our moral duty for the coming generations, and we must magnify the
importance of everyones role in this system so they can be committed and convinced of the
importance of their role in this eco cycle system in achieving our goal of sustainable agriculture
system.
How can we do this?
Social awareness campaigns must be carried with total support from the government and
legislators and both bodies must be very active in the process of promoting and encouraging the
need to adopt the sustainable agriculture system and they must illustrate to the public the pros
and cons of converting to this system.
Policy makers must introduce tax incentives to those farmers who begin to adopt the process of
sustainable agriculture and increase the taxes on those companies and farmers who are less
adoptive to the sustainable agriculture system.
Food security and sustainable agriculture;
Its important to take in consideration the food security in the country/region where we intent
to implement our sustainable agriculture system, food security and population growth have to
be always present in our plan in converting to sustainable agriculture.
Factors and elements which must be considered to achieve sustainable agriculture
Water, Wildlife, Energy, Air, Soil, diversity, Inputs use, management & planning,
animal selection, animal nutrition, reproduction, herds health, grazing, and confined
livestock production.
Water:
How can we preserve our water resources and water quality while doing intensive farming to
meet the market demand? How can we deal, treat and solve the salinization and contamination
of ground and surface waters by pesticides, nitrates and selenium? Farmers do realize the
severely negative effect of salinity on the quality and quantity of their crops and produce.
Salinity has become a problem for farmers wherever water of even relatively low salt content is
used on shallow soils in arid regions and/or where the water table is near the root zone of crops.
Temporary solutions include the use of salt-tolerant crops, low-volume irrigation, and various
management techniques to minimize the effects of salts on crops. In the long-run,
unfortunately, some farmland may need to be a banded and or removed from production, or
converted to other uses which can include the conversion of row crop land to production of
drought-tolerant forages, the restoration of wildlife habitat or the use of agroforestry to
minimize the impacts of salinity and high water tables and we must adopt the reduction of using
Pesticide and nitrate which can contaminate the water and use different topsoil-friendly
practices while farming.
Soil: According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) Soil
erosion continues to be one of the most serious threats to our continued ability to continue
producing adequate food to meet our market demand. . Temporary solution can include
developing practices to keep soil in place, which include reducing or eliminating tillage,
managing irrigation to reduce runoff, and keeping the soil covered with plants or mulch.
Air: Agricultural activities can affect air quality. The poor air quality can come from the smoke
from agricultural burning; dust from tillage, traffic and harvest, pesticide drift from spraying, and
nitrous oxide emissions from and the use of nitrogen fertilizer. Temporary solution include
incorporating crop residue into the soil, using appropriate levels of tillage, and planting wind
breaks, cover crops or strips of native perennial grasses to reduce dust.
Energy: The WFO (Worlds Farmer Organization) have lately debated the relationship between
renewable energy and sustainable agriculture and they have concluded that both sectors can
deeply and intensively cooperate with each other, since they both do share the same goals of
saving our environment and making our future planet earth a better place for our future
generations to live on. Modern agriculture is heavily dependent on non-renewable energy
sources, especially fusel fuel. The continued use of these energy sources cannot be sustained
indefinitely, yet to abruptly abandon our reliance on them would be economically catastrophic.
However, a sudden cutoff in energy supply would be equally disruptive. Temporary solution, we
must reduce our reliance on non-renewable energy sources such as fusel fuel, and substitute it
with renewable energy sources such as solar power, wind power and thermo power, and return
to the use of more human labor to the extent that is economically feasible.
Wildlife.
Agriculture can affects water resources through the destruction of natural habitats when
constructing new farmlands. The conversion of wild habitat to agricultural land can reduces fish
and wildlife through erosion and sedimentation, the effects of pesticides, removal of riparian
plants, and the diversion of water. Temporary solution can include maintaining the plant
diversity in and around both riparian and agricultural in order to support a diversity of wildlife.
This diversity will enhance natural ecosystems and could aid in agricultural pest management.
Other factors or methods to be considered while approaching and planning for sustainable
agriculture.
Crop diversity: Diversified farms are usually more economically and ecologically
resilient. While monoculture farming has advantages in terms of efficiency and ease of
management, the loss of the crop in any one year could put a farm out of business and/or
seriously disrupt the stability of a community dependent on that crop. By growing a
variety of crops, farmers spread economic risk and are less susceptible to the radical price
fluctuations associated with changes in supply and demand. Temporally solution is
adopting Optimum diversity which can be obtained by integrating both crops and livestock
in the same farming operation. This was the common practice for centuries until the mid-
1900s when technology, government policy and economics compelled farms to become
more specialized. Mixed crop and livestock operations have several advantages. First,
growing row crops only on more level land and pasture or forages on steeper slopes will
reduce soil erosion. Second, pasture and forage crops in rotation enhance soil quality and
reduce erosion; livestock manure, in turn, contributes to soil fertility. Third, livestock can
buffer the negative impacts of low rainfall periods by consuming crop residue that in
"plant only" systems would have been considered crop failures. Finally, feeding and
marketing are flexible in animal production systems. This can help cushion farmers
against trade and price fluctuations and, in conjunction with cropping operations, make
more efficient use of farm labor.
Soil management: Healthy soil will produce healthy crop plants that have optimum
vigor and are less susceptible to pests. While many crops have key pests that attack even
the healthiest of plants, proper soil, water and nutrient management can help prevent
some pest problems brought on by crop stress or nutrient imbalance. Furthermore, crop
management systems that impair soil quality often result in greater inputs of water,
nutrients, pesticides, and/or energy for tillage to maintain yields.
Temporally solution can be achieved by using cover crops, compost and/or manures,
reducing tillage, avoiding traffic on wet soils, and maintaining soil cover with plants
and/or mulches. Conditions in most Jordanian soils (warm, irrigated, and tilled) do not
favor the buildup of organic matter. Regular additions of organic matter or the use of
cover crops can increase soil aggregate stability, soil tilth, and diversity of soil microbial
life.
Inputs use: Many inputs and practices used by conventional farmers also can be used in
sustainable agriculture. Sustainable farming, however, do maximize reliance on natural,
renewable, and on-farm inputs. Equally important are the environmental, social, and
economic impacts of a particular strategy. Converting to sustainable practices does not
mean simple input substitution. Frequently, it substitutes enhanced management and
scientific knowledge for conventional inputs, especially chemical inputs that harm the
environment on farms and in rural communities. Temporally solution by focusing on
developing efficient, biological systems which do not need high levels of material inputs.
Animal Production Practices:
Most farms used to integrate both crop and livestock operations. In fact, the two were
highly complementary both biologically and economically. However the current picture
has changed quite drastically. Crop and animal producers are still dependent on one
another to some degree, but the integration now most commonly takes place at a higher
level--between farmers, through intermediaries, rather than within the farm itself. This is
the result of a trend toward separation and specialization of crop and animal production
systems. Even with the growing specialization of livestock and crop producers, many of
the principles outlined in the crop production do apply to both groups. The actual
management practices will be quite different. Temporally solution, good management
planning, Including livestock in the farming. Stock mobility, daily feeding, health
concerns, breeding operations, seasonal feed and forage sources, and complex marketing
are sources of worries. Therefore, a successful farm plan should include enterprise
calendars of operations, stock flows, forage flows, labor needs, herd production records
and land use plans to give the manager control and a means of monitoring progress
toward goals.
Animal Selection: Animal selection must be appropriate for the farms resources, farm
capabilities and constraints such as feed and forage sources, landscape, climate and skill
of the manager must be considered in selecting which animals to produce. There is a wide
range of breeds available in each of the major ruminant species, i.e., cattle, sheep and
goats. Animal nutrition, Feed costs are the largest single variable cost in any livestock
operation. While most of the feed may come from other enterprises on the farm, some
purchased feed is usually imported from off the farm. Feed costs can be kept to a
minimum by monitoring animal condition and performance and understanding seasonal
variations in feed and forage quality on the farm. Determining the optimal use of farm-
generated by-products is an important challenge of diversified farming. Reproduction,
use of quality germplasm to improve herd performance is another key to sustainability. In
combination with good genetic stock, adapting the reproduction season to fit the climate
and sources of feed and forage reduce health problems and feed costs. Herds health,
animal health greatly influences reproductive success and weight gains, two key aspects
of successful livestock production. Unhealthy stock waste feed requires additional labor.
A herd health program is critical to sustainable livestock production. Grazing
Management, most adverse environmental impacts associated with grazing can be
prevented or mitigated with proper grazing management. First, the number of stock per
unit area (stocking rate) must be correct for the landscape and the forage sources. There
will need to be compromises between the convenience of tilling large, unfenced fields
and the fencing needs of livestock operations. Use of modern, temporary fencing may
provide one practical solution to this dilemma. Second, the long term carrying capacity
and the stocking rate must take into account short and long-term droughts. Especially in
Mediterranean climates such as in Jordan, properly managed grazing significantly
reduces fire hazards by reducing fuel build-up in grasslands and brush lands. Finally, the
manager must achieve sufficient control to reduce overuse in some areas while other
areas go unused. Prolonged concentration of stock that results in permanent loss of
vegetative cover on uplands or in riparian zones should be avoided. However, small scale
loss of vegetative cover around water or feed troughs may be tolerated if surrounding
vegetative cover is adequate. Confined Livestock Production, animal health and waste
management are key issues in confined livestock operations. The moral and ethical
debate taking place today regarding animal welfare is particularly intense for confined
livestock production systems. Confinement livestock production is increasingly a source
of surface and ground water pollutants, particularly where there are large numbers of
animals per unit area. Expensive waste management facilities are now a necessary cost of
confined production systems. Waste is a problem of almost all operations and must be
managed with respect to both the environment and the quality of life in nearby
communities.
The Economic, Social & Political Context
Having strategies for preserving natural resources and changing production practices,
sustainable agriculture requires a commitment to changing public policies, economic
institutions, and social values. New strategies must take into account the complex,
reciprocal and ever-changing relationship between agricultural production and the
broader society. The sustainable agriculture system extends far beyond the farm and
involves the interaction of individuals and institutions with contrasting and often
competing goals including farmers, researchers, input suppliers, farmworkers, unions,
farm advisors, processors, retailers, consumers, and policymakers. Relationships among
these actors/agents shift over time as new technologies spawn economic, social and
political changes. Therefore, a wide diversity of strategies and approaches are necessary
to create a more sustainable food system. Temporally solution to concentrate on efforts to
alter specific policies or practices, to the longer-term tasks of reforming key institutions,
rethinking economic priorities, and challenging widely-held social values.
Food and agricultural policies: Existing government policies often impede the goals of
sustainable agriculture. New policies are needed to simultaneously promote
environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. For
example, commodity and price support programs could be restructured to allow farmers
to realize the full benefits of the productivity gains made possible through alternative
practices. Tax and credit policies could be modified to encourage a diverse and
decentralized system of family farms rather than corporate concentration and absentee
ownership. Government and land grant, and universities research policies could be
modified to emphasize the development of sustainable alternatives. Marketing orders and
cosmetic standards could be amended to encourage reduced pesticide use. Coalitions
must be created to address these policy concerns at the local, regional, and national level.
Land use: Conversion of agricultural land to urban uses is a particular concern in Jordan,
as rapid growth and escalating land values threaten farming on prime soils. Existing
farmland conversion patterns often discourage farmers from adopting sustainable
practices and a long-term perspective on the value of land. At the same time, the close
proximity of newly developed residential areas to farms is increasing the public demand
for environmentally safe farming practices. Temporally solution, by studying a
comprehensive new policies to protect prime soils and regulate development is needed,
particularly in Jordan Valley, helping farmers to adopt practices that reduce chemical use
and conserve scarce resources, sustainable agriculture research and education can play a
key role in building public support for agricultural land preservation. Educating land use
planners and decision-makers about sustainable agriculture is an important priority.
Labor: In Jordan, the conditions of agricultural labor are generally far below accepted
social standards. Policies and programs are needed to address this problem, working
toward socially just and safe employment that provides adequate wages, working
conditions, health benefits, and chances for economic stability. The needs of migrant
labor for year-around employment and adequate housing are a particularly crucial
problem needing immediate attention. To be more sustainable over the long-term, labor
must be acknowledged and supported by government policies, recognized as important
constituents of land grant universities, and carefully considered when assessing the
impacts of new technologies and practices.
Rural Community Development: Rural communities in Jordan are currently
characterized by economic and environmental deterioration. Many are among the poorest
locations in the Middle East. Therefore, sustainable agriculture presents an opportunity to
rethink the importance of family farms and rural communities. Economic development
policies are needed to encourage more diversified agricultural production on family farms
as a foundation for healthy economies in rural communities. In combination with other
strategies, sustainable agriculture practices and policies can help foster community
institutions that meet employment, educational, health, cultural and spiritual needs.
Consumer awareness and the Food System: Consumers can play a critical role in
creating a sustainable food system; they can send strong messages to producers, retailers
and others through their purchases. Food cost and nutritional quality have always
influenced consumer choices. The challenge now is to find strategies that broaden
consumer perspectives, so that environmental quality, resources usage, and social equity
issues are also considered in shopping decisions. At the same time, new policies and
institution involvement must be created to enable producers using sustainable practices to
market their goods to a wider public. Organized coalition around improving the food
system is one specific method of creating a dialogue among consumers, retailers,
producers and others.
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