The transition from conventional farming to sustainable farming happens against the backdrop of growing concerns over changing climate patterns, environmental sustainability and a steadily expanding population. Climate change and food and nutrition insecurity pose two of the greatest development challenges of our time. Yet a more sustainable food system can not only heal the planet, but ensure food security for all. Today, the global agrifood system emits one third of all emissions. Global food demand is estimated to increase to feed a projected global population of 9.7 billion people by 2050. Traditionally, the increase in food production has been linked to agricultural expansion, and unsustainable use of land and resources. This creates a vicious circle, leading to an increase in emissions.
Food systems are the leading source of methane emissions and biodiversity loss, and they use around 70 per cent of fresh water. If food waste were a country, it would be the third highest emitter in the world. Meanwhile, emissions from agriculture are increasing in developing countries – a worrying trend which must be reversed. Without significant climate mitigation action in the agri-food sector, the Paris Agreement goals cannot be reached. Agriculture is the primary cause of deforestation, threatening pristine ecosystems such as the Amazon and the Congo Basin. Without action, emissions from food systems will rise even further, with increasing food production.
The agriculture world over has reached a stage where it needs to move from an intensification-based approach to more sustainable and environment friendly methods like Sustainable agriculture and Climate-smart Agriculture (CSA). Sustainable agriculture is a system of farming that focuses on meeting the current production demands without compromising on the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It takes into account the aspects related to ecological stability, economic viability, and socio-cultural continuity while preserving natural resources for future generations. While CSA is a set of agricultural practices and technologies which simultaneously boost productivity, enhance resilience and reduce GHG emissions.
Although it is built on existing agricultural knowledge, technologies, and sustainability principles, CSA is distinct in several ways. First, it has an explicit focus on addressing climate change in the agrifood system. Second, CSA systematically considers the synergies and trade-offs that exist between productivity, adaptation, and mitigation. And third, CSA encompasses a range of practices and technologies that are tailored to specific agro-ecological conditions and socio-economic contexts including the adoption of climate-resilient crop varieties, conservation agriculture techniques, agroforestry, precision farming, water management strategies, and improved livestock management. The concept of Climate-smart Agriculture (CSA) has emerged as a holistic approach to end food security and promote sustainable development while addressing climate change issues.
Some of the key principles of sustainable agriculture include: Increasing productivity; Protecting and enhancing natural resources; Improving livelihoods and fostering inclusive economic growth; Enhancing the resilience of people, communities and ecosystems; Adapting governance to new challenges. And methods of sustainable agriculture are: Organic farming; Crop rotation; Agroforestry; Integrated pest management (IPM); Zero tillage; Hydroponics and aquaponics.
While the key areas of CSA are:
Increased productivity: Produce more and higher quality food without putting an additional strain on natural resources, to improve nutrition security and boost incomes, especially for 75 percent of the world’s poor who live in rural areas and mainly rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.
Enhanced resilience: Reduce vulnerability to droughts, pests, diseases and other climate-related risks and shocks; and improve the capacity to adapt and grow in the face of longer-term stresses like increased seasonal variability and more erratic weather patterns.
Reduced emissions: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the food system, avoid deforestation due to cropland expansion, and increase the carbon sequestration of plants and soils.
Challenges to sustainable agriculture are: Climate change; Population; Lack of knowledge; High capital cost; Market access and post-harvest losses. Challenges before sustainable agriculture and food systems can be tackled under the holistic approach of ‘One Earth, One Family and One Future’. In this regard, the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) is a defining move in the right direction. It is one of the eight missions outlined under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). The NMSA aims at promoting sustainable agriculture through a series of adaptation measures focusing on ten key dimensions encompassing Indian agriculture, namely improved crop seeds, livestock and fish cultures, water use efficiency, pest management, improved farm practices, nutrient management, agricultural insurance, credit support, markets, access to information and livelihood diversification.
To sum up, sustainable agriculture is deemed to be a vital step in combating climate change and ensuring the resilience of our agricultural systems. By focusing on efficient resource utilisation, enhancing livelihoods, and fostering inclusive growth, sustainable agriculture offers a pathway to achieving long-term ecological stability, economic viability, and social equity.
