Sustainability and sustainable farming methods

Sustainability. It consists of fulfilling the needs of current generations without

compromising the needs of future generations.

Contour ploughing: Sloping land is ploughed across the slope, following the
contour lines of the land. This allows rainwater runoff to collect in the furrows and
contributes to soil and water conservation.

Furrowing: Creating long, narrow trenches in the ground for planting seeds. This
practise is common when crops are planted in rows so that irrigation can be used.

Terrace farming: Occurs when small patches of flat land in hilly areas are created.
This is achieved by building small steps into the side of a mountain to prevent
mudflows, and reduce soil erosion, while conserving nutrients.

Crop rotation: Alternating crops that require lots of nutrients from the soil with
those that add nutrients into the soil e.g legumes.

Food shortages

Causes:

1 Climate such as drought (especially in tropical desert areas), floods, and tropical
cyclones

2 Soil exhaustion and depletion of nutrients as a result of overcultivation,

monoculture and lack of fertilisers (manure).

3 Pests and disease

4 Changing land use: increase in use of land for biofuels reduces food output.

5 Wars prevent import of food, and destroy agricultural land

6 Low capital investment prevents technological improvements, causing soil quality

to decrease and lower yields, with less to sell, and no capital to reinvest.

Solutions:

- Use of hybrid seed varieties or genetically modified (GM) crops that bring
higher yields

- irrigation in desert or dry areas

- Use a variety of different crops and crop rotation to reduce soil exhaustion
 - Education and training of farmers in new methods of cultivation

- “Green revolution”: introducing western plant varieties (HYV or high yield

varieties) and farming techniques to LEDC’s

- Short term food aid from international organizations like the world food
programme (WFP).

The Green Revolution

Definition

Also known as the third agricultural revolution, it is the great increase in production
of food grains (such as rice and wheat) due to the introduction of high-yielding
varieties, to the use of pesticides, and to use better agricultural management
techniques.

Successes and Failures of the Green Revolution

Successes:

- Farmers have higher yields, income and better standard of living.

- New industries such as production of fertiliser and pesticides

- Increase in technology such as irrigation

- Improvements in transport systems

- HYV allow for a more balanced diet

Failures:

- Many farmers can not afford machinery and fertilisers

- Maintenance and fuel for machines are not always available

- Increased yields could result in drop in prices

- Machinery increases unemployment and rural-urban migration

- Poorest farmers can not afford to take risks, so unlikely to try new techniques