Sustainable agricultural practices should be prioritized in our effort to ensure food security, while overpopulation remains a concerning global issue. The ignorance of the few will affect future generations. Sustainability is worth considering in the various industries involved in achieving food security.
We are talking about industries responsible for agriculture, energy, and fishing. If sustainable practices are not adopted and excessive hunting of marine species persists, the environmental consequences will be dire for future generations.
Sustainable agricultural practices are crucial for the environment, ecosystems, and human health. While we have listed some agricultural practices, the question is, which one is more sustainable for the environment?
Sustainable Agriculture and Global Food Security
The global population increases each year, leading to higher demand for agricultural produce. The pressure on agricultural production systems to achieve food security necessitates the adoption of environmentally friendly practices.
Sustainable agricultural practices are essential to ensure environmental sustainability and prevent environmental degradation. In agriculture, the term “environmental sustainability” refers to the responsible stewardship of the natural systems that farms rely on.1
Environmental sustainability also involves adopting diverse practices such as crop rotation, planting cover crops, integrated pest management, agroforestry, precision farming, integration of crops and livestock, and no-till systems.
Learn more: How to Start Vertical Farming at Home
Which Is a More Sustainable Practice?
1. Operating Wind Farms
Operating a wind farm remains one of the most eco-friendly practices, It generates clean energy by utilizing the natural occurrence of wind to generate electricity. It’s a renewable energy source with installed wind turbines converting kinetic energy from moving air into electricity.
This sustainable energy source is far better than relying on non-renewable sources to generate electricity. Countries are adopting this clean energy source to boost agricultural production systems in an eco-friendly manner.
Brazil for instance is one of the countries that invested significantly in wind energy. The widespread use of wind energy in Brazil is mainly due to its excellent wind resources, as the South American nation has one of the best wind resources in the world.2
According to a study on Factors that Influence the Performance of Wind Farms, in 2016, the average capacity factor of wind farms in Brazil was 40.7%. While the previous year, the average capacity factor of wind farms worldwide was 23.8%. This simply shows the high energy productivity of Brazilian wind farms.
Wind farms are commonly found in remote areas. Installing this renewable energy source in rural areas minimizes the risk of having environmental impacts, such as loss of natural habitat. Urban areas are not suitable for wind farms due to the lack of space.
Harnessing wind power in rural areas ensures ecosystems are protected from destruction and biodiversity is preserved.
Large-scale deployment of renewable technologies can establish localised economic and environmental changes but proper or little investigation has been carried out regarding rural development implications.3
2. Clear-Cutting
Clear-cutting is not a sustainable practice in any way imaginable. It’s an unsustainable practice responsible for environmental degradation, through deforestation, which leads to the loss of natural habits of wildlife.
Clear-cutting involves the mass removal of trees in natural forests for agricultural purposes. The environmental consequences of this practice include increased carbon release into the atmosphere.
Endangered and vulnerable species are exposed to predator due to the destruction of their natural habitat. Their food sources are also destroyed through this environmentally unhealthy practice.
Clear-cutting has impacted the environment for the last 100 years. Over the past one and a half centuries, forestry worldwide has undergone significant changes. According to a research study, forestry throughout the northern hemisphere is mainly implemented through a silvicultural system based on clear-cutting.4
The introduction and implementation of clear-cutting have occurred at different times and in different regions. In Europe, Germany was one of the leading countries in forest management.
In most forested parts of Europe, selective cutting was widely practised as the main cutting method until the mid-18th century. Emerging industries during this period relied on large quantities of timber, necessitating the need for the development of new and more efficient methods of managing forests.
Commercial logging and demand for other products primarily made with wood is a considerable reason for clear-cutting. The effect of this unsustainable practice is devastating to wildlife and the environment.
Selective tree harvesting is a more reliable and sustainable alternative to clear-cutting. It ensures environmental sustainability through responsible and controlled extraction of resources. It’s an environmentally friendly practice in which trees are harvested at a non-destructive rate, promoting the natural regeneration of forest ecosystems.
Learn more: 10 Positive Effects of Dairy Farming on the Environment
3. Flood Irrigation
Flood irrigation is one of the earliest and most widely utilized irrigation methods. It remains a widely used irrigation technique in the world for growing crops in arid areas today.
Like clear-cutting, flood irrigation is not a sustainable method for growing crops, yet it remains prevalent in agriculture. It involves flooding large farmlands, especially flat ones, to grow crops,
One major reason why flood irrigation is considered unsustainable is due to its wasteful nature and the contaminants sometimes present in flowing water. It’s inefficient due to the quantity of water that evaporates and seeps into the soil before reaching the plants.
Water pollution is another environmental concern with flood irrigation. Not every farmer grows crops organically; many farmers rely on using fertilizers and synthetic chemicals for pest control. These chemicals and other soil pollutants can drain into nearby streams, rivers, or lakes causing water pollution.
The presence of these toxic chemicals can affect natural ecosystems, posing a threat to aquatic species and the environment in general.
Untreated industrial and municipal wastewater is also used for irrigation, which is the main reason for heavy metal pollution in agriculture. According to a study, heavy metals from irrigation wastewater are easily transferred to the soil-crop-crop consumer system, posing a serious threat to the soil, human health, and environmental sustainability.5
Additionally, flood irrigation can cause temporary waterlogging, which affects crops such as legumes, maize, and wheat. Waterlogging is more prolonged specifically on heavy-textured soil and soil used for rice culture.6
Irrigation application methods
Irrigation is a viable but not too sustainable agricultural technique for growing crops. It’s the application of water to crop fields through various methods.
Surface irrigation methods
This method, also known as flood irrigation or gravity irrigation, is a traditional farming technique that uses gravity as a driving force to ensure proper water flow. Surface irrigation methods are generally designed to supply the quantity of water required for proper crop growth.
- Basin Irrigation: In this method, water is applied to a bounded, levelled field using ridges or checks banks to prevent runoff.
- Border Irrigation: In this method, parallel border strips are used where the water flows down a slope.
- Furrow Irrigation: This is a widely used method, where water is applied to a crop field through small parallel channels. This method is designed to favour water infiltration as it advances down the crop field.
Pressurized Irrigation Method
Pressurized irrigation methods involve the use of mechanical equipment to enhance water flow. Water is pumped and directed to the intended crop field through a pressurized water pumping system. Examples of pressurized irrigation methods include:
- Drip Irrigation: In this system, water is applied directly to the root zone of crops through small emitters in the form of droplets.
- Sprinkler Irrigation: This system uses overhead irrigation to spray water on crops or land just like natural rain.
Learn more: What Is Food Sustainability and Why Is It Important?
4. Overfishing
Overfishing poses a significant threat to the sustainability of the world’s marine population. It directly refers to situations whereby excessive fishing and defaunation cause a huge decline in fish population.
Overfishing was originally documented in the 19th century, according to a research study on the impact of overfishing on environmental resources. During this period, it was discovered that whale fat was useful for making lamp oil.7
A new resource discovered led to a huge increase in whaling, causing species to become endangered. Continuous exploration at sea during the mid-20th century led to overfishing of some of the most common fish such as cod, sardines, and herring.
The increase in global population impacts the number of marine species in our ocean. The ever-growing population strains our ocean with more fishing boats and illegal fishing in the open sea. Fishing expanded into the open ocean as coastal fisheries declined.
According to a study on overfishing, excessive fishing has led to an 80% decline in bluefin tuna and swordfish population within five years.8
Between 1990 and 2018, marine fish consumption increased by over 60%. The increase in overfishing activities led to a significant shortage and imbalances of fishery resources—directly influencing fish biomass, biodiversity, and sustainability of fisheries.
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations reported that over 85% of global fish are either overfished or fully exploited—and overfishing or lower biomass limits account for a 40% reduction in Europe’s fish stock.9
While overfishing reduces the adaptability of fish stocks, it’s also directly related to various unsustainable fishing practices such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and bycatching.
Overfishing describes the mass removal of certain types of fish from water bodies at a rate that disturbs the replenishing of species. Overfishing is often overlooked as an environmental issue that requires attention. Excessive hunting of fish results in a population decline and this in turn disrupts the balance of the entire ecosystem.
Learn more: What Is Food Sustainability and Why Is It Important?
Degraded Ecosystems
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), overfishing can change the natural size of remaining fish, how they reproduce, and the speed at which these marine species mature.
The issue of overfishing affects the entire ecosystem. There is an imbalance in the food web when a large population of fish is extracted from the ocean. Overfishing can lead to the loss of other marine life, especially vulnerable species such as sea turtles and corals, according to WWF.10
Preventing Overfishing
The World Wildlife Fund is an international non-government organization passionate about and focused on reducing human impact on the environment.
According to WWF, the organization is determined to end illegal fishing. They are working to prevent the activities of illegal fishing perpetrated by criminals.
The WWF intends to collaborate with partners worldwide to shut down borders in major seafood-importing countries. Their genuine intent is to stop unsustainably harvested seafood through government regulatory and voluntary private sector actions.
The organization also supports the establishment and management of well-organized marine protected areas worldwide. The WWF aims to protect fish species thriving in open seas globally.
Conclusion
Sustainable agricultural practices should be prioritized to ensure environmental sustainability and prevent environmental degradation. The task of ensuring food security should not be achieved to the detriment of the environment, aquatic ecosystems, wildlife, or human health.
Sources
- Piñeiro, V., Arias, J., Dürr, J., Elverdin, P., Ibáñez, A. M., Kinengyere, A., Opazo, C. M., Owoo, N., Page, J. R., Prager, S. D., & Torero, M. (2020). A scoping review on incentives for adoption of sustainable agricultural practices and their outcomes. Nature Sustainability, 3(10), 809–820. ↩︎
- Santos, M., & González, M. (2019). Factors that influence the performance of wind farms. Renewable Energy, 135, 643–651. ↩︎
- Munday, M., Bristow, G., & Cowell, R. (2011). Wind farms in rural areas: How far do community benefits from wind farms represent a local economic development opportunity? Journal of Rural Studies, 27(1), 1–12.
↩︎ - Lundmark, H., Josefsson, T., & Östlund, L. (2013). The history of clear-cutting in northern Sweden – Driving forces and myths in boreal silviculture. Forest Ecology and Management, 307, 112–122. ↩︎
- Ungureanu, N., Vladut, V., Biris, S., & Iordache, S. (2023). CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RISK OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION WHEN IRRIGATING WITH WASTEWATER. ResearchGate. ↩︎
- Zhu-Barker, X., & Steenwerth, K. L. (2018). Nitrous oxide production from soils in the future. In Developments in psychiatry (pp. 131–183). ↩︎
- Du, Y., Sun, J., & Zhang, G. (2021). The impact of overfishing on environmental resources and the evaluation of current policies and future guidelines. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research/Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research. ↩︎
- Bardey, D. J. (2020). Overfishing: pressure on our oceans. Research in Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, 6(3), 397–404.
↩︎ - Pham, C., Wang, H., Chen, S., & Lee, J. (2023). The Threshold Effect of Overfishing on Global Fishery Outputs: International Evidence from a Sustainable Fishery Perspective. Fishes, 8(2), 71 ↩︎
- Overfishing. (n.d.). World Wildlife Fund. ↩︎