CHAPTER 15: GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY

Upgrading Competence and Expanding Insights (enrichment phase)

Make a Position Paper on the debate between conventional farming and sustainable
agriculture/farming in responding the issue of Food Security. Make a stand on the
issue and support your claim.

Conventional agriculture is a broad phrase with several definitions, however a

crop can be categorized as conventional if synthetic chemicals are employed to keep
the plants healthy. In conventional agriculture, a large amount of chemical and energy
input is necessary to obtain the best possible crop production. “In most cases, this
practice degrades soil quality and removes biodiversity,” says the author.
(www.usda.gov). Traditional agriculture was created to make farming more efficient, but
it does so at a significant environmental cost.

The purpose of conventional agriculture is to increase crop yields to their

maximum potential. Synthetic chemicals, genetically modified organisms, and a variety
of other commercial items are used to accomplish this. Biodiversity, soil fertility, and
ecosystem health are all harmed when a traditional system is maintained. Nothing
except food security and the economy benefit from the production of these crops. A
traditional farm requires ongoing upkeep after it is developed, yet it produces maximum
yields.

Farmers can easily maintain their crops because monocropping is common in

conventional farming, but it is also quite expensive. Farmers in a traditional system will
dedicate entire fields to a single crop, resulting in homogeneity. The success or failure
of traditional systems can be determined by uniformity. A homogeneous crop is
desirable because it saves time and effort, but it can also limit biodiversity and make
crops more prone to infections (Gabriel, Salt, Kunin, and Benton 2013). Chemicals and
genetically modified organisms make it relatively easy for farmers to maintain traditional
systems, but they require a steady input of energy and money. Farmers can apply
pesticides and herbicides to crops more efficiently under a conventional system if they
are made up of only one variety of plant, but this has a variety of unforeseen
consequences. Environmental health and biodiversity are rarely conserved in traditional
agriculture because the goal is to maximize output.

Whereas conventional farming represents one end of the agricultural spectrum,

sustainable agriculture represents the other. “Organic agriculture is a farming approach
that promotes soil, environmental, and human health. Rather than using harmful inputs,
it relies on ecological processes, biodiversity, and cycles that are tailored to local
conditions. Organic agriculture brings together tradition, innovation, and science to
benefit the environment while also promoting fair relationships and a high quality of life
for all parties involved.” (2011, Gomiero, Pimentel, and Paoletti). Sustainable agriculture
is a more comprehensive approach to farming than conventional agriculture since it
relies on ecosystem services and is often less damaging to the environment.
Sustainable agriculture is a natural technique to grow food with several social,
economic, and environmental advantages.

There are many different methods of sustainable farming, all of which rely on
natural cycles to maintain plant health and crop yield. To produce food, sustainable
farming avoids the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Farmers will
instead put a diverse range of plants together to boost biodiversity and ward off pests
and illnesses (Nicholls and Altieri, 2012). Whereas traditional systems foster uniformity
and rely on synthetic chemicals to guard against disease and pests, sustainable
systems use biodiversity as a defense mechanism.

Sustainable agriculture benefits farmers, economies, and food banks while

coexisting with the environment in a symbiotic relationship. Conservation agriculture is
one of several examples of sustainable farming approaches that prioritize economic
rewards and environmental health. CA can quadruple subsistence crop yields in
locations where fertilizer use is uneconomic, and it can prolong production in years with
minimal rainfall by boosting soil organic matter content and moisture-holding ability.
(Kassam and Brammer, 2013). Conservation agriculture emphasizes the importance of
sustainable agriculture by focusing on high yields without jeopardizing the environment's
purity.

To conclude, sustainable agriculture has been identified as the best method for
managing the world's expanding population, according to studies. Although there are
numerous advantages to sustainable agriculture, there are various barriers to its
adoption around the world. Because climate conditions differ by location, sustainable
agriculture may be the most efficient approach in one part of the world but not in
another. “Some authors advocate for integrated farming rather than sticking to organic
approaches, which they believe are more detrimental than conventional farming, such
as pest control technologies.” (Gomiero, et. al. 2011). The effectiveness of agricultural
practices is determined by a variety of circumstances, and the most effective type of
agriculture frequently necessitates a mixture of techniques. Sustainable agriculture, in
addition to local limits, necessitates significantly more labor to maintain crops.

Agriculture has enabled human populations to expand enormously and take over
the world's landscapes. Humans may now manipulate entire ecosystems to ensure their
existence thanks to advances in science. However, as the world's population grows,
resources become scarce. Water, fuel, and soil are three critical components in
deciding the world's population's existence, and it is critical that they be used as
efficiently as possible. Organic farming approaches outperform conventional farming
methods on a variety of variables in a comparison of sustainable and conventional
agriculture. Sustainable agriculture uses less water and energy, improves soil quality,
and avoids the use of synthetic chemicals. Traditional agriculture cannot meet the
current population's needs without jeopardizing the environment's purity. Sustainable
agriculture has the ability to sequester carbon, feed the globe, and enrich the
environment all at the same time. Sustainable agriculture is the most practical option to
accommodate emerging trends because of its social, economic, and environmental
benefits.