Sustainable Agriculture Issues Research Articles

Strengthening adaptation in coastal Bangladesh: community-based approaches for sustainable agriculture and water management

The coastal region of Bangladesh is significantly influenced by soil and water salinity, which is further exacerbated by the increasing frequency of tropical cyclones and rising sea levels. Understanding the extent of salinity and its challenges is crucial for promoting sustainable agriculture and ensuring access to safe drinking water. Using quantitative (soil and water parameters) and qualitative (focus group discussion and key informant interview) data, we investigated (i) soil and water salinity and soil nutrient contents; and (ii) adaptive practices in agriculture and drinking water management in three sub-districts (Assasuni, Dacope and Morrelganj) in the southwestern coastal region of Bangladesh. Results show that soil salinity levels did not significantly differ among the sub-districts, with Assasuni having slightly higher soil salinity (8.24 dS m-1) compared to Dacope (8.08 dS m-1) and Morrelganj (7.96 dS m-1). Significant differences were observed in the salinity level of pond and canal water among the sub-districts, with Assasuni having the highest levels of salinity in both pond (13.98 dS m-1) and canal water (77.85 dS m-1), compared to other sub-districts. Soil and water salinity were the major challenges reported by the respondents; however, climate-induced stresses (e.g., untimely precipitation) and outbreaks of pests during droughts have been identified as prominent issues in sustainable agriculture. Rainwater harvesting has been identified as a viable adaptive technique in drinking water management, offering a feasible solution to address water and soil salinity. The study underscores the importance of implementing adaptive practices (e.g., rainwater harvesting) to address water scarcity and salinity issues in the coastal region and promote resilient agricultural systems.

Preface

The 2nd International Conference on Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in the Tropic (IC-FSSAT 2019) was held in Makassar, Indonesia on September 2 2019. As in previous conference, IC-FSSAT 2019 is dedicated to address issues related to food security and sustainable agriculture in the Tropics. This event was hosted by Faculty of Agriculture and Publication Management Centre (PMC), Universitas Hasanuddin.The major goal and feature of the conference was to promote knowledge, science, and technology as well as to address issues in food security and sustainable agriculture in the tropics, by bringing together researchers, scientists, practitioners and scholars in the respected fields. While food security and sustainable agriculture issues had been discussed broadly in several conferences, our conference emphasizes on the tropical agriculture. A total of 7 Keynote/Invited Speakers from Australia, Germany, Taiwan, Czechoslovakia, Japan and Indonesia delivered an insight into the state of art of the challenges in food security and sustainable agriculture in the tropics and any possibilities that could arise in developing integrated problem solving and collaboration to create better world.This proceedings present selected papers submitted to the conference by academics and researches from universities and research institutes. All papers were subjected to rigorous peer-reviews by conference committee members and international reviewers to ensure their compliance to meet the required standard for qualified scientific publication. This volume presents recent researches in the field of Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in the Tropic covering various related areas of Crop Production and Environment, Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Biodiversity and Climate Change, Integrated Pest and Disease Management, Genetically Modified Foods, Food Safety, and Product Development, Geospatial Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Mediating Effect of Risk Management Strategies on the Relationship Between Attitude Constructs and Sustainability of Banana Production in Southern Philippines

This study determined the mediating effect of risk-management practices on the relationship between attitude of farmers and sustainability of banana production in Southern Philippines, particularly on direct provincial players which include Davao Region, Bukidnon, Digos, North Cotabato, and ARMM area. The research design used in this study was the descriptive-correlation that involved 400 banana growers as respondents. The purposive random sampling technique was done in selecting the respondents. Sets of adapted survey questionnaires were used in obtaining data from the respondents which were subjected for content validity and reliability analysis. The data were analyzed using the Mean, Pearson-r, Multiple Regression Analysis, and Medgraph using Sobel z-test. The results revealed that the levels of attitude constructs, sustainable production, and risk-management strategies of banana growers are evident most of the time. Moreover, significant relationship existed between these variables. A significant partial mediation of risk-management strategies in the relationship between attitude and sustainable production of farmers in Southern Mindanao was proven in the study. Moreover, the results of the study may contribute to a more comprehensive problem structuring and theory development in confronting the issues in sustainable agriculture.

World Wildlife Fund and the Coca-Cola Company: A Global Partnership for Freshwater Conservation

This case is used in Darden's Economics of Water course elective. Suzanne Apple, senior vice president of private sector engagement at World Wildlife Fund-United States (WWF), was preparing for an important meeting with her counterpart at The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC). The two companies had formed a tremendously successful partnership several years earlier that focused on freshwater conservation and other environmental issues. With the original agreement set to expire, Apple needed to draft recommendations for a new agreement, ensuring that WWF's priorities aligned with TCCC's, and vice versa. But what should the scope and goals of the new partnership be? This case is supported by a teaching note for instructors. Excerpt UVA-ENT-0204 Rev. Oct. 9, 2015 World Wildlife Fund and The Coca-Cola Company: A Global Partnership for Freshwater Conservation Suzanne Apple, senior vice president of private sector engagement at World Wildlife Fund-United States (WWF-U.S.), believed that managing the five-year partnership agreement with The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), which had formally begun in 2007 and was about to expire, was one of her most rewarding and significant career accomplishments. This partnership pioneered a new model of collaboration between a global corporation and a global environmental nongovernmental organization (ENGO) that advanced both conservation and business objectives, but it was not without controversy. The partnership had focused primarily on freshwater conservation, a priority area for both WWF and TCCC, but it had also addressed climate change and sustainable agriculture issues. Because both organizations viewed the original partnership as successful and beneficial, both had expressed interest in continuing the relationship. Thus, although the creation of a new partnership was not really in doubt, its content and duration still needed to be developed. That task would primarily fall to Apple and her counterpart at TCCC, Greg Koch, managing director of global water stewardship. They had worked closely together over the past several years, and Apple looked forward to her upcoming meeting with Koch, at which they planned to finalize the specific content of the new partnership agreement. They would subsequently present their recommendations to their respective organizations for approval. Apple was energized about spending the weekend preparing for her meeting with Koch, and she decided that it would be a good idea to take some time at the outset to reflect on how the original agreement came about, just what had been accomplished to date, and how things had evolved and changed over the agreement's duration. She believed this would provide her with a good start in preparing her recommendations regarding the new agreement. Some of the key components to be decided included whether there should be an overall theme for the new partnership and, if so, what it should be; the financial arrangements; the contract duration; and the scope and targets of the issues to be addressed. Apple knew that Koch would be spending the weekend engaged in a similar task, and she wondered just how similar their recommendations would turn out to be. . . .

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists’ Perspectives on Integrating Food and Water System Issues into Professional Practice

BackgroundSustainable agriculture encompasses economic, environmental, and social aspects of the food system. Members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) play an important role in promoting sustainable agriculture because they work in areas where they can influence the food purchasing decisions of foodservice operations and the public. ObjectiveTo investigate behavior of registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) toward incorporating sustainable agriculture principles into professional practice using the Theory of Planned Behavior. DesignThis cross-sectional study surveyed RDNs nationwide about their perspectives on incorporating sustainable agriculture issues into practice. The survey questions were based on a survey originally administered to Minnesota RDNs during 2002. Participants and settingThe sample (N=626) was drawn from a randomly selected, national sample of Academy members. Statistical analyses performedData were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t tests, Pearson correlations, and stepwise regression. ResultsThe sample was mostly white, female, and the average age was 45.4±12.2 years. Almost half of Academy RDNs (47%) reported incorporating environmental issues into their practice. All four Theory of Planned Behavior variables (intention, attitude, perceived behavior control, and subjective norm) were predictive of behavior to include sustainable agriculture issues into practice. Barriers to incorporating this topic into practice included lack of knowledge, ability, time, and employer support. ConclusionsThis study found that most of the RDN respondents had heard of sustainable agriculture and nearly half reported including this topic in their professional practice. To integrate this topic into practice more consistently, RDNs need more knowledge, time, and employer support.

Sustainable grassland systems: a modelling perspective based on the North Wyke Farm Platform.

SummaryThe North Wyke Farm Platform (NWFP) provides data from the field‐ to the farm‐scale, enabling the research community to address key issues in sustainable agriculture better and to test models that are capable of simulating soil, plant and animal processes involved in the systems. The tested models can then be used to simulate how agro‐ecosystems will respond to changes in the environment and management. In this study, we used baseline datasets generated from the NWFP to validate the Soil‐Plant‐Atmosphere Continuum System (SPACSYS) model in relation to the dynamics of soil water content, water loss from runoff and forage biomass removal. The validated model, together with future climate scenarios for the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s (from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES): medium (A1B) and large (A1F1) emission scenarios), were used to simulate the long‐term responses of the system with three contrasting treatments on the NWFP. Simulation results demonstrated that the SPACSYS model could estimate reliably the dynamics of soil water content, water loss from runoff and drainage, and cut biomass for a permanent sward. The treatments responded in different ways under the climate change scenarios. More carbon (C) is fixed and respired by the swards treated with an increased use of legumes, whereas less C was lost through soil respiration with the planned reseeding. The deep‐rooting grass in the reseeding treatment reduced N losses through leaching, runoff and gaseous emissions, and water loss from runoff compared with the other two treatments.

Sustainable agriculture issues explained by differentiation and structural coupling using social systems analysis

In spite of many initiatives to increase sustainability, agriculture moves in the opposite direction with increased pesticide impacts and decreased nature quality. Here, we propose that this issue is not mainly due to lack of agronomic knowledge, but due to the lack of knowledge on social processes of specialization and differentiation. Here, we review the challenge of agriculture and sustainable development based on Niklas Luhmann theory of social systems. We focus on the concepts of differentiation and structural couplings. We use two forms of analysis, discursive differentiation and organizational differentiation, which mutually support each other. First, we analyze discourse categories, named ‘semantics’ in the social systems theory, such as ‘environmental problems’ and ‘food safety’. We then look at how these discourses are related to the discourse of sustainability. Secondly, we describe different forms of organizational differentiation within agriculture and food, e.g., in the pig production chain. Here, we show how sustainability problems can be seen as an unavoidable consequence of the ‘decouplings’ that follow these differentiation and specialization processes. Finally, using the insights from social systems theory, we discuss how these sustainability problems might be mitigated by the following three forms of new structural couplings: (1) functional couplings of organizations to generalized semantic perspectives on e.g., environment and nature, which can reintroduce the sensibility of agri-food systems to their surroundings, (2) structural couplings between organizations that can handle other dimensions than price and quantity, including couplings mediated by labels and network couplings such as partnerships that provide options for co-evolution, and (3) second order couplings to polyocular semantics such as the sustainability semantic; that is, semantics that have their strength and challenge in the fact that they are multiperspectival and must remain indeterminate. Social systems analysis is a novel and strong tool to analyze social differentiation processes in agriculture. Social systems analysis provides researchers, farmers, and companies new ways to understand the sustainability problems that these differentiation processes produce.

Spacing between rows: effects on water-use efficiency of double-cropped wheat and soybean

SUMMARYProductivity and water resource usage efficiency are crucial issues in sustainable agriculture. The aims of the present research were to compare and evaluate the soil moisture content (SMC), evapotranspiration (ETa), yield, water-use efficiency (WUE), and net return of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] under different plant population distribution patterns and to identify the possible ways to improve water utilization. Using the same plant population for a given crop, the experiments consisted of four spacings between rows (row spacings) for winter wheat (cvar Shannong 919) under both rainfed and irrigated conditions and five row spacings for summer soybean (cvar Ludou 4) under rainfed conditions. For winter wheat, the stem number with row spacing of 49 cm was the lowest in all treatments. The SMC was enhanced by irrigation, particularly at the 10–40 cm depth. The yield and WUE were negatively correlated with row spacing and were greater with narrower row spacing than with wider rows. For soybean, SMC in uniform distribution (spacing between plants) treatments was greater at lower depths than at shallower depths for each row spacing treatment. A high yield, WUE and net return of winter wheat and soybean can be achieved with narrower row spacing. Combining winter wheat row spacing of 14 cm with soybean row spacing of 18 cm and soybean row spacing of 27 cm is a highly suitable planting system for the plains of Northern China.

Research to Practical Use: On-the-Ground Successes

T he US Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) Great Basin Rangelands Research Unit services a large area that runs from south-central Nevada to the Or- egon border and from northeastern California to the Utah border. This vast array of landscapes has a variety of stake- holders who request assistance in addressing range, wild- life, and sustainable agriculture issues. At the 64th Annual Society for Range Management Meetings held in Billings, Montana, in February 2011 we were invited to present at a special symposium “Agency Accomplishments—Making a Difference on the Ground.” Here we present three case studies of our efforts to 1) research the problem at hand, 2) deliver practical on-the-ground practices to minimize or eliminate the problem, and 3) improve sustainable agricul- tural practices. DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v34i4_clements

Effective monitoring of agriculture

An opinion piece published in Nature proposed a global network for agricultural monitoring [J. Sachs, R. Remans, S. Smukler, L. Winowiecki, S. J. Andelman, K. G. Cassman, D. Castle, R. DeFries, G. Denning, J. Fanzo, L. E. Jackson, R. Leemans, J. Leemans, J. C. Milder, S. Naeem, G. Nziguheba, C. A. Palm, J. P. Reganold, D. D. Richter, S. J. Scherr, J. Sircely, C. Sullivan, T. P. Tomich and P. A. Sanchez, Nature, 2010, 466, 558-560.]. Whilst we agree with Sachs et al. that monitoring of agricultural systems is a critically important activity of global significance, especially given increasing problems with global food security and the potential impacts of agriculture on the environment [J. Cribb, The Coming Famine. The Global Food Crisis and What We Can Do to Avoid It, CSIRO Publishing and University of California Press, Melbourne and Oakland, 2010.], we argue in this paper that their generic, mandated monitoring framework has a high probability of failure or at best will be highly inefficient. We base this conclusion on our recently published examination of the factors influencing the success or failure of monitoring programs worldwide [D. B. Lindenmayer and G. E. Likens, Effective Ecological Monitoring, CSIRO Publishing and Earthscan, Melbourne and London, 2010.]. We briefly outline what we believe are three serious flaws in the monitoring framework proposed by Sachs et al. We then suggest an alternative approach that we argue would be more effective, more efficient, and have a greater chance of successfully addressing key issues in sustainable agriculture.

Plant and row spacing effects on soil water and yield of rainfed summer soybean in the northern China

Productivity and water resource-use efficiency are crucial issues in sustainable agriculture, especially in high-demand water resource crops such as soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. The aims of this research were to compare planting pattern in soybean, evaluating soil moisture content (SMC), yield and water use efficiency (WUE). A 2-year field experiment (2006–2007) was carried out in the north of China. The summer soybean (cv. Ludou 4) experiment consisted of 5 planting patterns under the same plant population density (3.09 × 105 plant/ha), and row spacing (cm) × plant spacing (cm) was 18 × 18 cm (A), 27 × 12 cm (B), 36 × 9 cm (C), 45 × 7.2 cm (D), 54 × 6 cm (E). The results showed that SMC and soil storage water (SSW) decreased with evapotranspiration (ETa) increments after reproductive growth stage, and there were remarkable differences between treatments with decreasing rainfall. SMC curve characteristics in the 0–0 cm soil profile were related to rain; the scope changes of shallow SMC were higher than those of deep SMC. The study revealed that yield and WUE had a negative correlation with row spacing, and they were statistically greater in narrow rows, which approximated equidistant plant spacings, compared to wider rows (P < 0.05). The study also indicates that enhanced productivity and WUE of rainfed summer soybean can be achieved via row spacing reduction and plant spacing widening under uniform planting density.

The New USDA: Cultivating Change

In proclaiming the week of August 23–29 National Community Gardening Week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack noted, “Community gardens provide numerous benefits including opportunities for local food production, resource conservation, and neighborhood beautification. But they also promote family and community interaction and enhance opportunities to eat healthy, nutritious foods. Each of these benefits is something we can and should strive for.” Vilsack’s statement was the latest in a string of signals in the past 7 months that suggest significant changes are afoot at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). On 29 July 2009 Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan inaugurated a new rooftop garden at the offices of the USDA Economic Research Service. In early spring, Vilsack “broke pavement” for a vegetable garden known as the People’s Garden, which was planted in front of USDA headquarters across from the National Mall. And a March 2009 planning meeting to discuss the People’s Garden and other sustainability initiatives, chaired by Vilsack, included people not typically seen at USDA meetings in the past: representatives from community garden associations, local food policy councils, botanical gardens, and the Rodale Institute, a nonprofit organization in Pennsylvania dedicated to organic farming research. Vilsack “talked about sustainability, linking agriculture, food, and human health in a way that you haven’t heard [from USDA],” recalls Rose Hayden-Smith, a fellow at the Minneapolis-based nonprofit Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and master gardener for the California Cooperative Extension service.

Yield response of corn to irrigation and nitrogen fertilization in a Mediterranean environment

Productivity and resource-use efficiency in corn ( Zea mays L.) are crucial issues in sustainable agriculture, especially in high-demand resource crops such as corn. The aims of this research were to compare irrigation scheduling and nitrogen fertilization rates in corn, evaluating yield, water (WUE), irrigation water (IRRWUE) and nitrogen use (NUE) efficiencies. A 2-year field experiment was carried out in a Mediterranean coastal area of Central Italy (175 mm of rainfall in the corn-growing period) and corn was subjected to three irrigation levels (rainfed and supply at 50 and 100% of crop evapotranspiration, ETc) in interaction with three nitrogen fertilization levels (not fertilized, 15 and 30 g (N) m −2). The results indicated a large yearly variability, mainly due to a rainfall event at the silking stage in the first year; a significant irrigation effect was observed for all the variables under study, except for plant population. Nitrogen rates affected grain yield plant −1 and ear −1, grain and biomass yield, HI, WUE, IRRWUE and NUE, with significant differences between non-fertilized and the two fertilized treatments (15 and 30 g (N) m −2). Furthermore, deficit irrigation (50% of ETc) was to a large degree equal to 100% of the ETc irrigation regime. A significant interaction “N × I” was observed for grain yield and WUE. The effect of nitrogen availability was amplified at the maximum irrigation water regime. The relationships between grain yield and evapotranspiration showed basal ET, the amount necessary to start producing grain, of about 63 mm in the first and 206 mm in the second year. Rainfed crop depleted most of the water in the 0–0.6 m soil depth range, while irrigated scenarios absorbed soil water within the profile to a depth of 1.0 m. Corn in a Mediterranean area can be cultivated with acceptable yields while saving irrigation water and reducing nitrogen supply and also exploiting the positive interaction between these two factors, so maximizing resource-use efficiency.

A Simple Meta-Model for Assessing the Contribution of Liquid Fossil Fuel for On-Farm Fieldwork to Agricultural Greenhouse Gases in Canada

ABSTRACT Although fuel used for farm fieldwork contributes less than 10% of on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a range of commodities, scales of farming and regional constraints, and implement choices make farm machinery fuel-related GHG emissions highly variable. Many of the same decisions that affect farm fuel use also affect soil carbon levels, as well as other sustainable agriculture issues such as amount of pesticides used under reduced tillage. Because the conversational format of the Farm Fieldwork and Fossil Fuel Energy and Emissions model (F4E2) makes its program unsuitable as a subroutine for other models, a meta-model of the F4E2 was developed. Meta-modeling, the calibration of a simple model against a complex model, has proven successful in several previous situations where the complexity or input requirements of an original model limited its application. The Meta-model of Emissions from Fossil Fuel for Farm Fieldwork (MEF4) was designed as a sub-model to a GHG-Calculator being developed for estimating all GHG emissions from Canadian agriculture. Inputs to MEF4 comply with the more holistic farm management questions of the GHG-Calculator. The basis of MEF4 is a set of regional, operation-specific fossil fuel-based GHG emissions generated from the F4E2 model. Some versatility was incorporated into MEF4 by deriving adjustment factors from ratios of emissions from specific operations simulated by F4E2. For example, fuel use in harvesting operations was adjusted to the average yields from a range of crops. Reduced tillage adjustments required subtracting the GHG emissions attributed to the prior tillage operation (plowing and/or disking) from the total for spring fieldwork. Soil draft resistance for the remaining spring operations, disking or seeding, were then adjusted by 40% and 20%, respectively, while rolling resistance was un-affected. To verify MEF4, ten farm scenarios generated from F4E2 were compared to the meta-model estimates. The average ratio of corresponding MEF4 and F4E2 estimates was 0.98 with a standard deviation of 0.03, indicating that this set of ratios was not significantly different than a one-to-one line. While MEF4 is an adequate meta-model of F4E2, it also reduces the complexity of farm machinery management to a level suitable for integration with the GHG-Calculator and other processes or models to assess total fuel energy balance and GHG emissions of Canadian agriculture. MEF4 illustrates how a simple model can be incorporated with other models to assess interactions among a range of sustainable agriculture issues.

Farmers' attitudes towards sustainable agriculture issues and environmental quality in a selected area of Bangladesh

AbstractThe sustainability issues associated with agricultural development are a growing concern worldwide. This study focussed on farmers' attitudes about environmental degradation and long term productivity loss that may result from implementation of modern agricultural technologies. The study was conducted in a selected area of Bangladesh and field level data were collected from the sampled farmers through personal interviewing. Findings revealed that more than two-thirds of the farmers confronted either a medium or high level of environmental problems due to intensive cultivation. Their main concerns were stress on soil fertility, loss of essential aquatic life, and reduction of earthworms and other beneficial organisms in soil. The farmers' recommended solutions were production of high yielding crop varieties with conservation management practices, and the balanced use of chemical fertilizers and organic manures. To apply these techniques, the top expectation of the farmers was to receive subsidies for agricultural inputs, and get easy-term credit from the government or non-government organizations. Interestingly, just half the farmers in the study area possessed a less than favorable attitude towards sustainability issues of agricultural development. In other words, to them these issues were of low or marginal priority. Only 6% of them expressed a highly favorable attitude (high priority) and 44% expressed a moderate attitude. Based on correlations, the individual farmer's age, education, family size, organizational participation, television exposure, communication behavior and environmental problem confrontation were identified as the main determinants of their attitudes about sustainability issues. Hence, these factors should be considered when formulating programs and policies for agriculture development that aim for long-term sustainability.

The Perkins Farm: A Video-Enhanced Decision Case for Extension Education

Decision case education is becoming increasingly important in agriculture. However, use of decision cases within extension education has lagged behind that in resident education. One serious constraint to the use of cases in extension education is the lack of a sufficient number of cases suited to the particular needs and demands of extension. The Perkins Farm case was developed specifically for extension audiences. The case concerns the Perkins' farm management decision whether to purchase a larger row-crop planter and associated equipment to improve efficiency and save time in the field. Complications in the decision include uncertainties about the Perkins' future in farming and the implications of the larger equipment for their son, should he assume operation of the farm in the future. The case is formatted in two easily assimilated segments to make it possible for learners to discuss the case even with little opportunity to prepare prior to the session. The case also includes a two-part video that enhances the capability of learners to identify with the decision makers and their situation. The Perkins Farm case was developed to increase understanding of farming and sustainable agriculture issues with particular emphasis on profitability, quality of life, and the environment. The case also helps learners to become better informed about sustainable agriculture techniques and approaches, and improves their decision-making skills. A lesson plan for using the case with extension audiences is described.

Integrating social, environmental, and economic issues in sustainable agriculture

AbstractIn the past several years, researchers, educators, policymakers, and activists have initiated sustainable agriculture programs and efforts the world over. This development has sometimes been accompanied by a sense that it is time to stop discussing sustainability at a conceptual level and get on with the work of making agriculture sustainable. Our perspective is that it is critical to pursue a comprehensive definition of sustainability in order to set sustainable agriculture priorities and ensure that sustainable agriculture takes a path that does not reproduce problems of conventional agriculture. In this paper we briefly review some popular definitions of sustainable agriculture and find that their focus is primarily on farm-level resource conservation and profitability as the main components of sustainability. Others have challenged this approach for either not examining the social aspects of sustainability or for containing an implicit assumption that working on the environmental, production, and microeconomic aspects of sustainability will automatically take care of its social aspects. We propose an expanded conceptualization of sustainability—one that focuses on the entire food and agriculture system at a global level and includes not only environmental soundness and economic viability, but social equity as well. In this perspective, issues such as poverty and hunger are as central to achieving agricultural sustainability as those of soil erosion and adequate farm returns.

Sustainable Agricultural Systems: Concepts and Definitions

AbstractThe evolution of concepts and definitions of agricultural systems over time is presented. Inputs of an agricultural system are classified as components and activities. A component is either a resource or a technology. The activities are the management of resources and the application of technology in the production process. The outputs of a production process will include both the targeted product and the environmental impact. When these terms are used to describe an agricultural system graphically, the dynamic aspects of the system can easily be illustrated and problems associated with the system can be properly identified. Sustainable agriculture is recognized as conveying certain objectives or delineating certain requirements of an agricultural system, in terms of both the input and output of the system. These objectives are: (1) producing necessary quantity of high quality food and fiber; (2) profitable to the grower; (3) conserving nonrenewable resources; and (4) harmonious with biological, physical and social environments. These objectives have long‐term implications and attempt to secure the future viability of agriculture. Therefore they embrace the concept of sustainability. The difficulty of constructing such a system is that not all the objectives are compatible; compromise or trade‐offs among the objectives are often necessary in developing a workable sustainable system. Progress and improvement can always be made through research, but no perfect system can realistically be constructed. General research issues in sustainable agriculture are discussed. Priorities in developing appropriate technology based on sound biological principles and laws of physics and mechanics for pest and weed control are suggested.