Why we need to change the way we farm - Researcher

A UK researcher says sustainable intensification of farming is urgent worldwide.

In order for sustainable farming to work, agriculture needs to produce more food without environmental harm, writes a UK researcher.

In a review of sustainable agricultural practices, Jules Pretty says we need to find new ways of managing pests that don't cause biodiversity loss as current pesticides do, and new ways of enhancing crop yields without excessive use of fertilisers that cause issues with freshwater and soil.

As Earth's population grows and economic and environmental conditions continue to change, producing more food sustainably is critical to feeding the planet, she wrote for the journal Science.

For each person today, there is 50 per cent more food compared with each person in 1961.

However, reaching these goals required a re-evaluation of the agricultural systems and processes used today.

In the review, Pretty highlighted possible approaches to achieving sustainable intensification of farming.

Since the 'Green Revolution' of the mid-1900s, agricultural food production, as well as the productivity of agricultural land, had increased drastically, driven by the demands of an ever-growing population.

According to Pretty, however, much of this intensification was due to increased use of chemical inputs – pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers – which, along with related agricultural impacts like soil degradation or groundwater decline, led to collateral environmental damage.

A process called Sustainable Intensification aimed to increase yields while also improving the surrounding environment by making better use of natural, social and technological resources.

The author suggested the need for effective Sustainable Intensification was urgent worldwide but would require a transformational redesign of agro-ecological systems.

One such approach would be to integrate pest management into these systems, which would minimize costs, maximise yield, and ensure ecosystem and environmental enhancement by reducing the widespread use of pesticides.

Pretty said redesigns such as this would be a process of adaptation and require cooperation and knowledge sharing across many stakeholders, including scientists and farmers.