Methods of Sustainable Agriculture: Goals & Advantages

There are various Methods of Sustainable Agriculture. All living organisms require food for their survival. Have you ever wondered how food is grown on the land? What are the methods followed to grow crops in different ways? In what method the crops can be grown in an environment-friendly way without causing any pollution. 

Sustainable Agriculture is the best method for producing food, fibre, and other plant or animal products by the advanced agricultural techniques in both existing industrialized and traditional agricultural systems that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare.

What is Agriculture?

Agriculture can be described as the cultivation and production of crops and plants & raising of livestock for economic purposes and human needs.
In other words, “Agriculture is the science and art of farming including the work of cultivating the soil, producing crops, planting forest plants/trees, raising livestock and rearing fishes.”

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

Sustainable agriculture is a form of agriculture that is aimed to grow more crops that fulfil all the needs of the present generation without endangering the environment or the resources for future generations.
(OR)
Sustainable agriculture means the adoption of such agricultural practices which do not pollute and overexploit the components of the environment, and agricultural production remains on a suitable level for a very long period of time.

Fig: Sustainable Agriculture

Basic Features of Sustainable Agriculture

1. Sustainable agriculture needs to maintain or enhance soil quality and fertility. This is frequently obtained by increasing the organic matter content of the soil and by decreasing the losses from soil erosion.
2. Production programs are made to enhance the efficiency of resource utilization. This will arise in the most cost-effective use of water, fertilizers, and pesticides.
3. An attempt is made to enhance internal nutrient cycles on the farm, which will decrease the dependence on external fertilizers.
4. Efforts are made to enhance biological diversity on the farm. This will result in shaping up the natural suppression of pests and may also help to clear up the internal nutrient cycling within the farm.
5. Farm management and marketing programs are made to minimize up above costs and to increase returns, often by following alternative marketing schemes.

Goals of Sustainable Agriculture

1. The main intention of sustainable agriculture is to satisfy human needs in clothing and food products.
2. The raw materials such as cotton, silk, leather, wool, etc., used for clothing should have high quality and durability to ensure the comforts of humans.
3. The usage of nonrenewable resources in a well-organised manner.
4. Protect and improve the environment and natural resources.
5. To maintain soil health, minimize water usage and control pollution.
6. Crops that are grown by using sustainable agriculture methods promote farmer wellbeing and are environmentally friendly.
7. Making use of natural and biological resources to control pests and diseases.

Methods of Sustainable Agriculture

1. Crop Rotation: The practice in which different types of crops such as leguminous crops and non-leguminous crops are grown alternately in the same field or soil is called crop rotation.
   a. Growing different crops in succession on land to avoid exhausting nutrients in the soil. It also controls pests and diseases.
   b. In crop rotation, the cereal crops like wheat, maize, paddy and millets are grown alternatively with leguminous crops like pulses, peas, beans, groundnut and clover, etc., in the same field. Rotation of crops saves a lot of nitrogenous fertiliser.
   c. This is because the leguminous crops grown during the rotation of crops can fix atmospheric nitrogen with the help of their nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and there is no need to add nitrogenous fertiliser to the soil.

Fig: Crop Rotation

2. Organic Farming: It is a natural method of agriculture that sustains the health of the soil ecosystem and microorganisms present in the soil. In this method, biofertilizers, biopesticides are used during agriculture, which means farming is done in a natural way without the use of chemicals. It improves and maintains the natural landscape and agro-ecosystem and avoids overexploitation and pollution of natural resources.

Fig: Organic Farming

3. Soil Enrichment: Soil is an essential element of agricultural ecosystems. Healthy soil is full of life, which can often be killed by the overuse of pesticides. Good soil can expand yields as well as help create more strong crops. It is possible to sustain and enhance the quality of the soil in many ways. Some examples involve leaving crop residue in the field after a harvest and the use of composted plant material or animal manure.

4. Integrated Pest Management (IPM): A scope of methodology, including mechanical and biological controls, can be applied systematically to keep pest populations under control while decreasing the use of chemical pesticides.

5. Cover Crops: Most of the farmers choose to have crops planted in a field at all times and never leave it barren land as this can cause accidental consequences. Cover crops can be broadly classified as any non-cash crop grown in addition to the primary cash crop. The use of cover crops also decreases the need for chemical fertilizers. Cover crop method mainly increases the organic matter, soil fertility and decreases the pest and diseases.

Fig: Cover Crops

6. Agroforestry: By mixing trees or shrubs into their operations, farmers can provide shade and shelter to protect plants, animals, and water resources, while also potentially offers additional income.

Fig: Agroforestry

7. Mixed Cropping: Growing one or more crops in the same field is called mixed cropping. This technique is most commonly used in rain-fed areas. The main objective of this cropping system is to reduce the loss of crops due to rain.

Fig: Mixed Cropping

8. Natural Pest Predators: In order to maintain effective control over pests, it is essential to view the farm as an ecosystem as opposed to a factory. For instance, various birds and other animals are, in fact, natural predators of agricultural pests.

Benefits of Sustainable Farming

1. Sustainable Agriculture helps in maintaining climatic change. For example, Farmers of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve are shifting to sustainable agriculture to adapt to climate change.
2. Sustainable farming produces crops and raises animals without depending on toxic chemicals, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified seeds, or practices that degrade soil, water or other natural resources.
3. Sustainable agriculture involves the biodegradable wastes and cow dungs to be used as biofertilizers.
4. Sustainable crop farms avoid hazardous pesticides. They are capable of growing fruits and vegetables that are safer for customers, workers and surrounding communities.
5. Adopting mixed farming prevents soil erosion.
6. In the limited area, we can cultivate one or more crops that help reduce costs.
7. Sustainable livestock farmers and breeders raise animals without dangerous practices like non-therapeutic antibiotics or arsenic-based growth.
8. A critical component of sustainable agriculture is its capacity to remain economically possible, providing farmers, farmworkers, food processors and others employed in the food system with comfortable pay and safe, fair working conditions.

Summary

Plants and Animals grow healthy when we practice biological or organic agriculture. Agriculture plays a vital role in India. India is the second-largest producer of staple food.  Planting various crops in sequence in the agriculture fields instead of the selfsame type of crops can have many benefits, including healthier soil and improved pest control. Cover crops, such as clover or hairy vetch, are planted in the course of off-seasons when soils might otherwise be left bare.

A span of methods, including mechanical and biological controls, can systematically keep pest populations under supervision while minimising chemical pesticides. By mixing trees or shrubs into their farming practice, farmers can supply shade and shelter to safeguard animals, plants, and water resources, while also potentially contributing to additional income.

FAQs

Q.1. What are 5 sustainable agriculture practices?
Ans: Crop rotation, agroforestry, cover crops, mixed cropping, permaculture are the 5 sustainable agricultural practices.

Q.2. What is sustainable agriculture, and why is it important?
Ans: Sustainable agriculture is the adoption of such agricultural practices which do not pollute or exploit the components of the environment, and agricultural production remains on a suitable level for a very long period of time. It is very important because it increases soil fertility, increases farmer income and maintains the natural or ecological balance.

Q.3. What are the three main goals of sustainable agriculture?
Ans: Environmental health, economic profitability, and social equity are the three main goals of sustainable agriculture.

Q.4. What’s another name for crop rotation?
Ans: Another name of crop rotation is ley farming.

Q.5. Why are cover crops sustainable farming?
Ans: Cover crops help in increasing soil fertility, structure and health. It mainly helps in decreasing weeds and disease, etc., hence cover crops are one of the most important methods in sustainable agriculture.