From our previous article on reasons why sustainable agriculture is important. Here are 4 more reasons.
5. Provides crops with resilience
As already stated, sustainable agriculture plays a vital role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as conserving energy and water. For a planet that is increasingly facing the vagaries of climate change, sustainable agriculture provides resilience because it focuses on growing a variety of crops as opposed to single breed crops while ensuring that the soils are healthy to provide the required minerals required for good plant health.
Additionally, if sustainable agricultural systems incorporate perennial plants and trees, coupled with free-range livestock grazing systems, agriculture will play a key role in sinking the carbon footprint
6. Works in harmony with nature
Unlike conventional industrial agriculture which is purely an embodiment of man, sustainable agriculture works in harmony with nature. It places a lot of emphasis on natural productivity by relying on the regenerative aspects of the natural environment. Moreover, it doesn’t strive to dominate nature, as is often the case with industrial agriculture. Instead, it allows nature to take its course.
7. Supports local communities
Sustainable agriculture is generally localised and places a lot of emphasis on domestic food production. Consequently, the localised food system enables farmers to reinvest their money within their communities where it circulates, and this ultimately uplifts the living standards of community members while also creating rural jobs.
8. Stabilises food supply
The consolidation of individual farms into big corporations that offer economies of scale to individual farmers characterises industrial agriculture. However, the development of huge corporations may be quite risky because if one of them faces a problem, the results may have far-reaching consequences on food security. On the contrary, sustainable farming tends to be highly decentralised and therefore limits the chances of food insecurity occasioned by financial troubles, or any problem that a corporation may encounter.
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