Small-scale agriculture is a method of agriculture that uses less machinery and more human labour, labour saving-techniques (ie using native and/or more disease-resistant crops), ...

Introduction

Small Scale Sustainable Agriculture is useful to the world. There are many different advantages to this method of farming. There are also many different locations around the world that have benefited from small scale sustainable agriculture. If you want to learn How to Practice Sustainable Agriculture this may help you.

Approach

Local, small-scale farming operations typically utilize more sustainable methods of agriculture than conventional industrial farming systems such as decreased tillage, nutrient cycling^W, fostered biodiversity and reduced chemical pesticide and fertilizer applications.^[1] Adapting a more regional, seasonally-based diet is more sustainable as it entails purchasing less energy and resource demanding produce that naturally grow within a local area and require no long-distance transport. These vegetables and fruits are also grown and harvested within their suitable growing season^W. Thus, seasonal food^W farming does not require energy intensive greenhouse production, extensive irrigation, plastic packaging and long-distance transport from importing non-regional foods, and other environmental stressors.^[2] Local, seasonal produce is typically fresher, unprocessed and argued to be more nutritious. Local produce also contains less to no chemical residues from applications required for long-distance shipping and handling.^[3] Farmers' markets^W, public events where local small-scale farmers gather and sell their produce, are a good source for obtaining local food and knowledge about local farming productions. As well as promoting localization of food, farmers markets are a central gathering place for community interaction.^[4] Another way to become involved in regional food distribution is by joining a local community-supported agriculture (CSA). A CSA consists of a community of growers and consumers who pledge to support a farming operation while equally sharing the risks and benefits of food production. CSA's usually involve a system of weekly pick-ups of locally farmed vegetables and fruits, sometimes including dairy products, meat and special food items such as baked goods.^[5] Considering the previously noted rising environmental crisis, the United States and much of the world is facing immense vulnerability to famine. Local food production ensures food security if potential transportation disruptions and climatic, economical, and sociopolitical disasters were to occur.^[6]

Advantages of Small scale agriculture

Food is currently produced on a corporate level. Food is being transported intercontinentally. The way that the food is being transported is releasing tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. With the way that the world produces and the way that we trade this has caused mass destruction to the planet. This includes global warming that is putting the ecosystem and human communities in danger. Global warming is affecting farmers through the changing weather patterns that bring about unusual weather that can destroy farmland and animals.

It is believed that small scale sustainable agriculture can help not only the environment, but the community as well. These farmers help to produce renewable energy. Unlike larger farms the smaller ones are, for the most part, growing different crops, and also have livestock for their farms. These farms are more productive than the larger farms that grow only one crop, or raise one type of livestock. Small scale sustainable agriculture is helping to cool down the earth. When communities are provided food from local farms the farms help in an economic way as well as with social development. The smaller farms could lead to better housing, education, and other local businesses that can thrive. Small scale sustainable agriculture is not only a benefit to the environment, but to the communities as well.

Regions

Different regions where this type of agriculture is most efficient is in both first and third world countries.

The United States is an area where small scale sustainable agriculture is used. The different types of this agriculture used in the United States include, vegetables, fruits, cut flowers, herbs, poultry, beef, pork, dairy products, and other goods.

Products and Benefits

These farms that use this practice of agriculture produce smaller amounts of the different products of the farm. The land use is limited and the products that they create are brought to local stores and markets to sell. Transporting the goods to local markets helps to cut down on the CO2 emissions that would have been used to transport in greater distances.

References

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• Food & Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific Region: http://www.agnet.org/library/bc/44002/
• Land Research Action Network: http://www.landaction.org/spip/spip.php?article225
• Growing Small Farms: http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms
• Oxfam America: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whatwedo/where_we_work/united_states/news_publications/food_farm/art2570.html

=See also

• Industrial agriculture