Editing Sustainable agriculture





===Soil treatment===
[[Soil steam sterilization|Soil steaming]]{{w|Soil steam sterilization}} can be used as an ecological alternative to chemicals for soil sterilization. Different methods are available to induce steam into the soil in order to kill pests and increase soil health. Community and farm composting of kitchen, yard, and farm organic waste can provide most if not all the required needs of local farms. This composting could potentially be a reliable source of energy.

== Off-farm impacts ==
A farm that is able to "produce perpetually", yet has negative effects on environmental quality elsewhere is not sustainable agriculture. An example of a case in which a global view may be warranted is over-application of synthetic [[fertilizer]] or animal [[manure]]s{{w|manure}}, which can improve productivity of a farm but can pollute nearby rivers and coastal waters ([[eutrophication]]). The other extreme can also be undesirable, as the problem of low crop yields due to exhaustion of nutrients in the soil has been related to [[rainforest]]{{w|rainforest}} destruction, as in the case of [[slash and burn]]{{w|slash and burn}} farming for livestock feed.

Sustainability affects overall production, which must increase to meet the increasing food and fiber requirements as the world's human population expands to a projected 9.3 billion people by [[2050]]{{w|2050}}. Increased production may come from creating new farmland, which may [[wikt:amelioration|ameliorate]] carbon dioxide emissions if done through reclamation of desert as in [[Palestine]]{{w|Palestine}}, or may worsen emissions if done through [[slash and burn]]{{w|slash and burn}} farming, as in [[Brazil]]{{w|Brazil}}. Additionally, [[Genetically modified organism]]{{w|Genetically modified organism}} crops show promise for radically increasing crop yields, although many people and governments are apprehensive of this new farming method.

Some advocates favour sustainable agriculture as the only system which can be sustained over the long-term. However, organic production methods, especially in transition, yield less than their conventional counterparts and raise the same problems of sustaining populations globally.

==Urban planning==
There has been considerable debate about which form of human residential habitat may be a better social form for sustainable agriculture.

Many environmentalists advocate urban developments with high population density as a way of preserving agricultural land and maximizing energy efficiency. However, others have theorized that sustainable [[ecocities]], or [[ecovillage]]s which combine habitation and farming with close proximity between producers and consumers, may provide greater sustainability.

The use of available city space (e.g., [[rooftop gardens]]{{w|rooftop gardens}}, [[community gardens]], [[garden sharing]]{{w|garden sharing}}, and other forms of [[urban agriculture]] for cooperative food production is another way to achieve greater sustainability.

One of the latest ideas in achieving sustainable agricultural involves shifting the production of food plants from major factory farming operations to large, urban, technical facilities called vertical farms. The advantages of [[vertical farming]] include year-round production, isolation from pests and diseases, controllable resource recycling, and on-site production that reduces transportation costs. While a vertical farm has yet to become a reality, the idea is gaining momentum among those who believe that current sustainable farming methods will be insufficient to provide for a growing global population.<ref>[http://www.verticalfarm.com/pdf/PopSci-Jul-2007.pdf Vertical Farming]</ref>

==See also==
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* [[Agroforestry]]
* [[Aquaponics]]
* [[Biomass]]
* [[Composting]]
* [[Ecological sanitation]]
* [[Forest gardening]]
* [[How to practice sustainable agriculture]]
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{{Portal box|Food and agriculture}}
* [[List of sustainable agriculture topics]]
* [[Organic farming]]
* [[Organic food]]
* [[Permaculture]]
* [[Sustainable development]]
* [[Urban agriculture]]
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* [[Afforestation]]{{w|Afforestation}}
* [[Agrobiodiversity]]{{w|Agrobiodiversity}}
* [[Agroecology]]{{w|Agroecology}}
* [[Allotment gardens]]{{w|Allotment gardens}}
* [[Analog forestry]]{{w|Analog forestry}}
* [[Analog forestry]]{{w|Analog forestry}}
* [[Biodynamic agriculture]]{{w|Biodynamic agriculture}}
* [[Biointensive]]{{w|Biointensive}}
* [[Biomass (ecology)]]{{w|Biomass (ecology)}}
* [[Buffer strip]]{{w|Buffer strip}}
* [[Collaborative innovation network]]{{w|Collaborative innovation network}}
* [[Conservation Corridor Demonstration Program]]{{w|Conservation Corridor Demonstration Program}} (in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia)
* [[Declaration for Healthy Food and Agriculture]]{{w|Declaration for Healthy Food and Agriculture}}
* [[Deficit irrigation]]{{w|Deficit irrigation}}
* [[Deforestation during the Roman period]]{{w|Deforestation during the Roman period}}
* [[Deforestation]]{{w|Deforestation}}
* [[Desertification]]{{w|Desertification}}
* [[Ecological engineering methods]]{{w|Ecological engineering methods}}
* [[Ecological engineering]]{{w|Ecological engineering}}
* [[Ecology]]{{w|Ecology}}
* [[Ecotechnology]]{{w|Ecotechnology}}
* [[Energy-efficient landscaping]]{{w|Energy-efficient landscaping}}
* [[Environmental protection]]{{w|Environmental protection}}
* [[Factory farming]]{{w|Factory farming}}
* [[Fire-stick farming]]{{w|Fire-stick farming}}
* [[Food systems]]{{w|Food systems}}
* [[Forest farming]]{{w|Forest farming}}
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* [[Great Plains Shelterbelt]]{{w|Great Plains Shelterbelt}}
* [[Green payments]]{{w|Green payments}}
* [[Green Revolution]]{{w|Green Revolution}}
* [[Hedgerow]]{{w|Hedgerow}}
* [[Holistic management]]{{w|Holistic management}}
* [[Home gardens]]{{w|Home gardens}}
* [[Human ecology]]{{w|Human ecology}}
* [[Industrial agriculture]]{{w|Industrial agriculture}}
* [[Integrated production]]{{w|Integrated production}}
* [[International Organization for Biological Control]]{{w|International Organization for Biological Control}}
* [[Land Allocation Decision Support System]]{{w|Land Allocation Decision Support System}}
* [[Land consolidation]]{{w|Land consolidation}}<ref name=" doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2009.07.008">{{cite journal | author = Pasakarnis G, Maliene V | title = Towards sustainable rural development in Central and Eastern Europe: applying land consolidation |journal = Land Use Policy |volume = 27 | issue = 2 | pages = 545–9 | year = 2010 | doi =10.1016/j.landusepol.2009.07.008}}</ref>
* [[Land Institute]]{{w|Land Institute}}
* [[Landcare (organisation)|Landcare]]{{w|Landcare (organisation)}}
* [[Local Food Plus]]{{w|Local Food Plus}}
* [[Low carbon diet]]{{w|Low carbon diet}}
* [[Macro-engineering]]{{w|Macro-engineering}}
* [[Megaprojects]]{{w|Megaprojects}}
* [[Organic clothing]]{{w|Organic clothing}}
* [[Organic cotton]]{{w|Organic cotton}}
* [[Organic movement]]{{w|Organic movement}}
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* [[Perennial grain]]{{w|Perennial grain}}
* [[Permaforestry]]{{w|Permaforestry}}
* [[Polyculture]]{{w|Polyculture}}
* [[Proposed sahara forest project]]{{w|Proposed sahara forest project}}
* [[Push–pull technology]]
* [[Rainforest Alliance]]{{w|Rainforest Alliance}}
* [[Reconciliation Ecology]]{{w|Reconciliation Ecology}}
* ''[[Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems]]{{w|Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems}}'' (journal)
* [[Renewable resource]]{{w|Renewable resource}}
* [[Sand fence]]{{w|Sand fence}}
* [[Seawater Greenhouse]]{{w|Seawater Greenhouse}}
* [[Slash-and-burn]]{{w|Slash-and-burn}} technique, a component of [[Shifting cultivation]]{{w|Shifting cultivation}}
* [[Slash-and-char]]{{w|Slash-and-char}}, environmentally responsible alternative to [[slash-and-burn]]{{w|slash-and-burn}}
* [[Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network]]{{w|Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network}} (between the UK and China)
* [[Sustainable Commodity Initiative]]{{w|Sustainable Commodity Initiative}}
* [[Sustainable food system]]{{w|Sustainable food system}}
* [[Sustainable landscaping]]{{w|Sustainable landscaping}}
* [[Sustainable Table]]{{w|Sustainable Table}}
* [[Terra preta]]{{w|Terra preta}}
* [[Terra preta]]{{w|Terra preta}}
* [[The Natural Step]]{{w|The Natural Step}}
* [[Wild Farm Alliance]]{{w|Wild Farm Alliance}}
* [[Wildcrafting]]{{w|Wildcrafting}}
* [[Windbreak]]{{w|Windbreak}}
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==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Sources==
* Dore, J. 1997. ''[http://www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/shortreps/sr20.html Sustainability Indicators for Agriculture: Introductory Guide to Regional/National and On-farm Indicators]'', [http://www.rirdc.gov.au/home.html Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation], Australia.
*Gold, Mary. 1999. [http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/srb9902.htm ''Sustainable Agriculture: Definitions and Terms'']. Special Reference Briefs Series no. SRB 99-02 Updates SRB 94-5 September 1999. National Agricultural Library, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
*Hayes, B. 2008. Trial Proposal: Soil Amelioration in the South Australian Riverland.
*Jahn, GC, B. Khiev, C. Pol, N. Chhorn, S. Pheng, and V. Preap. 2001. Developing sustainable pest management for rice in Cambodia. pp.&nbsp;243–258, In S. Suthipradit, C. Kuntha, S. Lorlowhakarn, and J. Rakngan [eds.] “'''Sustainable Agriculture''': Possibility and Direction” Proceedings of the 2nd Asia-Pacific Conference on Sustainable Agriculture 18–20 October 1999, Phitsanulok, Thailand. Bangkok (Thailand): National Science and Technology Development Agency. 386 p.
* Lindsay Falvey (2004) Sustainability - Elusive or Illusion: Wise Environmental Management. Institute for International Development, Adelaide pp259.
* Hecht, Susanna and Alexander Cockburn (1989) The Fate of the Forest: developers, destroyers and defenders of the Amazon. New York: Verso.
* Netting, Robert McC. (1993) Smallholders, Householders: Farm Families and the Ecology of Intensive, Sustainable Agriculture. Stanford Univ. Press, Palo Alto.
*[http://publishing.royalsociety.org/sustainable-agriculture Dedicated double issue of ''Philosophical Transactions B'' on Sustainable Agriculture. Some articles are freely available.]

==Further reading==
*Laki, G. (2002): Added value as the basis of sustainable agriculture’s subsidy system. In: (Eds. Trebicky, V. - Novak, J.) "Rio+10 Transition from Centrally Planned Economy to Sustainable Society? (Visegrad Agenda 21)", Institute for Environmental Policy, Prague, 2002, 49. p.
*Laki, G., Szakál, F. (2002): [http://businessmanagement.hu Added Value as a key indicator for sustainable agriculture.] In: A mezőgazdasági termelés és erőforrás-hasznosítás ökonómiája - VIII. Nemzetközi Agrárökonómiai Tudományos Napok, SZIE Gazdálkodási és Mezőgazdasági Főiskolai Kar, Gyöngyös, 6 p.
*{{Cite journal |date=March/April 1986 |author=Madden, Patrick |title=Debt-Free Farming is Possible |journal=Farm Economics |place=Pennsylvania |publisher=Cooperative Extension Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture [and] The Pennsylvania State University |issn=0555-9456 |postscript=}}
* Pender J., Place F., Ehui S. (2006) [http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/books/oc53.asp Strategies for Sustainable Land Management in the East African Highlands]
* Pollan M. (2007) [http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals] by
* Roberts W. (2008) ''The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food'' by Roberts W. (2008)

==External links==
* [http://africaproject2020.com/ Africa Project 2020] An Effort to Eradicate Hunger in Africa by empowering Farmers through Sustainable Agriculture.
* [http://asi.ucdavis.edu/ Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis]
*[http://www.biodynamics.net.au Biodynamic Agriculture Australia] Promoting the practice and understanding of the Biodynamic system of sustainable agriculture.
* [http://www.cefs.ncsu.edu/ Center for Environmental Farming Systems]
* [http://csanr.wsu.edu/ WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources]
* [http://www.foodalliance.org/ Food Alliance] The most credible and comprehensive certification for sustainable agriculture and food handling in North America.
* [https://enduser.elsevier.com/farmmanagement A special issue of the ''Journal of Environmental Management''] focuses on farm management and sustainable agriculture.
* [http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/agriculture/ Greenpeace Sustainable Agriculture campaign]
* [http://www.landinstitute.org/ The Land Institute] Research on sustainable perennial crop systems
* [http://www.attra.org/ National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service]
* [http://www.sustainableagriculture.net/ National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture]
* [http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/concept.htm What is Sustainable Agriculture?] ''(from SAREP: University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program)''
* [http://www.sare.org/ Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)]
* [http://sarep.ucdavis.edu/ SAREP: University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program]
* [http://www.sustainablecommodities.org Sustainable Commodity Initiative]
* [http://www.saiplatform.org/ Industry-based initiative promoting sustainable agriculture for the production of mainstream agricultural materials]
* [http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/programs/agriculture/ Rainforest Alliance's Sustainable Agriculture program]
* [http://www.verticalfarm.com The Vertical Farm Project] Envisioning the future of human food production as a mechanism for environmental restoration, protection from infectious disease, and a source of sustainable energy
* [http://www.oired.vt.edu/sanremcrsp/ SANREM CRSP] Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program at Virginia Tech
* [http://www.shdi.org Self Help Development International] SHDI is an Irish agency engaged in promoting long term sustainable development projects in Africa.
* [http://www.newwest.net/index.php/topic/main/C520/L40 Spade & Spoon: Localizing the Way Westerners Eat]
* [http://www.safecrop.org/ SAFECROP Centre for research and development of crop protection with low environment and consumer health impact]
* [http://www.iied.org/NR/agbioliv/index.html Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity and Livelihoods Programme, part of the Natural Resources Group, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)]
* [http://www.odi.org.uk/agriculture Research on Agriculture] and its role in international development from the Overseas Development Institute
* [http://www.naturalstepusa.org/case-studies/organically-grown-company-sustainable-agriculture.html A Natural Step Case Study: Planning for the future harvest: Sustainability in the food industry - The Organically Grown Company ]
* [http://www.wiserearth.org/aof/195 Sustainable Agriculture Portal on WiserEarth]
* [http://www.wiserearth.org/organization/limitToMasterid/195/limitToType/aof List of Sustainable Agriculture Organizations on WiserEarth]
* [http://www.cfsef.org/ Center for Sustainable Energy Farming]


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