Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
There are three nested levels of economic, social, and environmental impacts that
can be recognized for identifying, monitoring, and measuring progress by different
stakeholders, including farmers. At level 1, it is the change in people's concepts and
mind-set as well as production system practices that is the goal. (For example, to
monitor progress in the case of sustainable production systems and practices based
on CA principles, the indicators would be the specification of effectiveness and sta-
bility of the production system, the number of farmers practicing and the area cov-
ered, and the rate of innovation.) At level 2, it is the outcomes resulting from the
change in mindset and practices that are being sought (e.g., yield, income, stability,
and productivity [efficiency], as well as ecosystem services such as soil health and
quality, SOM, biological nitrogen fixation, water infiltration, soil biota (especially
earthworms), erosion/runoff, crop health, and specific components of biodiversity
such as pollinator bees or natural enemies of pests or specific soil microorganisms).
There would be outcomes on the social side such as increases in innovative farm
business management, on-farm experimentation, and social capital development in
terms of farmers coming together to innovate and capture economies of scale. At the
third level, it is the change in the state of the economic, social, and environmental
conditions of the target group and their area that is being sought. (For example, in the
case of the environment, four parameters are important for monitoring progress—
physical state of landscape and soil quality, of functional biodiversity, and of water
resources in quantity and quality, and climate change mitigation.) In terms of the
change in social and economic conditions, social benefits can be decreased stress in
the community, increased institutional innovation, stable incomes, and greater resili-
ence. This includes the target groups' own perceptions of type and degree of change.
Our overall conclusion is that sustainable soil management as a basis for sustain-
able agricultural production is essential and practicable, but depends on both how
and what crops are grown, as well as on the engagement of all stakeholders who
are aligned toward transforming the unsustainable tillage-based farming systems to
conservation agriculture systems regardless of soil, climate, and farmers' economic
capacity to invest. It is possible to develop a sustainable production system based on
how and what crops are grown but always following CA principles. This would allow
the maintenance of the underpinnings of ecological sustainability of production sys-
tems in good order so that sustainable production of food and other ecosystem ser-
vices becomes the norm. This transformational change is now occurring worldwide
on all continents and ecologies and covers nearly 10% of the global arable land.
To enable the reduction or elimination of soil degradation on all agricultural soils
as a basis for sustainable agriculture, the following policy and institutional action
points for policy makers and institutional decision makers are suggested:
•
Establish clear and verifiable guidelines and protocols for agricultural pro-
duction systems, which would qualify as sustainable intensification based
on conservation agriculture and other good practices from a socioeconomic
and environmental point of view.
•
Institutionalize the new way of farming with sustainable soil management in
public-sector education and advisory services as an officially endorsed policy.
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