Agriculture has been practiced for thousands of years. But, for the past few years, there has been tremendous use of industrial pesticides and fertilizers. Using such toxic material has led to the degradation of fertile land. The degradation is at such a level that it might be difficult for our future generation to practice farming.
So how can we improve framing and make it environmentally friendly? The answer is simple, Sustainable Farming.
Sustainability is based on the idea that we must satisfy our wants without impacting the needs of our future generations. To have a sustainable agriculture system, some sustainable methods must be adopted to restore our natural resources.
This article highlights some of the best ways to ensure sustainable farming for future needs.
1. Using Natural Pest Management Methods
One of the key goals of sustainable farming is avoiding synthetic pesticides and other chemicals used to control diseases and insect infestations.
Increasing the use of chemicals in food production is not a long-term solution and can harm our health. As a result, farmers are searching for natural solutions and trying to build a pest-resistant environment.
Various methods have proven effective in pest control, including crop diversification, intercropping, and crop rotation. It is a success because of the distribution of pests’ food sources. Furthermore, diverse crops attract diverse insects, some of which are natural predators of pests, mimicking the balance between pests and their predators in the natural ecosystem.
In the end, farmers can also promote other microorganisms that act as predators of crop-eating pests and release beneficial insect populations.
2. Practicing More Organic Farming
Organic farming is a technique that harvests crops without using pesticides or chemicals by adopting biological fertilizers and natural insect management. To receive the official organic agriculture label, farmers must complete a certification process to verify their practices.
According to a study, fertilizer increases the amount of organic carbon in the soil and releases CO2 into the atmosphere. Organic farming helps farmers lower soil emissions of nitrous oxide and methane. This strategy consequently has long-term benefits for the environment, including water, wildlife, soil, atmosphere, and farmers.
Practicing organic farming can significantly impact saving the soil for future generations. Hence, government and farmers should adopt organic farming as much as possible.
3. Adapting Hydroponics and Aquaponics Technique
The technique involves growing plants without soil and nourishing them through specialized nutrients dissolved in water.
Hydroponic systems crops are cultivated with their roots submerged in a mineral solution such as gravel or perlite.
On the other hand, Aquaponics is the practice of keeping aquatic animals, such as fish and cultivating hydroponic plants. It includes feeding hydroponic plants with water that contains waste products from the aquaculture fish. The water is later pumped back into the system for the fish to continue drinking.
Both hydroponic and aquaponic systems are available in a wide range of sizes, from small home systems to large commercial ones.
4. Increasing Agroforestry and Food Forests
Agroforestry involves planting trees and shrubs among crops or grazing areas. By combining agricultural and forestry practices, agroforestry systems can produce long-term, productive, and diverse land.
In this system, trees produce a microclimate that protects them from poor weather while maintaining a comfortable temperature and soil humidity. As a result, agroforestry is one of the effective strategies for farmers where the soil is at risk.
Food forests, commonly known as “forest gardens,” are permaculture-designed systems consisting of a multilayered edible “forest” modeled after natural forest ecosystems. These forests consist of perennial food plants, such as nut trees, layers of fruit shrubs, ground-level mushrooms, and vegetables.
5. Practicing Natural Animal Raising
It is feasible and healthier for everyone to breed animals sustainably. This process is beneficial not only for animals but for our needs as well.
Animals raised in pastures or their preferred environments have less stressful lives. They can engage in social relationships with other animals on their land. Grazing and living in fields are better for animals than being kept in confined feeding facilities.
You’ll also notice that these animals smell better, are cleaner, and have a spark in their eyes. The quality of the things we get from them reflects their well-being.
Moreover, grass establishes strong roots after being grazed and tramped by hooves. It also helps to prevent soil erosion, builds soil through the prosperous growth of pasture grasses, sequesters carbon in the soil, and conserves grassland habitats that support other animals and insects. If your land is at risk of erosion it is important to consult with a local Queensland erosion control (or wherever is local to you) that can help provide solutions and put preventative measures in place to protect your land.
The Bottom Line
Sustainable farming positively impacts the environment and improves our quality of life. It produces nutritious food that is safe to eat. Sustainable agriculture employs healthy, input-light techniques that are regenerative. The natural resources and land are not destroyed in this process for future generations. You can use the above methods to implement on your farm to contribute to a solution.