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- Agricultural practices account for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions

- Farming practices rely heavily on the use of green house gasses to fuel machinery thus producing green house gasses

- Fertilizers are the product of fossil fuels

- The production of genetically uniform crops have caused crops to loose their genetic diversity

- About 30 crops account for 90% of calorie intact while 14 animal species account for animal intake

Three pillars to consider with sustainable development

Wasteful Water Consumption

Soil Erosion and Degradation

- 25% of the world's farmland is effected by degradation while 2 decades ago it was 15%

- Caused by:

  • Mismanagement of soil
  • Chemicals in fertilizers

- Agricultural practices consumes about 70% of freshwater sources

- 60% of the agricultural water use is wasted. The main causes of this are:

  • Leaks in irrigation systems
  • Wasteful application
  • Attempt to cultivate crops that are not meant for that environment

- These practices are not sustainable and not a proper use of already limited water sources

Pollution

Example: Great Barrier Reef

Land Conversion and Habitat Loss

- Runoff from nearby farms spurs algae growth that depletes oxygen for other creatures in the reef

Example

Converting lowland rainforests to oil palm plantations in Indonesia.

- Around 50% of the World's habitable land has been converted for farming purposes

- To meet the food demand of 2050, 120 million hectares (about 296 million acres) of natural habitats must be cleared, including areas of high biodiversity

- Because of unsustainable agricultural practices, 12 million hectares of land are lost each year due to desertification

*Desertification: When land becomes increasingly barren and infertile

- According to World Wildlife Fund, "Agriculture is the leading source of pollution in many countries"

- Pesticides and fertilizers lead to runoff which contaminants surrounding eco-systems and waterways

- This effects insects, animals, humans, and the surrounding environment

Negative Consequences From Unsustainable Farming

Genetic Erosion

Climate Change

Thoughts:

- Out of the biological, social, and economical consequences of unsustainable agriculture, which do you feel is the most difficult to overcome?

Biological

Economical

  • Land conversion and habitat loss
  • Wasteful water consumption
  • Soil erosion and degradation
  • Pollution
  • Climate change
  • Genetic erosion

- The way the agriculture sector operates must change

  • Not using fossil fuels for farming equipment
  • Rotating land use
  • Jobs related to agriculture change

- A sustainable agricultural model will be more expensive in the short run

Social

- For consumer, changing our mindset to think about how food arrives at grocery store

- For there to be a worldwide change, there must political action

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