The green revolution was a period of intense innovation that happened in agriculture predominantly from the 1960’s and 1970’s, although started from the 1940’s. In this time huge amounts of research and development have been undertaken that increased agricultural growth significantly, the advantages of which we continue to enjoy today. Initiatives included the development of higher yielding crop varieties, the introduction of artificial fertilisers and pesticides in addition to improving and modernizing pest management.
It was these inventions that enabled more food safety in the developed world than previously possible. Huge yields were attained from relatively smaller regions of land, making food simple to find in the developed world for most people. As contemporary farming practices developed, the demand for sustainable agriculture has been broadened from food and economic sustainability to social and environmental sustainability. While the amount of investment in agricultural research and development has been substantially reduced because the green revolution, the knowledge within the industry has greatly increased and agricultural businesses have adjusted their practices to provide agriculture sustainability.
Sustainable agriculture program
Today all agricultural businesses such as grains, horticulture, fisheries, meat and sugar are concerned with sustainable agriculture. Agriculture land isn’t as abundant as it was through the green revolution to ensure the sustainability of these businesses as well as the global food supply, sustainable agriculture practices need to be in the forefront of what the food industry does. In Australia research and development businesses, that represent farmers, invest in research and development to enhance the sustainable agricultural practices. Frequently this is jointly funded with the federal government.
Additionally, there are lots of agriculture colleges, primary and secondary in addition to sustainable agriculture courses that equip individuals for careers agriculture. Agricultural jobs are a whole lot more varied than often believed, with fields in mathematics, engineering, exporting, international relations and e-commerce.
Sustainable agriculture isn’t just a buzz phrase in countries such as Australia, but instead is essential business. With limited arable land, limited water and increasing climatic variability and extreme weather events advancing sustainable agricultural practices is essential to the future success of the business as well as the worlds food supply.
With an increase in investment in research and development that the progress of the green revolution may not be enough to make certain that people continue to enjoy food safety.
Sustainable farm
A sustainable farm needs to have the ability to make food without depleting the natural resources necessary to develop more produce in the long run. As practices have emerged and knowledge about sustainable farming techniques have expanded farmers have become aware that they’re responsible for much more than their plants and animals. Where farmers grazed animals, now sustainable livestock farmers consider themselves as handling three surviving ecosystems: their creatures; the bud and groundcover that animals will need to eat to live and the lands that ultimately is the main element to manage. Without good soil health sustainable farming cannot exist. If soil health is depleted the grass or plants won’t grow too.
Environmental degradation on the farm and in the surrounding areas can also be a fact if soil health isn’t a concentration of sustainable farming. Without good soil health the construction of the soil could be compromised resulting in dust storms and run from high soil in heavy rains into waterways.
Agriculture irrigation
Many industries of agriculture rely heavily on irrigation, such as cotton and rice. Other businesses like soy, horticulture, grains and cattle grazing also use some irrigation. Modern irrigation spread broadly with the green revolution as a means to make food in areas which didn’t have adequate or natural rain flow to support plants, although irrigation could be traced back to ancient Egyptian times.
Irrigation is a bit of a polarising subject, especially in regions of water scarcity. There are concerns that water has been diverted from its natural course, which has environmental impacts downstream. Yet others argue that without irrigation in certain areas of the world that sustainable agriculture wouldn’t be possible. The debate is gradually moving towards locating a stage where the two goals can be met to deliver sustainable agriculture and sustainable river and water systems downstream from where the agriculture irrigation is happening.
