Sustainable intensification: overcoming land and water constraints on food production

Abstract

Feeding over 9 billion people by the second half of this century will require a major paradigm shift in agricultural systems. Agriculture uses approximately 40 % of the terrestrial surface, is the major user of fresh water resources and contributes 17%of greenhouse gas emissions. In turn, agriculture will be detrimentally affected by climate change in many climatic regions. Impacts of agriculture on ecosystem services include land clearing, loss of forest cover and biodiversity, significant soil degradation and water quality decline. Agricultural production will have to increase, even if we can reduce the rate of increase in demand for food. Given the current pressures on natural resources, this will have to be achieved by some form of agricultural intensification that causes less environmental impact. Therefore, it is not just intensification of agriculture, but ‘sustainable intensification’ that must be at the forefront of the paradigmshift. There is also a need to assess the situation holistically, taking into account population growth and resource intensive consumption patterns, improved systems of governance, changing diets and reducing waste. We review how and where natural resources are being placed under increasing pressure and examine the Becological footprint^ of agriculture. Suggested solutions include the application of existing scientific knowledge, implementation of emerging principles for sustainable land and water management and reclamation of salinized land. Encouragement of community action and private sector supply chain and production codes, backed up by improved national and regional governance and regulation also need to be encouraged if we are to see agricultural production become truly sustainable

Sustainable farming practices of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) around Hongze Lake, lower Yangtze River Basin, China

“…Mitten crab farming practices incorporate improved traditional practices making it environment-friendly overall with minimal TN, TP, COD and TSS levels in effluents compared to other aquaculture species (Cai et al 2012a). Environmental friendliness of farming practices is known to be a key to sustainability for all forms of primary production and a paradigm that is being increasingly acknowledged as a necessity for meeting the food demands for an increasing population (Charles et al 2015;Chartres and Noble 2015;Poppy et al 2015).…”

Environmental impacts and constraints associated with the production of major food crops in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

“…& Improved water management, including proper soil preparation, crop selection and timing of planting to reduce runoff and utilize available water resources even in the absence of irrigation (Pretty et al 2006(Pretty et al , 2011Pfwaster et al 2011;Chartres and Noble 2015). Efforts to overcome water constraints on crop production in smallholder systems include irrigation and other water management practices, and the use of diverse and drought resistant varieties, depending on local contexts (de Fraiture et al 2010;Li et al 2011); & Improved soil management, including ensuring farmers do not over-use fertilizers, and promoting the use of crop rotations, intercropping with leguminous species, reduced tillage and incorporating agricultural residues (Snapp et al 1998;Singh et al 2009;Vanlauwe et al 2010;Fageria 2011;Chartres and Noble 2015).…”

“…But there has also been growing concern that farming practices themselves, both in extensive food crop production systems (found widely in Sub-Saharan Africa) and intensifying systems (common in South Asia) are exacerbating biotic and abiotic constraints on food production through negative impacts on the environment (Poppy et al 2014;Dogliotti et al 2014;Chartres and Noble 2015). Common examples include environmental degradation through agriculture-related deforestation, soil erosion, nutrient mining, water depletion, soil/water/air pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change; all of which threaten the long-term viability of agriculture and agro-ecosystems (Cassman et al 2003;Keating et al 2010;Phalan et al 2011;Pretty et al 2011;Tilman et al 2011;Chartres and Noble 2015).…”

Food and water gaps to 2050: preliminary results from the global food and water system (GFWS) platform

“…This is not just because of higher temperatures on yields, which is moderately negative for some plants. Rather, the difficulty in terms of food supply lies in climate variability through a possible increase in the number of extreme weather events (Grafton and Keenan 2014;Chartres and Noble 2015). Extreme events would likely make food prices and food supply more variable than in the most recent few decades.…”