Sustainable/Organic Farming Systems in the Developing World

Sustainable/Organic Farming Systems in the Developing World
By:
Jake Klaver

Sustainable Farming
Meet present needs without compromising future demands.
Stewardship of both natural and human resources are of prime importance. (Feenstra 1997)
“This will achieve the best use of nature’s goods and services as functional inputs.”(Pretty/Hine 2001)

3 Goals of Sustainable Agriculture
Environmental Health- Things such as land quality.
Economic Profitability – You need to be able to sustain profits.
Social and Economic Equity- The community has to be sustained without inequity. (Feenstra 1997)

Organic Farming
“A production system that is managed to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources and promote ecological balance and conserve biodiversity.” (USDA Definition)

Organic Farming
Renewable Resources
Soil and Water Conservation
Farming practices that enhance ecological balance.

Why Sustainable/Organic Farming?
The world food demand is predicted to double in the next 50 years. (Tillman 2002)
The world population is predicted to be 9.4 billion by 2050.
Out of the 9.4 billion, 8.2 billion people are predicted to live in developing countries. (Lal 2000)

Developing World Problems
1 Billion people are undernourished
Hunger and malnutrition is the number 1 health risk worldwide. (World Food Programme 2009)

Ethical Discussion
All humans have the right to a means of survival.
Abuses by some can and will destroy common resources for all.
Sustainable and organic farming systems are the key to saving our common resources so humans in the future will be able to meet their needs.

References
Feenstra, Gail. “What is Sustainable Agriculture?” University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. Dec. 1997. www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/Concept.htm.
Lal, R. “Soil Management in the Developing Countries.” Soil Science. Volume 165, issue 1. pages 57-72. January 2000.
Pretty, Jules and Hine, Rachel. “Reducing Food Poverty with Sustainable Agriculture.” University of Essex. Centre for Environment and Society. Feb. 2001. www.essex.ac.uk/ces/esu/occasionalpapers/SAFE%20FINAL%20-%20Pages1-22.pdf.
Tillman, David. “Agricultural Sustainability and Intensive Production Practices.” Nature. Volume 418, pages 671-677. Aug. 8, 2002. www.nature.com/nature/journal/v418/n6898/abs/nature01014.html.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.” 2009. www.sare.org/publications/organic/organic01.htm.
World Food Programme. “Fighting Hunger Worldwide.” 2009. www.wfp.org/hunger.

The End!!!