Sustainable Agriculture and the Implementation in Agricultural Activities

Disusun Oleh :
Moh. Rian Pradana 20140210069

Program Studi Agroteknologi

Kepada
FAKULTAS PERTANIAN
UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH YOGYAKARTA
2017
 We, leaders of global food and agriculture, recognize that we influence the way one quarter
of the worlds population earns a living, half the worlds habitable land is cared for, and two-thirds
of the worlds fresh water is used. With such influence comes opportunity and responsibility. We
see sustainability as both a social and a business opportunity. For our businesses, sustainability
can enable us to enhance brands; meet new market demands; attract the best and brightest
employees; ensure a reliable supply of food; reduce risks; harmonize standards and plant
inspections; reduce the use of energy and materials; and create value for every player and society
as a whole. Our vision is to make continuous improvement toward a sustainable food and
agriculture system in which the food we eat is affordable, safe, and promotes our health; the
fertility of our soil is maintained and improved; the availability and quality of water are protected
and enhanced; the air is clean; biodiversity is protected; farmers, farm workers, and all other actors
in value chains are treated fairly and benefit economically; sustainable businesses can thrive; and
the flow of energy and the discharge of waste, including greenhouse gas emissions, are within the
capacity of the earth to absorb. The intention of this booklet is to give an easy understanding of
sustainable agriculture and its main issues by showing success stories of concrete business case
studies.
The worlds population is expected to rise dramatically over the next 40 years, from 6.7
billion in 2009 to 9.2 billion by 2050. At the same time, economic development will lead to an
increase in demand for meat, dairy, vegetables and fruit. To feed the world and to feed it well,
global food production will need to double by 2050. The problem, however, is that half of the
habitable land on Earth is already used for farming. As resources are limited, the challenge is to
achieve global food security while having a positive impact on the environment and society.
Sustainable agricultural practices provide the solution.
Sustainable agriculture, if were talking about sustainable agriculture we must knowing
first what is sustainable. The word sustain, from the Latin sustinere (sus-, from below and tenere,
to hold), to keep in existence or maintain, implies long-term support or permanence. As it pertains
to agriculture, sustainable describe farming system that capable to maintaining their productivity
and usefull for social indefinitely.
Sustainable agriculture is the efficient production of safe, high quality agricultural
products, in a way that protects and improves the natural environment, the social and economic
conditions of farmers, their employees and local communities, and safeguards the health and
welfare of all farmed species.
Sustainable agriculture is the efficient production of safe, high quality agricultural
products, in a way that protects and improves the natural environment, the social and economic
conditions of farmers, their employees and local communities, and safeguards the health and
welfare of all farmed species.
Some people knowing sustainable agriculture as conventional farming, modern
farming and etc. Sustainable agriculture is one of many ways of practicing agriculture which
seeks to optimize skills and technology to achieve long term stability of the agricultural
environment. Thats why at this time many people do this system because the profit from this
system is very great and can reduce to destructing environment caused from normal agriculture
system.
The goal from sustainable agriculture is to minimize adverse impact to the immediate and
off farm environments while providing a sustained level of production and profit. Sustainable
agriculture doesnt refer to prescribed set of practice. Instead, it challenges producers to think
about the long term implication of the interactions and dynamics of agricultural systems. It also
invites consumers to get more involved in agriculture by learning more about and becoming active
participants in their food systems. A key goal is to understand agriculture from an ecological
perspective in terms of nutrient and energy dynamics, and interactions among plants, animals,
insects and other organisms in agriculture systems. All of that must balance it with profit and
consumer needs.
The other goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet societys food and textile needs in the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Practitioners of sustainable agriculture seek to integrate three main objectives into their work: a
healthy environment, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. Every person
involved in the food system growers, food processors, distributors, retailers, consumers, and waste
managers can play a role in ensuring a sustainable agricultural system.
Sustainable agriculture has environmental, social and economic dimensions and all three
must be consi - dered together. Focusing on one or two in isolation will not give the desired results.
Protecting and improving the natural environment are fundamental, and issues like climate change,
energy, water scarcity, biodiversity and soil degradation need to be addressed. The social
dimension covers labor rights and the health of communities, including access to and affordability
of food, labor rights and community health. Food quality, safety and animal welfare are also
important social aspects. On the economic side, sustainable agriculture is pro - ductive, efficient
and competitive. The benefits should be seen in farm profitability, in thriving local econo - mies,
and throughout the whole value chain.

The implementation of sustainable agriculture is commonly include

Crop rotations that mitigate weeds, disease, insect and other pest problems. Provide
alternative sources of soil nitrogen, reduce soil erosion, and reduce risk of water
contamination by agricultural chemicals.
Pest control strategies that are not harmful to natural systems, farmers, their neighbors, or
consumers. This includes integrated pest management techniques that reduce the need for
pesticide by practices such as scouting, use of resistant cultivars, timing of planting, and
biological pest controls.
Increased mechanical/biological weed control, more soil and water conservation practices,
and strategic use of animal and green manures
Use of natural or synthetic inputs in a way that poses no significant hazard to people,
animals and the environment.
So the conclusion is sustainable agriculture implies the following :
Meeting the basic needs of all peoples, and giving this priority over meeting the greeds of
a few.
Keeping population densities, if possible, below the carrying capacity of the region.
Adjusting consumption patterns and the design and management of systems to permit the
renewal of renewable resources.
Conserving, recycling, and establishing priorities for the use of nonrenewable resources.
Keeping environmental impact below the level required to allow the systems affected to
recover and continue to evolve.
Sustainable agriculture takes many forms, but at its core is a rejection of the industrial
approach to food production developed during the 20th century.
This system, with its reliance on monoculture, mechanization, chemical pesticides and
fertilizers, biotechnology, and government subsidies, has made food abundant and affordable.
However, the ecological and social price has been steep: erosion; depleted and contaminated soil
and water resources; loss of biodiversity; deforestation; labor abuses; and the decline of the family
farm.
The concept of sustainable agriculture embraces a wide range of techniques, including
organic, free-range, low-input, holistic, and biodynamic.
The common thread among these methods is an embrace of farming practices that mimic
natural ecological processes. Farmers minimize tilling and water use; encourage healthy soil by
planting fields with different crops year after year and integrating croplands with livestock grazing;
and avoid pesticide use by nurturing the presence of organisms that control crop-destroying pests.
Beyond growing food, the philosophy of sustainability also espouses broader principles
that support the just treatment of farm workers and food pricing that provides the farmer with a
livable income.
The food industry needs long-term, increased supplies of quality raw materials to cater to
growing demand, but factors such as unusual weather caused by climate change and water scarcity
are making production and prices more volatile. Sustainable agricultural practices and programs
can help businesses ensure a reliable supply of food and open up new opportunities at the same
time such as enhancing brands and meeting new market demands. Food companies that embark
on this challenge are the ones attracting the best and brightest employees. As awareness is growing
amongst business operators, sustainable sourcing has become a point of differentiation in the
marketplace. Moreover, the consumers they serve are increasingly concerned about where their
food comes from and pay great attention to whether it is produced in a responsible way, from farm
to fork. Looking at our food production system, the biggest potential for impact lies in influencing
primary production. Enhancement of sustainable sourcing and sustainable agriculture are key
opportunities when this system is challenged. This understanding has a place at the top of the
corporate agenda
Critics of sustainable agriculture claim, among other things, that its methods result in lower
crop yields and higher land use. They add that a wholesale commitment to its practices will mean
inevitable food shortages for a world population expected to exceed 8 billion by the year 2030.
There's recent evidence, though, suggesting that over time, sustainably farmed lands can be as
productive as conventional industrial farms.
 Issues Related to the Principles of Sustainable Agriculture. Principles and Practices for
Sustainable Agriculture, articulated around four main pillars:
1. Sustainable Farming Systems
2. Economy
3. Social
4. Environment