CHAPTER 22 AGRICULTURE FINE-FEATHERED FARMING

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CHAPTER 22 AGRICULTURE

FINE-FEATHEREDFARMING

Creative solutions to feeding the worldIn Japan, the quiet rice paddies of Takao Furuno.

FINE-FEATHERED FARMINGCreative solutions to feeding the world

At the end of this chapter you will know:

• About pros and cons of industrial, sustainable, and organic methods of agriculture.

• What sustainable methods can reduce the environmental impact of industrial farming.

• What role the consumer plays in building a sustainable food system.

Learning Outcomes

Industrial, organic, and sustainable agriculture will be necessary to feed our increasing population. All methods have advantages and disadvantages, but some techniques increase productivity with less environmental impact.

Main Concept

FINE-FEATHERED FARMINGCreative solutions to feeding the world22

Greg and Raquel Massa manage their third-generation rice farm in California. In three

generations, the farm has gone from traditional to chemical, and now to organic agriculture.

Case: Azolla is a weed that has often gotten the better of California rice

producers. As an alternative tochemicals, the Massas have been using

environmentally friendly, sustainable, organic methods for control.

The Massas wanted to find an alternative to industrial farming. They looked into more sustainable farming methods, which meet the needs of the farmers and society as a whole with less environmental impact.

Main Concept

FINE-FEATHERED FARMINGCreative solutions to feeding the world22

22 FINE-FEATHERED FARMINGCreative solutions to feeding the world

Combination of HYTs and technology resulted in success:

• 1000% increase in global food production

• 20% reduction in famine

But gains came with trade-offs.

TERMS TO KNOW:Industrial agricultureSustainable agricultureOrganic agricultureMonocultureEutrophication

The 1940s–1960s Green Revolution was an effort toeliminate hunger by improving crop performance through use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, modern irrigation and equipment, and high-yield varieties (HYTs) of crops.

Fertilizers increased soil productivity, but runoff pollution often results in the death of many aquatic organisms and systems.

Fertilizers help crops grow where they wouldn’t otherwise but lead to chemical dependence to enrich nutrient-depleted soil.

TERMS TO KNOW:Pesticide resistance

Use of pesticides creates toxicity threats to human and ecosystem health, while the pests themselves can become resistant.

Greg Massa, right, with rice plants

The natural world holds answers to some environmental problems through biomimicry22

Alternatives from around the world Looking back to ancestral methods—ducks in rice paddiesProblems to overcome 1. Adult ducks eat seeds before the seeds have a chance to grow.2. Foraging ducks trample young seedlings, leaving patches of

water that are attractive to more ducks.Ducklings (rather than adult ducks) don’t come with these problems. They are too small to cause much damage, can’t take seeds from the mud, and love to eat bugs and azolla.

Self-regulating, polyculture system naturally meeting the needs of a farm ecosystem is an example of agroecology.

Alternatives from around the world Looking back to ancestral methods – ducks in rice paddies.Problems to overcome 1. Adult ducks eat seeds before the seeds have a chance to grow.2. Foraging ducks trample young seedlings, leaving patches of

In addition to the ducklings, fish can also be raised in the rice paddies. They eat the azolla and provide an additional food crop. With the integrated system, the need for pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides were all eliminated with the added bonus of a more diverse harvest.

Integrated pest management is another feature of sustainable agriculture

TERMS TO KNOW:Integrated pest management (IPM)

22IPM – The use of a variety of methods to control a pest population. Minimizes chemical toxins Preference is for natural,

biodegradable pesticides

Integrated pest management is another feature of sustainable agriculture

TERMS TO KNOW:Integrated pest management (IPM)

22IPM – The use of a variety of methods to control a pest population. Minimizes chemical toxins Preference is for natural,

biodegradable pesticides

Sustainable agriculture techniques can keep farm productivity high22

Traditional, non-industrial farming methods from around the world help protect the soil and keep productivity high without using synthetic fertilizers. Success can be measured not only by crop yield, but also by the richness and diversity of the entire farm habitat.

Contour farming – crops planted parallel to the slope of the land reduce soil erosion

Reduced tillage – limited tilling reduces soil erosion, water evaporation, and the amount of tractor use needed.

Terrace farming – land on steep slopes can be leveled into steps. Erosion is reduced and flooding can be maintained when needed.

Crop rotation – planting different crops every few years to maintain soil fertility and to keep pest levels down.

Strip cropping – Alternating crops in strips several rows apart keeps pest populations low.

Cover crops protect the field during the off- season to hold soil in place and to improve the soil with nitrogen fixing plants.

Sustainable agriculture means depending on farming methods that can be used indefinitely. Water reclamation system Trees as natural windbreaks and erosion control Nesting boxes for birds and batsBuying locally produced food contributes to overall sustainability. Local economies are supported—fresher and healthier food becomes available, and the ecological footprint becomes smaller.

(farmer and environment)

Sustainable agriculture means depending on farming methods that can be used indefinitely. Water reclamation system Trees as natural windbreaks and erosion control Nesting boxes for birds and bats

Buying locally produced food contributes to overall sustainability.

Local economies are supported - fresher and healthier food becomes available, and the ecological footprint becomes smaller.

(consumer)

Consumer choices matter

TERMS TO KNOW:Food milesCarbon footprintGreenwashing

Consider how your food is raised. Industrially grown food is usually cheaper, but has a higher environmental impact and a high carbon footprint.

Consumer choices matter

TERMS TO KNOW:Food milesCarbon footprintGreenwashing

Consider how far your food is shipped. Even though more fossil fuels go into the production of industrially grown foods than in shipping it to market, buying food produced closer to home decreases the transportation part of the carbon footprint.

Consumer choices matter22Buying organic food not only reduces the carbon footprint of the food, it is also healthier for you. If your buying dollars are limited, consider focusing your purchases on the “dirty dozen” – the 12 fruits and vegetables most likely to be contaminated with pesticides.

A sustainable food future will rely on a variety of methods

TERMS TO KNOW:Annual cropsPerennial cropsSeed banks

Many farmers and scientists are working to develop mixed agriculture systems. These systems grow a mix of different species that better replicates the normal ecological community makeup of a given region.

A 2010 report by the International Livestock Research Institute concluded mixed polyculture farms like Furuno’s and Massas’ hold the most promise for intensifying food production worldwide.

Wes Jackson at the Land Institute in Kansas is working on a plan to replace annual grain crops—which need to be replanted every year—with perennial crops that can be harvested year after year.

This could reduce the use of labor and fossil fuels, as well as the impact on soil.

Monocultures have led to the erosion of genetic diversity, making it harder for plants to respond to new fungal pests or changes in climate.

Local, national, and international seed banks help ensure that plant varieties do not disappear.

PERSONAL CHOICES THAT HELP22

UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE22

ANALYZING THE SCIENCE22

EVALUATING NEW INFORMATION22

MAKING CONNECTIONS22

CHAPTER 22 AGRICULTURE FINE-FEATHERED FARMING

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