Importance of Sustainable Farming in Food Production: An Overview

This essay delves into the critical role of sustainable farming practices in modern food production, emphasizing their significance in both organic and conventional systems. It highlights the economic and social benefits, such as mitigating food crises and promoting human health, while also addressing environmental concerns like climate change and soil degradation. The discussion covers the impact of sustainable farming on resource management, climate resilience, and the reduction of food waste. It analyzes the effects of globalization, technological advancements, and overproduction on the agricultural sector, as well as the social concerns related to food consumption and production. The essay concludes by stressing the importance of government involvement and innovative farming methods to achieve long-term sustainability and food security. The essay also references various academic sources to support the arguments.

Running head: IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN FOOD PRODUCTION
Importance of sustainable farming in food production
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1IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN FOOD PRODUCTION
Table of contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................3
Discussion.......................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion......................................................................................................................................6
Reference list..................................................................................................................................7

2IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN FOOD PRODUCTION
Introduction
In order to encompass the wide range of food production practices, the sustainable
agricultural practices play an important role for introducing the organic and conventional
production processes (Niggli, 2015). Through the sustainable food production initiatives,
ecological, social and economic situation of a country can be improved. Sustainable farming has
significant impact on economic and social aspects, it reduces over production that mitigates the
chances of food crisis and by increasing the food nutrition health and wellbeing of human are
being maintained. Sustainable farming practices have also significant impact on environmental
aspects as it reduces the climatic change, soil degradation and water contamination. An argument
based on current situation in agriculture industry and its impact on food production process has
been discussed. At the end of this essay, depending on different sustainability concerns the
solutions have been provided.
Discussion
In the words of Niggl (2015), the term sustainability describes the ability of individuals
for meeting the present needs without compromising the abilities of future generations. There are
three pillars depending on which the sustainability concept has been developed. By following the
corporate ethics, sustainability initiative helps to reduce the chances of future damages. Hence, it
can be said that it is important for ensuring the sustainable food production system so that the
effective agricultural practices can be introduced. Sustainable food production practices can play
an influential role for increasing the capability for adopting the extreme weather as well as
climatic changes. In the words of Sanyé-Mengual et al., (2015), depending on different
sustainable initiatives, the resources can efficiently promote the climate smart best practices for
adopting the innovative as well as resource effective production practices.

3IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN FOOD PRODUCTION
Due to global warming as well as climatic changes the agricultural system across the
world is getting affected. Sanyé-Mengual et al., (2015), opined that emerging energy cost has
become the major key issue in the current agriculture industry. In order to deal with the climatic
as well as economic situation, sustainable farming in food production has become necessary for
offering innovative pathway to deal with increasing rate of poverty. By supporting this Wekerle
and Classens (2015) stated that in this challenging situation involving the farmers directly with
the value export market is important to reduce the food wastage. It is also important for bringing
the sustainable components in the food production system. In a survey it has been identified that
near about 33% of the total harvested food is being wasted that which impact on the food
security process. By addressing the food wastage causes, the food security can be enhanced
(Farmingsolutions.org, 2019). On the other hand, in case of minimizing the environmental foot
print of the agricultural system, throughout the supply chain, addressing the key factors behind
food wastage is essential.
Sustainable agricultural practices plays a significant role for creating pressure on the
environment and natural resources (Sanyé-Mengual et al., 2015). Through the sustainable
agricultural practices, soil erosion can be reduced, which can be beneficial for maintaining the
healthy environment. On the other hand, in can be said that depending on the sustainable farming
practices, the food wastage can be reduced, which can help to maintain the uninterrupted food
supply chain. It cannot be denied that due to rapid technological innovation in the agricultural
sectors, the production rate has been increased. Some of the cases, the rate of production in the
industry gets influenced depending on the climatic changes and farming practices. Sustainable
farming can be considered as an innovative way to reduce the poverty rate in the global map.
Through sustainable farming practices it becomes easier for the farmers to manage the value

4IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN FOOD PRODUCTION
from the export market. This helps to increase food security as well as maintain the healthy food
supply chain.
According to Wekerle and Classens (2015), due to rapid climatic changes, the
agricultural system all over the world is dealing with various issues. Increasing food wastage
has influenced the increasing rate of energy cost. Through the sustainable initiatives in the
farming sector, the needs of individuals get fulfilled. Through the sustainability practices, the
ability for compromising for fulfilling the needs of the future generation can be increased.
Sustainability concept can be developed depending on the three important pillars such as
environmental, economic and social pillars. Depending on these three pillars, the long term
wastage or damage can be avoided. Through the sustainable food production practices, the
productivity can be increased, which can indirectly influence the economic status of a country.
According to Foyer, Lam, Nguyen, Siddique, Varshney et al., (2016), in the year 2016,
the second green revolution has been introduced with the banner of ‘nutritious seeds for a
sustainable future’. As per the author, the in order to contribute towards the community, ensuring
the food nutritional security has become necessary for facing the global climatic change issue.
By supporting this McKenzie & Williams (2015) stated that in order to provide unparalleled
solution against the emerging challenges in the grain legumes play an influential role with the
inherent capacity of symbiotic atmospheric nitrogen fixation. Hence, this can be said that
depending sustainable farming practices, health benefits as well as economic sustainability can
be increased.
Due to emerging food wastage issues, it has become necessary for informing people
about the importance of food production for avoiding the food crisis issue. Analyzing the
sustainable farming concerns, economic, social and environmental concerns have been

5IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN FOOD PRODUCTION
highlighted through this study. According to Wekerle & Classens (2015), food consumption and
production bring significant impact on the human health and environment. Due to extreme uses
of fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides, the exploding pollution has influenced the food supply
chain process. As a result, chemicals are creating negative impact on the quality of food
products, which is influencing different diseases. On the other hand, due to increasing uses of
pesticides, natural resources are getting affected. Increasing water contamination, social
degradation, bio diversity losses and air pollution have brought negative impact on human and
animal life. In this situation, sustainable farming practices has become essential not only for
saving the natural resources, but also improving the living standard of human being. As per my
understanding, sustainability initiatives needed to be introduced through innovative ways of
farming so that the impact of water contamination, social degradation, bio diversity losses and air
pollution can be reduced.
After the globalization various technological and financial opportunities have been
introduced in the market, which have also driven the production rate in agricultural sectors. As a
result, the overproduction has brought sustainable initiatives in the emerging agricultural sector
(Allegra, Muratore & Zarba, 2017). In case of overproduction, the rate of supply increases than
the rate of demand. In this situation over availability of the products, impacts on this costing. In
order to survive in this situation farmers sell their products in lower prices, which influence
poverty rate. On the other hand, overproduction is also responsible for accumulating unstable
inventories in the business. Niggli (2015) opined that if the effective sustainability approaches
can be introduced in the agricultural sector, the food wastage can be reduced. By producing
diverse range of foods, fuels and fiber, innovative farming practices can be introduced in the

6IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN FOOD PRODUCTION
market (Unenvironment.org). I believe, in order to initiatives, it is important to understand the
needs and demand, so that the food wastage can be reduced.
Sanyé-Mengual, Anguelovski, Oliver-Solà, Montero and Rieradevall (2016), over
population and increasing food consumption rate are important factors for driving the social
concern regarding sustainable farming in food production. By arguing this Bontems, Martinet,
Rotillon and Withagen (2015) opined that financial opportunities as well as improving social
standard has upgraded the consumption trends of the people. Changing lifestyle not only
influenced the food habits but also it has driven the trend of food wastage. Mostly in case of
developing countries, where the overpopulation issue has driven the both the extreme
consumption and poverty rate, are the major examples of social concern in food production
process (Wekerle & Classens, 2015). In case of China, it has been identified that due to high
consumption rate in this country in every year the consumption matrix gets changed by adding 8
million people (Theglobalist.com, 2019). In order to reduce the overpopulation impact, the
government has tried to use the human resource as strength for avoiding the impact on natural
and human resources. Analyzing the meat consumption trend, it can be said that in the near
future meat crisis can be faced by the global food market (Allegra, Muratore & Zarba, 2017)
Awareness among people needs to be increased for introducing the sustainable food production
practices in the agricultural sector. I believe, if people will be informed about the importance of
food security, this can help to avoid the emerging issues in the agricultural sector.
Conclusion
In the above study, it can be concluded that sustainable farming can bring significant
impact on the food production process. I believe, in order to complete the essay in proper
manner, if more journals could have been reviewed, it would have been better for elaborating the

7IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN FOOD PRODUCTION
sustainable concerns in proper manner. Depending on the sustainable concerns, it can be said that
government should play an active role for mitigating the economic, social and environmental
concerns so that the long term benefits can be gained.

8IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN FOOD PRODUCTION
Reference list
Allegra, V., Muratore, F., & Zarba, A. S. (2017). THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINIBILITY OF THE AGRICULTURAL SOIL: FUMIGATION COSTS
TREATMENTS IN THE CASE HORTICULTURE INTENSIVE IN
GREENHOUSE. Quality-Access to Success, 18.
Bontems, P., Martinet, V., Rotillon, G., & Withagen, C. (2015). Interactions between agricultural
economics and environmental and resource economics in European research: Insights
from the theory of non-renewable resources. Revue d'Etudes en Agriculture et
Environnement-Review of agricultural and environmental studies, 167-185.
Foyer, C. H., Lam, H. M., Nguyen, H. T., Siddique, K. H., Varshney, R. K., Colmer, T. D., ... &
Cooper, J. W. (2016). Neglecting legumes has compromised human health and
sustainable food production. Nature plants, 2(8), 16112.
McKenzie, F. C., & Williams, J. (2015). Sustainable food production: constraints, challenges and
choices by 2050. Food Security, 7(2), 221-233.
Niggli, U. (2015). Sustainability of organic food production: Challenges and
innovations. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 74(1), 83-88.
Sanyé-Mengual, E., Anguelovski, I., Oliver-Solà, J., Montero, J. I., & Rieradevall, J. (2016).
Resolving differing stakeholder perceptions of urban rooftop farming in Mediterranean
cities: promoting food production as a driver for innovative forms of urban
agriculture. Agriculture and human values, 33(1), 101-120.

9IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN FOOD PRODUCTION
Stanković, B., Hristov, S., Zlatanović, Z., Bojkovski, J., & Maksimović, N. (2016). Sustainibility
ahd Efficiency of Dairy Farms Biosecurity Plans. АГРОЗНАЊЕ, 16(4), 437-453.
Theglobalist.com 2019). Retrieved from: https://www.theglobalist.com/global-food-security-10-
challenges/ [Accessed on 15th Jan, 2019]
Unenvironment.org (2019). Retrieved from: https://www.unenvironment.org/regions/asia-and-
pacific/regional-initiatives/supporting-resource-efficiency/sustainable-food [Accessed on
15th Jan, 2019]
Wekerle, G. R., & Classens, M. (2015). Food production in the city:(re) negotiating land, food
and property. Local Environment, 20(10), 1175-1193.