Dr. Alia Abdullah Hantoush, a lecturer from the College of Education for Pure Sciences, published a scientific article on “Environmentally Friendly Agriculture… Steps Towards a Sustainable Future.”
Introduction: Agriculture must be sustainable to meet the needs of present and future generations, while ensuring profitability, environmental health, and social and economic equity. Sustainable food and agriculture contribute to all four pillars of food security—availability, access, utilization, and stability.
The Food and Agriculture Organization promotes sustainable food and agriculture to help countries worldwide achieve Zero Hunger and other Sustainable Development Goals.
The importance of environmentally friendly agriculture is considered a fundamental method for achieving environmental sustainability. This type of agriculture contributes to the conservation of natural resources, reducing pollution, and enhancing biodiversity. Conserving natural resources involves using modern irrigation techniques to reduce water consumption and relying on organic fertilizers instead of chemical ones. Sustainable agriculture also protects soil from erosion.
What is the importance of sustainable agriculture? Sustainable agriculture is vital to the planet’s survival, as it promotes the conservation of natural resources and reduces the negative impact of agriculture on the environment. Sustainable agricultural practices include crop rotation, reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and enhancing biodiversity. These practices can improve soil health, increase yields, and reduce carbon emissions by sequestering large amounts of carbon in the soil.
Economic Benefits: Agriculture offers significant economic benefits. It is a major contributor to the global economy, providing jobs, raw materials, and food. Agriculture contributes to rural development and poverty alleviation by providing income to farmers and their families. The agricultural sector also generates revenue for countries through the export of agricultural products.
Social Benefits: Agriculture also offers significant social benefits, particularly in rural areas. It provides employment opportunities for people, helping to reduce poverty and improve living standards. Agriculture is a source of food and nutrition, essential for human health and well-being.
Environmental Benefits: Agriculture can deliver significant environmental benefits when practiced sustainably. Sustainable agricultural practices conserve natural resources such as water and soil and enhance biodiversity. For example, crop rotation improves soil health, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers that pollute waterways. In addition to using renewable energy sources and reducing synthetic fertilizers, sustainable agriculture reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
