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Sustainable Agriculture
Don S. Doering
January 3, 2001
PATHWAYSCreating sustainable business one leader at a time.
www.wri.org/pathways
Sustainability and Agriculture Global Trends Agrobiodiversity
Sustainable Agriculture Vision Outputs Inputs Impacts Economics Management
Industry Role
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Agriculture and Sustainability
EcologicalEnvironmental soundnessEcological health/integrityNatural resource managementRenewable inputs
EconomicFood securityEconomic viabilityAgricultural productivityPolicy support
SocialEmpower rural poorSocial equityHealthy and safe for peoplePublic participation
Scope
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Extent of AgricultureWhy sustainable agriculture?
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Land Degradation
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Africa Asia SouthAmerica
CentralAmerica
NorthAmerica
Europe Oceania
mill
ion
hec
tare
s
Total Area of Agricultural Land
Degraded Area
Why sustainable agriculture?
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Growing Demand for Water
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
1995 2020 1995 2020
Bill
ion
cu
bic
me
ters Agricultural
Industrial
Domestic
Developed Developing
Why sustainable agriculture?
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Share of Increase in Global Demand
Latin America
12%
Sub-Saharan
Africa11%
Developed Countries
16%
Rest of Asia14%
China24%
India13%
West Asia & North Africa
10%
1995 - 2020
Cereals Meat Products
690 million ton increase (39%) 115 million ton increase (58%)
Latin America16%
Sub-Saharan Africa
5%
Developed Countries
15%
Rest of Asia13%
China41%
India4%
West Asia and North
Africa6%
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KEY
Condition
Changing Capacity
Environmental Scorecard
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What is a Sustainable Agriculture Vision?
Outputs
Impacts
Inputs
Economics
Management
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Sustainable Ag Vision
Everyone, including the poor, will have access to sufficient, nutritious food.
The food system production will balance demand at acceptable prices.
Consumers will eat healthy diets that focus on grain and vegetables.
Agriculture will be a significant supplier of energy, paper, and industrial feedstock.
Agrobiodiversity
System outputs
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Life on Earth
Biodiversity is the totality of genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
Protection, conservation and renewal of biodiversity recognizes the essential role in which the interactions of genes, species, and ecosystems play in generating and maintaining diversity.
Our future survival and the future quality of human life on earth is dependent upon biodiversity.
What is biodiversity?
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Conceptual View of Agrobiodiversity
Mixed agroecosystems Crop species and varieties Livestock and fish species Plant and animal germplasm Soil organisms in cultivated
areas Insects and fungi that benefit
production Wild species from off-farm
habitats Cultural and local knowledge of
diversity
Agrobiodiversity
BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity Synergy Dynamics Enhancement Conservation and regeneration Adaptation and Innovation
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Sustainable Ag Vision
Agriculture will not deplete the natural resource base nor overwhelm ecosystems’ capacity to recover from pollution and use.
Agriculture will promote equitable access to productive resources and opportunities.
Agriculture will increase self-reliance of farmers and rural communities.
System impacts
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Sustainable Ag Vision
Less land and water will be needed.
Use of external and non-renewable inputs that may harm the environment or people are minimized.
Pesticides are a last resort and break down into harmless components.
Plant nutrients are applied to meet crop requirements precisely and without losses.
Plants are more customized for culture methods, climate zones, soil types and pest threats.
System inputs
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Sustainable Ag Vision
Agroecological approaches in which production is part of a larger ecosystem of nutrient cycles and ecological services.
Pests and soil quality are managed through biological and cultural control mechanisms.
Farmers will have deep knowledge of their local agroecosystem and its best practices.
Information technologies will lead to optimal resource management.
Weather forecasting will be more precise and accurate over longer periods of time.
System management
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Sustainable Ag Vision
Long term decline of crop prices; the poor to spend less on their food.
Rural economies will be less dependent on agriculture and they will be more diverse.
Agriculture will be independent of government subsidies.
Farming becomes more knowledge intensive
New businesses emerge to finance, insure, sell crops, manage pests, and conserve resources.
Economic signals will support conservation.
System economics
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Sustainability Threats - U.S.
Concern Trend Threat
Soil Erosion
Nutrient Runoff
Pesticide Pollution
Wetland losses
Water Supply for Ag
Farmland loss
Decling farm numbers
Germplasm loss
Climate Change
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Sustainable Ag & Industry
Outputs
Impacts
Inputs
Economics
Management
Industry Role in Specific Issues & Markets?
Technology Role in Specific Issues & Markets?
What is missing from the prior description?
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Ideas into Action
Create a vision of sustainable agriculture
Communicate business value of ecological, economic, and social issues.
Move from global descriptions to specific regional and farming practice descriptions and to system solutions
Create an agenda for industrial sectors
Role of multi-national agro-chemical/biotech companies
Role of technology
Role and priorities for biotechnology
How do we translate vision to business value?
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Don S. [email protected]
World Resources Institutewww.wri.org
I gratefully acknowledge the financial support of:
The Surdna, Joyce and Olin Foundations
&
WRI’s Corporate Council and Partners
and the support and contributions of my colleagues in
WRI’s Management Institute for Environment & Business
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Terms of UsePathways is provided to help foster environmentally sound and socially equitable
economic development. We request your compliance with the following terms of use:
All materials contained in Pathways modules are believed to be property of World Resources Institute or to be in the public domain.
The opinions and analysis contained herein is that of the authors and editors.
Original sources are credited on the slides or in the notes to the best of our knowledge; please bring errors or omission of citation to our immediate attention.
Please credit original materials to World Resources Institute.
Materials may be copied and edited and revised for internal company use and for non-commercial, educational purposes.
For commercial or other use of materials, please contact Don S. Doering at [email protected] or (202) 729-7655.