Ecological Impacts of Industrial Agriculture Annotated Bibliography

Kremen, C., LLes, A., & Bacon, C. (2012). Diversified Farming Systems: An Agroecological, Systems-based Alternative to Modern Industrial Agriculture. Retrieved from https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol17/iss4/art44/

This article mainly focuses on diversified farming systems. It focuses on the desire to understand how agro ecological approaches can contribute to a sustainable and secure food system. In this article, Diversified Farming Systems (DFS) is defined as the agricultural practices and landscapes that purposely include functional biodiversity at temporal scales in order to maintain services in the ecosystem that provide vital input to disease and pest control, agricultural practices, pollination, and soil fertility. The article discusses to what extent Diversified Farming Systems overlap or are separated from ideas such as sustainable or eco-agriculture. Diversified Farming Systems are constituents of social and ecological systems that depend on definite combinations of knowledge, beliefs, practices, and governance structures. Additionally, as ecosystem services are renewed within a Diversified Farming System, the resultant social benefits consequently support the preservation of the DFS, improving provision of these services sustainably. The article explores how social organizations, mainly alternative agri-food systems and agricultural movements serve to encourage Diversified Farming System approaches. Nonetheless, such systems and movements have other main objectives and are not always openly connected to the ecological and agro-ecological issues exemplified within the DFS model. The text examines universal trends in agriculture to explore to what extent industrial forms of farming are taking over former DFS. Moreover, it discusses the current and significant contributions of DFS to food security, universal food supply, and defines where and under what circumstances Diversified Farming Systems are growing rather than declining.

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Garibaldi, L., Graeub, B., Breeze, T., Cunningham, S., Annolfo, R., & Herren, B. (2016, December 24). Farming Approaches for Greater Biodiversity, Livelihoods, and Food Security. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309449755_Farming_Approaches_for_Greater_Biodiversity_Livelihoods_and_Food_Security

This article focuses majorly on the benefits of ecological farming. Indeed, ecological farming ensures there is healthy food by protecting the soil, water, the environment at large. It offers a sustainable food system by promoting biodiversity without contaminating the environment with chemical inputs. As such, the text sheds light on how scientists worldwide are coming up with alternative methods to the conventional growth of agriculture that enhance bionetwork services provided by biodiversity. There is proof that alternative methods can lead to high yields and profits. Nonetheless, the performance of other socio-economic factors is not well illustrated. For that reason, the text recommends a participatory evaluation framework to close this knowledge gap. Also, incorporating environmental and socioeconomic evidence is quite a task since the numerous disciplines involved have different customs and expressions. In that regard, the article provides a comprehensive review of the limitations of the conventional agricultural systems, including an assessment of why food security is solved solely by crop yield. Additionally, it characterizes alternative farming systems and provides a review of the literature on the socio-economic and ecological performance of agricultural systems.

Pretty, J. (2018, August 1). Can Ecological Agriculture Feed Nine Billion People? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274282719_Can_Ecological_Agriculture_Feed_Nine_Billion_People

There is a gap in the farming and food systems. Despite increased productivity in the last couple of years, millions of people worldwide still go hungry. On the other hand, hundreds of people consume the wrong foods and end up ill. The environment is also not an exception as the degradation of soil and water seems to be the order of the day. The article discusses whether it is time for the development of an agriculture centered on ecological principles. As population increases, so is the demand for food. Increase in income means more purchasing power hence an increase in the demand for food. The author puts forward that there will be a substantial increase in food production in the coming years. However, there are contradicting views about how this will be best achieved. Some analysts maintain that farming will expand into new lands and this means more loss of biodiversity. Others claim that food production must come through the efforts of Green Revolution using large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides. According to others, the use of more ecologically sound approaches provides options for agriculturalists to increase their land use and hence increase the production of food. It is however portrayed in the text that solving persistent hunger problems does not merely involve coming up with new farming technologies and practices. It is recommended that producers should find new solutions based on locally available affordable technologies combined with the making of natural resources.

Altieri, M. (n.d.). Ecological Impacts of Industrial Agriculture and the Possibilities for Truly Sustainable Farming. Retrieved from https://agricultureandfoodstudies.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/altieri1.pdf

Industrial crop production damages the environment degrades animal welfare and threatens human health. This article provides comprehensive information including the resources required for promoting a viable alternative. In a healthy farming system, agricultural science works in harmony with the natural habitat. It all begins with the healthy soil storing water and nutrients thus providing a stable base to support the roots of the plants. In an ecological system, the soil is kept in balance and crop rotation takes place to replace nutrients in the soil. In cases where there is livestock, the animals are allowed to graze the land and the waste used for soil fertilization. Additionally, there is a significant relationship between the food we eat and our health. Though it is a complicated relationship, choosing a sustainable does not require mental effort when it comes to achieving optimum health. The author denotes that when there is a connection between sustainable agriculture and our health, we are on the right track.

References

Altieri, M. (n.d.). Ecological Impacts of Industrial Agriculture and the Possibilities for Truly Sustainable Farming. Retrieved from https://agricultureandfoodstudies.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/altieri1.pdf

Canavan, C., Noor, R., Golden, C., Juma, C., & Fawzi, W. (2017, February 2017). Sustainable food systems for optimal planetary health. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324885090_Sustainable_food_systems_for_optimal_planetary_health

Garibaldi, L., Graeub, B., Breeze, T., Cunningham, S., Annolfo, R., & Herren, B. (2016, December 24). Farming Approaches for Greater Biodiversity, Livelihoods, and Food Security. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309449755_Farming_Approaches_for_Greater_Biodiversity_Livelihoods_and_Food_Security

Kremen, C., LLes, A., & Bacon, C. (2012). Diversified Farming Systems: An Agroecological, Systems-based Alternative to Modern Industrial Agriculture. Retrieved from https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol17/iss4/art44/

Pretty, J. (2018, August 1). Can Ecological Agriculture Feed Nine Billion People? Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274282719_Can_Ecological_Agriculture_Feed_Nine_Billion_People

Wezel, A., Casagrande, M., Celette, F., & Pelgne, J. (2014). Agroecological practices for sustainable agriculture. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257930369_Agroecological_practices_for_sustainable_agriculture_A_review