Industrial agriculture is revolutionizing the way small farmers cultivate the land, graze livestock, and process cash crops for human consumption. Farming experts from both public and private-sector companies operating in the agricultural sector are introducing them to cost-efficient agricultural practices. These specialists are even providing them with the necessary fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, pesticides, and seeds to boost their yield. This has led to a massive increase in agriculture production in many countries around the world, including developing ones. Industrial agriculture is even resolving the issue of food security which most of these nations face when feeding an ever-growing population.

What is the environmental sustainability definition in the context of agriculture?

Unfortunately, there is a downside to the reliance and proliferation of industrial agriculture in many countries around the world. Itis causes large-scale environmental degradation, pollution, and global warming in these regions. The adoption of unstainableindustry-style farming practices and techniques has led to the following:

  • The colossal rise in methane and carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere causes air pollution,
  • The massive increase in deforestation to make land available for crop cultivation and cattle grazing,
  • Depletion of fresh-water sources like aquifers and downstream groundwater basins,
  • Destruction of aquatic habitats due to high levels of fertilizer residues in water bodies like lakes, and
  • Loss of specific plant and wildlife species through the extensive growing of genetically modified seeds.

Almost all of these nations are now facing a wide range of environmental issues due to their dependence on industrial agriculture. These include widespread soil degradation, climate change, land erosion, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, water contamination, and air pollution. It is now important for farmers worldwide to have a thorough understanding of the environmental sustainability definition.

Environmental sustainability in agriculture is the strategic cultivation of long-term food crops, fiber, and livestock without harming the Earth’s unique biodiversity. It involves trying to find a viable equilibrium between the need to boost food production and preserving the planet’s delicate ecological system. The objectivities of environmental sustainability in the sphere of agriculture are to:

  • Enhance thestandard of living and working conditions of small farmers dependent on the land,
  • Meet the social equality needs of the present and future generations living in rural communities,
  • Promote environmental awareness and stewardship among people from farming communities,
  • Safeguard the health of consumers who buyfresh agricultural produce for their sustenance, and
  • Find ways to boost agricultural income and productivity without endangering the environment.

The benefits of implementing environmentally sustainable agricultural practices within farming communities are:

  • Boostscrop yield and food production by ensuring minimum wastage,
  • Conserves the environmentwhile meeting the food demands of agrowing world population,
  • Focuses on improving agricultural profits by adopting cost-effective cultivation techniques, and
  • It prevents air pollution, fresh-water contamination, and soil erosion to preserve Earth’s biodiversity.

Farmers around the world need to have a good grasp of the environmental sustainability definition to reduce their carbon footprint.This enables them to do their bit to the Earth’s distinct biodiversity for the future generation while meeting the food demands of a growing population. In the process, they learn to adopt environmentally sustainable agricultural practices toenhance their livelihoods with success.