Given the Global context, the specific challenges of modern agriculture could be said to

How can we continue to meet the ever growing demand for safe and nutritious food and renewable materials in the years ahead?

How can we do this in a way that conserves natural resources and biodiversity for future generations?

The challenges are enormous.

At no time has the need for sustainable agriculture and sustainable agricultural products been greater. By 2030, the world’s population is expected to rise to more than eight billion people. That is two billion more than on the planet today. This poses an enormous challenge for agriculture because there is only a finite area available for farmland - it is estimated that the amount of fertile farmland per person in 2050 will be less than a third of that in 1950. Climate change brings further pressures – drought, flooding and erosion – all of which threaten fertile farmland.

Productivity gains are essential if the world is to satisfy the demand for food and agricultural produce. In addition to adverse weather conditions, productivity limiting factors include poor soil health, lack of water, plant disease and insect attack.

This site addresses these issues by focusing on ways to:

· Increase production and reduce waste/loss through Integrated Pest Management

· Protect and maintain soil health through Conservation Agriculture

· Protect and enhance habitats to encourage Biodiversity

· Protect water

Soil erosion makes millions of hectares of farmland infertile every year. This means farmers must find new land, often at the expense of natural habitats. Protecting and maintaining soil health is key. Conservation Agriculture employing minimum tillage and the use of non-selective herbicides conserves the soil structure by leaving the roots intact helping to prevent soil erosion. It also benefits the farmers by reducing constant hand-weeding, while cutting the costs and carbon emissions caused by mechanized tilling.

Nutrients washed away with the soil can also pollute watercourses and damage ecosystems. Inappropriate use of agrochemicals pollutes waterways, disrupts ecosystems and is a risk to human health. Farmers play a significant role in managing ecosystems and protecting biodiversity.

Agriculture relies heavily on the availability of water, an increasingly scarce resource. Productivity is determined by the availability of rain and fresh water to irrigate crops. Current estimates suggest that two thirds of the world population could be subject to water stress and 1.8 billion people could be living in regions with absolute water scarcity by 2025. Sustainability is key to its management, water protection is vital.

To explore these issues further, please use the links in this section

· Conservation agriculture

· Water protection

· Biodiversity

· Integrated pest management

· Safe and effective use

· Human health

And see the section 'Stewardship in Practice' for examples of best practice

The objective of this Stewardship Community Website is to promote dialogue among individuals, growers, industry professionals, government and non governmental organizations, researchers, media and all those interested in proper and effective crop production.

We welcome inputs and dialogue and encourage you to use the forum and email to discuss and feedback your ideas and comments.

Conservation agriculture

Fertile soil is the basis for growing crops.

Millions of hectares are lost every year due to soil erosion. Fertile soil is the basis for growing crops. Looking after the soil is paramount for sustainable food production. Conservation agriculture uses a basic set of principles to protect and conserve soil in best condition for productive cropping, now and in the future. Soil degradation affects many areas, particularly with sloping ground. Loss of soil quality often forces farmers to seek new ground. This leads to the clearing of forested areas and, consequently, habitat loss.

Conservation agriculture is based on the minimal cultivation necessary to successfully establish and grow crops. Zero tillage can be practiced on some soils; other soil types and some crops may require some cultivation to achieve a seedbed and remove soil compaction.

The three principles of Conservation Agriculture are:

Minimise soil disturbance

· Minimal soil disturbance achieved through techniques of Conservation Tillage improves soil structure and soil health, with more micro-organisms and soil fauna.

Carbon sequestration within the soil profile decreases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide by retaining the carbon in the soil profile.

Keep the soil covered

· A growing crop, green manure or dead mulch reduces wind and water erosion of soil.

· Soil cover retains moisture and improves water infiltration. There is a need to

· Manage cover crops and stubbles to avoid weed growth and setting seed and reduce competition with crop for water.

Diverse crop rotations to reduce reliance on inputs

Appropriate crop rotations can:

· reduce the need for inorganic fertiliser

· avoid the build up of pests and diseases thus minimising the need for pesticides

Minimising soil tillage reduces the amount of fuel energy and time required for crop sowing. Conservation Agriculture practices can also be adopted to manage the inter-row areas in perennial crops.

Example: Soil stability helps potato profits.

Colombia loses an estimated 20 tons of soil per hectare every year. In extreme cases this rises to 100 tons per hectare.

Through cultivation, Colombian potato growers traditionally move an estimated 2,000 tonnes of soil per hectare in order to achieve a yield of 15 tonnes of potatoes. Growers create a deep seedbed for planting seed tubers, and then continue to move the surface to control competitive weeds. The result leaves a fragile soil structure highly vulnerable to wind and water erosion. Colombia loses and estimated 20 tons of soil per hectare every year. In extreme cases this rises to 100 tons per hectare.

Falling yields and uneconomic production for growers has put the future of 17,000 families at risk in the Cundinamarcia Region who are dependent on potatoes for their livelihoods. Urgent action was needed to prevent further soil loss and improve the fortunes of growers. An ongoing project was developed jointly between Corporacion Autonoma Regional, the Environment Authority, and private enterprise. The project introduced a training programme of new non-tillage techniques, innovative direct sowing and the use of cover crops to protect soil structure.

The programme planned over 200 workshops reaching more than 4,000 small farmers across the region. Introducing growers to proven practical techniques that reduce costs, labour demands and deliver equal or improved yields creates an immediate physical benefit.

But longer term, these activities on around 8,000 hectares of potato cropping could decrease soil loss by 480,000 tonnes over the next three years. This also increases important water retention in the drainage basin by 360 million litres.