PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURAL
SUSTAINABILITY
The
lack of a commonly agreed upon definition for sustainable agriculture is
believed by some to be an impediment to meaningful dialogue. I suggest that
sustainable agriculture should not be understood as a specific agricultural
practice, technology or system. Rather, agricultural sustainability is a
societal goal to be pursued forever and for everyone and guided by general
principles. The following principles are offered for purposes of discussion.
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1. A sustainable agricultural system is based on
the prudent use of renewable and/or recyclable resources. A system which
depends on exhaustible (finite) resources such as fossil fuels can not be
sustained indefinitely. A sustainable system would use renewable energy sources
such as biological, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, or wind. Use of
recyclable resources such as groundwater at rates greater than recharge
depletes reserves and can not be sustained.
2. A sustainable
agricultural system protects the integrity of natural systems so that natural
resources are continually regenerated. Our current thinking focuses on
reducing the rate of degradation of natural and agricultural ecosystems. A
system will not be sustainable as long as the goal is simply to decrease the
rate of its degradation. Sustainable agricultural systems should maintain or
improve groundwater and surface water quality and regenerate healthy
agricultural soils.
3. A sustainable
agricultural system improves the quality of life of individuals and communities.
In order to stem the rural to urban migration, rural communities must offer
people a good standard of living including diverse employment opportunities,
health care, education, social services and cultural activities. Young people
must be afforded opportunities to develop rural enterprises, including farming,
in ways which care for the land so that it may be passed onto future
generations in as good or in better condition than it was received.
4. A sustainable
agricultural system is profitable. Transition to new ways of knowing,
doing and being require incentives for all participants. Some of these
incentives are necessarily economic. Systems and practices that do not include
profitability as one of the prime motivators will not be voluntarily
implemented.
5. A sustainable
agricultural system is guided by a land ethic that considers the long-term good
of all members of the land community. Holistic or whole-system analysis
views an agroecosystem as a dynamic community of soil, water, air and biotic
species. All parts are important because they contribute to the whole. This
ethic strives to protect the health of the land community, that is its capacity
for self-renewal.
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John M. Gerber, 1990
Converted by Brian Gerber