Editing Sustainable agriculture (section)

{{Short description|Farming approach that balances environmental, economic and social factors in the long term}}

[[File:Coffee farm in Colombia.jpg|thumb|[[Shade-grown coffee]], a form of [[polyculture]] (an example of sustainable agriculture) in imitation of natural ecosystems. Trees provide resources for the coffee plants such as shade, nutrients, and soil structure; the farmers harvest coffee and timber.]]

'''Sustainable agriculture''' is [[agriculture|farming]] in [[sustainability|sustainable]] ways meeting society's present food  and textile needs, without compromising the ability for current or future generations to meet their needs.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://asi.ucdavis.edu/programs/ucsarep/about/what-is-sustainable-agriculture |title=What is sustainable agriculture {{!}} Agricultural Sustainability Institute|website=asi.ucdavis.edu |date=11 December 2018|access-date=2019-01-20}}</ref> It can be based on an understanding of [[ecosystem services]]. There are many methods to increase the sustainability of agriculture. When developing agriculture within [[sustainable food systems]], it is important to develop flexible business processes and farming practices.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/busdev/facts/15-023.htm |title=Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2016 |publisher=Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs |access-date=10 October 2019}}</ref> Agriculture has an enormous [[environmental impact of agriculture|environmental footprint]], playing a significant role [[Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture|in causing climate change]] ([[food system]]s are responsible for one third of the anthropogenic [[greenhouse gas emissions]]),<ref>{{cite news |title=FAO – News Article: Food systems account for more than one third of global greenhouse gas emissions |url=http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1379373/icode/ |access-date=22 April 2021 |work=www.fao.org |language=en |archive-date=30 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930033600/https://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1379373/icode/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Crippa |first1=M. |last2=Solazzo |first2=E. |last3=Guizzardi |first3=D. |last4=Monforti-Ferrario |first4=F. |last5=Tubiello |first5=F. N. |last6=Leip |first6=A. |title=Food systems are responsible for a third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions |journal=Nature Food |date=March 2021 |volume=2 |issue=3 |pages=198–209 |doi=10.1038/s43016-021-00225-9 |pmid=37117443 |language=en |issn=2662-1355|doi-access=free }}</ref> [[water scarcity]], [[water pollution]], [[land degradation]], [[deforestation]] and other processes;<ref>{{cite book |last=Brown |first=L. R. |title=World on the Edge |publisher=Norton |series=Earth Policy Institute |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-136-54075-2}}{{page needed |date=May 2017}}</ref> it is simultaneously causing environmental changes and being impacted by these changes.<ref name="Rockström-2016">{{Cite journal|last1=Rockström|first1=Johan|last2=Williams|first2=John|last3=Daily|first3=Gretchen|last4=Noble|first4=Andrew|last5=Matthews|first5=Nathanial|last6=Gordon|first6=Line|last7=Wetterstrand|first7=Hanna|last8=DeClerck|first8=Fabrice|last9=Shah|first9=Mihir|date=2016-05-13|title=Sustainable intensification of agriculture for human prosperity and global sustainability|journal=Ambio|volume=46|issue=1|pages=4–17|doi=10.1007/s13280-016-0793-6|pmid=27405653|pmc=5226894}}</ref> Sustainable agriculture consists of [[environment friendly]] methods of farming that allow the production of crops or livestock without causing damage to human or natural systems. It involves preventing adverse effects on soil, water, biodiversity, and surrounding or downstream resources, as well as to those working or living on the farm or in neighboring areas. Elements of sustainable agriculture can include [[permaculture]], [[agroforestry]], [[mixed farming]], [[multiple cropping]], and [[crop rotation]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_AVS0qd5974C&pg=PA61 |title=The Resilient Farm and Homestead: An Innovative Permaculture and Whole Systems Design Approach |isbn=978-1-60358-444-9 |last1=Falk |first1=Ben |date=2013 |publisher=Chelsea Green |pages=61–78 }}</ref>

Developing sustainable food systems contributes to the sustainability of the human population. For example, one of the best ways to mitigate climate change is to create sustainable food systems based on sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture provides a potential solution to enable agricultural systems to feed a growing population within the changing environmental conditions.<ref name="Rockström-2016" /> Besides sustainable farming practices, [[Sustainable diet|dietary shifts to sustainable diets]] are an intertwined way to substantially reduce environmental impacts<!-- and are not the topic of this article-->.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shifting to Sustainable Diets |work=United Nations |url=https://www.un.org/en/academic-impact/shifting-sustainable-diets |access-date=26 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rose |first1=Donald |last2=Heller |first2=Martin C. |last3=Roberto |first3=Christina A. |title=Position of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior: The Importance of Including Environmental Sustainability in Dietary Guidance |journal=Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior |date=1 January 2019 |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=3–15.e1 |doi=10.1016/j.jneb.2018.07.006 |pmid=30635107 |pmc=6326035 |language=en |issn=1499-4046}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Meybeck |first1=Alexandre |last2=Gitz |first2=Vincent |title=Sustainable diets within sustainable food systems |journal=Proceedings of the Nutrition Society |date=February 2017 |volume=76 |issue=1 |pages=1–11 |doi=10.1017/S0029665116000653 |pmid=28195528 |s2cid=12459197 |language=en |issn=0029-6651|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sun |first1=Zhongxiao |last2=Scherer |first2=Laura |last3=Tukker |first3=Arnold |last4=Spawn-Lee |first4=Seth A. |last5=Bruckner |first5=Martin |last6=Gibbs |first6=Holly K. |last7=Behrens |first7=Paul |title=Dietary change in high-income nations alone can lead to substantial double climate dividend |journal=Nature Food |date=January 2022 |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=29–37 |doi=10.1038/s43016-021-00431-5 |pmid=37118487 |s2cid=245867412 |language=en |issn=2662-1355 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357723207 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Numerous [[sustainability standards and certification]] systems exist, including [[organic certification]], [[Rainforest Alliance]], [[Fairtrade certification|Fair Trade]], [[UTZ Certified]], [[GLOBALG.A.P|GlobalGAP]], Bird Friendly, and the Common Code for the Coffee Community (4C).<ref name="SAI">{{Cite web |title=Sustainable agriculture for a better world |url=https://saiplatform.org/}}</ref>{{TOC limit|3}}