Conservation Agriculture
Amid increased competition for land, climate change, and a rapidly growing population, Sustainable Intensification of agriculture is a key policy agenda for governments and private corporations alike (Garnett et al., 2013). One way of improving yield while preserving arable land and the wider ecosystem is using Conservation Agriculture (CA). CA encompasses a number of different conservation farming practices, but it is generally accepted that farming practices can be qualified as such if they embrace three core principles: 1) no ploughing / tillage, 2) rotation of crops along the year, and 3) a permanent natural soil cover (FAO, 2001). Moving to CA typically requires short term investments (e.g. training, new machineries) and delivers medium …show more content…
I will then highlight problems with desirability of moving to Conservation Agriculture, using some of the core concepts such as goal network and a promotion vs. prevention mindset. In this part, implications of those insights will be discussed and I will highlight some of the possible recommendations to help promote conservation practices. The conclusion will contemplate potentially fruitful areas of research that would help tackling one of the increasingly pressing global policy …show more content…
Indeed, CA as a practice would have an impact of different sign on multiple overarching farmers’ goals. For example, while CA can be seen as a mean to reduce erosion, and satisfy farmers’ preferences for land preservation, it also implies a no ploughing principle, that would lead to a ‘messy’ farm and negatively impact social acceptance (assuming the current situation where most farmers in Europe are not using CA practices). Similarly, a no-tillage principle would allow increased free time but potentially impact farmers sense of connectedness (e.g. not being able to use CB radio with others on the cabin, Pannell et al., 2006). The bottom line is CA promotion effort should focus on aspects that does not hinder some of the farmers’ goals, or if not possible at least pinpoint some where there is a substitutability of other means to this goal. By all means (no pun intended) the above is a rough sketch of the situation, and I suspect further research in this area would be beneficial to develop an appropriate framing of the
Comparing An Animals Place By Pollan And Hurst
1302 Words | 6 PagesPollan, however, believes that animal welfare should be espoused by allowing animals to live free-range and follow their natural instincts. Pollan and Hurst are also concerned with protecting the environment, but disagree on what the best avenue of protection is. Pollan believes that the environment would be better protected if animals were put back on farms and raised organically (370). Hurst believes that industrial farming practitioners are sufficient in their efforts to protect the environment because they are conscious of the effects industrial farming has on the environment, and they take steps to reduce the harm it could have on the environment, such as monitoring nitrogen levels. The authors, despite their differing views on the best way to accomplish their beliefs, successfully convey their
Benefits Of 1938 Farm Control Bill By Mefferd
476 Words | 2 PagesSoil-conserving prevents droughts and floods since soils weren’t supposed to be chemically treated under this act. The farm control of 1980 also protected the US farm investments and encouraged tenant farmers to stay in their farm or own home although it didn’t really benefit them as much as farmers who owned their own farm. However, it helped many of the nation’s farmers by continuing to increase farmers income by rewarding them for practicing soil conserving. To justify his statement about the escalating farm income, Mefferd illustrates with cotton that “ This last crop, estimated at more than 18,700,000 bales brought $844,000,000. Had it sold at parity price, it would’ve brought $1,160,000,000”
The Omnivore's Dilemma By Michael Pollan
1217 Words | 5 PagesGrazing and growing feed for livestock now occupy 70% of all agricultural land and 30% of the ice-free terrestrial surface of the planet. If these current events continue, meat production is predicted to double between the turn of the 21st century and 2050. Yet already, the Earth is being overpowered by livestock that consume massive quantities of energy and resources, whose wastes contaminate waterways and farmlands, and when eaten excessively, degrade our health. Pollan makes a considerable point when discussing concentrated animal feedlot operations, “The economic logic of gathering so many animals together to feed them cheap corn in CAFOs is hard to argue with; it has made meat, which used to be a special occasion in most American homes” (pg. 67, An Omnivore's Dilemma).
Swidden Agriculture Thesis
373 Words | 2 PagesSwidden agriculture also known as slash-and-burn is depicted in a negative light because of myths that has been created from people who are not familiar with its practice or do not understands its purpose. One of the narrative is that it creates a useless and unsustainable land. This could be easily misunderstood as the image of the land after being burned can be seen lifeless and barren. People tend to associate a fertile land with lush greens with the sun in the background and not the image of swidden agriculture. Furthermore, media portrayal of wildfire only puts the idea that wildfire are harmful and should be put out which only makes swidden agriculture seem destructive.
Upton Sinclair's The Jungle: The USAricultural Industry
1054 Words | 5 PagesThe U.S. agricultural industry can now produce unlimited quantities of meat and grains at remarkably cheap prices. But it does so at a high cost to the environment, animals and humans”
Michael Pollan Foreign Policy Analysis
379 Words | 2 PagesMichael Pollan exposes this by suggesting three main ideas to the future President of the United States. The first idea that Michael Pollan has, is to make farming as natural as it can be again. Currently, CAFO’s are being used to produce our food, which is very unhealthy. CAFO stands for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, which basically means animals
Analysis Of 'What Are People For?' By Wendell Berry
809 Words | 4 PagesIn our society, political ignorance still today exists on a very large scale. Consequently, Even in highly developed capitalist countries like ours, a large amount of unemployment rate and instability of The economic system is often seen. Therefore, These issues and affairs have continued firmly despite rising education levels. In “what are people for?” Wendell Berry is attempting to persuade readers the government doesn’t know how to manage to the economy, and is the symbol of our ignorance of the fact that modern culture is destroying the agricultural culture.
The Omnivore's Dilemma By Michael Pollan
698 Words | 3 PagesThe book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, was written by Michael Pollan and describes a man’s interest in discovering where certain foods truly come from and explain why the humans of today struggle to find something to eat compared to the humans of the past. Pollan embarks on four separate quests having each serve a purpose to give him insight on America’s dynamic and complexed reception of food. In his first quest, Pollan watches a cow and sees its development up until it gets slaughtered. This experience reflects on commercial farming and tries to show animal development in relation to their feed.
American Agriculture Dbq Essay
1017 Words | 5 PagesThe Civil War had already ended when agriculture began to develop, bringing about changes across the country, particularly in the West. American agriculture began in rural regions that were urbanized, resulting in a surge of people in the fields and cities where employment and hard labor were supplied manually. It has grown significantly as a result of advanced economic and social changes towards its industrialization for expansion. It increased production among the families of farmers, who served through hard and difficult situations. Throughout the period of 1865-1900, American agriculture changed rural inhabited areas, expanding prospects for migration and urbanization, industrialization growth with advanced machinery, and evolved farming
American Agriculture Dbq Essay
936 Words | 4 Pages“The vision of a huge fertile garden extending from the Appalachians to the Pacific Ocean had inspired Americans since the early days of the republic” (Out of Many - A History of the American People, pg. 622). Since its beginning, the American ways of farming had always been gradually evolving, but in the time between 1865 and 1900, it transformed like never before. The American tradition of agriculture would experience dramatic changes, as the growth of production and agribusiness would ensue from revolutions in technology, massive increase in population, and alterations in government policies. A major factor in changing the way of agriculture was the new technology being developed in farming and transportation.
The Animals Practicing Complexity Analysis
315 Words | 2 PagesMichael Pollan’s alternative to Factory farming has given a huge insight into a better ethics on food. In “The Animals: Practicing Complexity” Michael Pollan writes about a polyface farm and how it works. The goal of a polyface farm is to emotionally, economically, and environmentally enhance agriculture. Everything on a polyface farm has the potential to be helpful to something else on the farm. Pollan states “The chicken feed not only feeds the broilers but, transformed into chicken crap, feeds the grass that feeds the cows that, as I was about to see, feeds the pigs and the laying hens” (Pollan 345).
Persuasive Techniques Used By Mckay Jenkins And Anna Lappe
1576 Words | 7 PagesKalista Cook Miss Grimes College Composition II 9 February 2023 Persuasive Techniques Used by McKay Jenkins and Anna Lappe The topics of food sustainability and agricultural awareness are incredibly important. Authors McKay Jenkins and Anna Lappe bring awareness to these topics in their articles Can GMOs Be Sustainable and The Climate Crisis and the End of Our Fork. In these articles, the authors address the negative impacts of the food and agriculture industry. More specifically, they attempt to educate on the importance of creating environmentally conscious eating habits.
Why Did The British India Dbq
924 Words | 4 PagesAccording to Dr. Lalvani, under British rule, endangered species were protected and national parks were opened. Yet in reality, forests were logged and turned into farms for cash crops like indigo, cotton and tobacco. Resulting in higher temperatures, increased salt content in the soil making it harder to grow crops and reducing the amount of available water (Document 6). National parks are meant to save and protect both the land and animals living there. Logging those forests for the purpose of cash crops didn’t follow these two very simple guidelines.
FSA Propaganda
1808 Words | 8 PagesIt is here contradictions emerged how best to prevent future environmental harms. Progressive-era conservationists concerned with protecting the nation’s public lands, in contrast, New Deal reformers advocated agricultural reform but focused on privately owned lands (Dunaway, 2005; Jacoby, 2001). They looked to past civilizations to better understand how to avoid ecological ruin such as flood control, soil erosion, and farming techniques. Even today, politicians and many in society are
Literature Review Environmental Issues
1658 Words | 7 PagesReview of Literature Environmental issues began to be discussed and debated only towards the end of the 20th century. Since then significant amount of literature has been penned down raising awareness about issues of pollution, deforestation, animal rights and several others however it has failed to result in major changes, ideas or even actions to save the environment. Several species of animals have become extinct; pollution level is at an all-time high, global warming is leading to severe climate changes all across the globe but these problems do not seem to alarm the decision makers. Leydier & Martin (2013) also states that, “despite the increasing expression of concern in political and media debates about issues such as climate change, pollution and threats to biodiversity, “political ecology” (operating at the confluence of scientific developments, political engagement and ethical debates) is still trying to find its bearings” (p.7). It is quite evident that environmental issues are not treated in equivalence to political, economic, social or even religious issues.
More about Conservation Agriculture
Comparing An Animals Place By Pollan And Hurst
1302 Words | 6 PagesBenefits Of 1938 Farm Control Bill By Mefferd
476 Words | 2 PagesThe Omnivore's Dilemma By Michael Pollan
1217 Words | 5 PagesSwidden Agriculture Thesis
373 Words | 2 PagesUpton Sinclair's The Jungle: The USAricultural Industry
1054 Words | 5 PagesMichael Pollan Foreign Policy Analysis
379 Words | 2 PagesAnalysis Of 'What Are People For?' By Wendell Berry
809 Words | 4 PagesThe Omnivore's Dilemma By Michael Pollan
698 Words | 3 PagesAmerican Agriculture Dbq Essay
1017 Words | 5 PagesAmerican Agriculture Dbq Essay
936 Words | 4 PagesThe Animals Practicing Complexity Analysis
315 Words | 2 PagesPersuasive Techniques Used By Mckay Jenkins And Anna Lappe
1576 Words | 7 PagesWhy Did The British India Dbq
924 Words | 4 PagesFSA Propaganda
1808 Words | 8 PagesLiterature Review Environmental Issues
1658 Words | 7 Pages