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Sustainable Agriculture

Don S. Doering

January 3, 2001

PATHWAYSCreating sustainable business one leader at a time.

www.wri.org/pathways

Sustainability and Agriculture Global Trends Agrobiodiversity

Sustainable Agriculture Vision Outputs Inputs Impacts Economics Management

Industry Role

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Agriculture and Sustainability

EcologicalEnvironmental soundnessEcological health/integrityNatural resource managementRenewable inputs

EconomicFood securityEconomic viabilityAgricultural productivityPolicy support

SocialEmpower rural poorSocial equityHealthy and safe for peoplePublic participation

Scope

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Extent of AgricultureWhy sustainable agriculture?

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Land Degradation

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Africa Asia SouthAmerica

CentralAmerica

NorthAmerica

Europe Oceania

mill

ion

hec

tare

s

Total Area of Agricultural Land

Degraded Area

Why sustainable agriculture?

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Growing Demand for Water

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

1995 2020 1995 2020

Bill

ion

cu

bic

me

ters Agricultural

Industrial

Domestic

Developed Developing

Why sustainable agriculture?

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Share of Increase in Global Demand

Latin America

12%

Sub-Saharan

Africa11%

Developed Countries

16%

Rest of Asia14%

China24%

India13%

West Asia & North Africa

10%

1995 - 2020

Cereals Meat Products

690 million ton increase (39%) 115 million ton increase (58%)

Latin America16%

Sub-Saharan Africa

5%

Developed Countries

15%

Rest of Asia13%

China41%

India4%

West Asia and North

Africa6%

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KEY

Condition

Changing Capacity

Environmental Scorecard

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What is a Sustainable Agriculture Vision?

Outputs

Impacts

Inputs

Economics

Management

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Sustainable Ag Vision

Everyone, including the poor, will have access to sufficient, nutritious food.

The food system production will balance demand at acceptable prices.

Consumers will eat healthy diets that focus on grain and vegetables.

Agriculture will be a significant supplier of energy, paper, and industrial feedstock.

Agrobiodiversity

System outputs

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Life on Earth

Biodiversity is the totality of genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

Protection, conservation and renewal of biodiversity recognizes the essential role in which the interactions of genes, species, and ecosystems play in generating and maintaining diversity.

Our future survival and the future quality of human life on earth is dependent upon biodiversity.

What is biodiversity?

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Conceptual View of Agrobiodiversity

Mixed agroecosystems Crop species and varieties Livestock and fish species Plant and animal germplasm Soil organisms in cultivated

areas Insects and fungi that benefit

production Wild species from off-farm

habitats Cultural and local knowledge of

diversity

Agrobiodiversity

BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity Synergy Dynamics Enhancement Conservation and regeneration Adaptation and Innovation

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Sustainable Ag Vision

Agriculture will not deplete the natural resource base nor overwhelm ecosystems’ capacity to recover from pollution and use.

Agriculture will promote equitable access to productive resources and opportunities.

Agriculture will increase self-reliance of farmers and rural communities.

System impacts

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Sustainable Ag Vision

Less land and water will be needed.

Use of external and non-renewable inputs that may harm the environment or people are minimized.

Pesticides are a last resort and break down into harmless components.

Plant nutrients are applied to meet crop requirements precisely and without losses.

Plants are more customized for culture methods, climate zones, soil types and pest threats.

System inputs

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Sustainable Ag Vision

Agroecological approaches in which production is part of a larger ecosystem of nutrient cycles and ecological services.

Pests and soil quality are managed through biological and cultural control mechanisms.

Farmers will have deep knowledge of their local agroecosystem and its best practices.

Information technologies will lead to optimal resource management.

Weather forecasting will be more precise and accurate over longer periods of time.

System management

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Sustainable Ag Vision

Long term decline of crop prices; the poor to spend less on their food.

Rural economies will be less dependent on agriculture and they will be more diverse.

Agriculture will be independent of government subsidies.

Farming becomes more knowledge intensive

New businesses emerge to finance, insure, sell crops, manage pests, and conserve resources.

Economic signals will support conservation.

System economics

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Sustainability Threats - U.S.

Concern Trend Threat

Soil Erosion

Nutrient Runoff

Pesticide Pollution

Wetland losses

Water Supply for Ag

Farmland loss

Decling farm numbers

Germplasm loss

Climate Change

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Sustainable Ag & Industry

Outputs

Impacts

Inputs

Economics

Management

Industry Role in Specific Issues & Markets?

Technology Role in Specific Issues & Markets?

What is missing from the prior description?

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Ideas into Action

Create a vision of sustainable agriculture

Communicate business value of ecological, economic, and social issues.

Move from global descriptions to specific regional and farming practice descriptions and to system solutions

Create an agenda for industrial sectors

Role of multi-national agro-chemical/biotech companies

Role of technology

Role and priorities for biotechnology

How do we translate vision to business value?

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Don S. Doeringdsd@wri.org

World Resources Institutewww.wri.org

I gratefully acknowledge the financial support of:

The Surdna, Joyce and Olin Foundations

&

WRI’s Corporate Council and Partners

and the support and contributions of my colleagues in

WRI’s Management Institute for Environment & Business

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economic development. We request your compliance with the following terms of use:

All materials contained in Pathways modules are believed to be property of World Resources Institute or to be in the public domain.

The opinions and analysis contained herein is that of the authors and editors.

Original sources are credited on the slides or in the notes to the best of our knowledge; please bring errors or omission of citation to our immediate attention.

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For commercial or other use of materials, please contact Don S. Doering at dsd@wri.org or (202) 729-7655.