Integrated Agricultural production and biodiversity conservation systems
Globally, agricultural land area is approximately five billion hectares, approximately 38% of the global land surface. About one-third of this is used as cropland, while the remaining two-thirds consist of meadows and pastures for grazing livestock (FAO, 2020). Large scale agriculture is particularly responsible for roughly 80 percent of tropical deforestation (Mangabay, 2012) and up to 30% of the total greenhouse gas emissions; most commonly carbon dioxide and methane. Between 2001 and 2011, global emissions from crop and livestock production grew by 14%. The increase occurred mainly in developing countries, due to a rise in total agricultural output. This primarily was attributed to increased global food demand coupled with changes in food-consumption patterns due to rising incomes in some developing countries. Emissions from enteric fermentation increased by 11% during the same period accounting for 39% of the sector's total greenhouse-gas outputs in 2011.
At both global and local levels, we are highly faced with multiple food system challenges whose roots are traced to environmental catastrophes; flooding, soil degradation, biodiversity collapse, malnutrition and obesity. About 25% of the climate-related disasters such as floods, droughts and tropical storms are pinned on the agriculture sector.
Whilst the need to enhance agricultural productivity is inevitable, the twin biodiversity and climate crises have to be put in check so as to ensure the sustainability of the agricultural actions and interventions. Regenerative agricultural systems such as conservation agriculture are is key for enhancing sustainable and more effective production. Traditional farming methods that sequester carbon have existed for millennia. For example, minimizing soil disturbance through no-till farming reduces carbon loss to the atmosphere while enhancing atmospheric carbon sequestration. Conservation Agricultureis opens increased options for integration of production sectors, wide ranging from crop-livestock integration as well as trees and pastures into agricultural landscapes.
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