Sustainability - The Big Issue

What is sustainability? What defines a sustainable society?

Classically, a sustainable society is viewed as one which meets its own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

We are reliant upon sustainable future harvests because, ultimately, we all have to eat. For the longer term, we are also reliant upon an economy which is based on sustainable activities which do not compromise the ability of future generations to earn their own living in a safe and stable environment.

A sustainable environment would be one which includes a richness of biodiversity, has clean air and natural water systems, while having populations of plants and animals - including ourselves - which are balanced in their number and their impact on their surroundings.

Sustainable human habitation would be of a kind which works with its environment in a natural way, would produce at least as much energy and resources as it consumes and would add to its surrounds rather than detracting from it. A sustainable society would also come with an ethic of appreciation and honouring of nature - a fascination for understanding its ways, as well as a meekness and sense of awe in the face of natural phenomena and ecosystems.

 

Terms relating to sustainable agriculture

Acidification – The gradual lowering of pH in the soil, caused often by over fertilization and by general soil life decline. Acid soils are not as productive, attract various weed species and do not produce pastures of a quality expected of a balanced and biologically active soil. Acid soils can also restrict the plant absorption of particular nutrients, while making other elements toxic to plants.

Agribusiness – the general market of goods and services which are traded in the farming sector for the purposes of enhancing and complimenting farming activities. These services include banking and finance, extension, fertiliser and seed companies and machinery and technology companies.

Agroforestry– Combining the production of tree species for wood and shelter belts on farms with grazing animals. Often trees are planted in an intercropping way – ideally increasing biodiversity and encouraging beneficial relations between plants and animals.

Biological Diversity/ Biodiversity – the presence of many different types of plant and animal species such that there develops a balanced ecological system which is integrated and interdependent. See opposite – monoculture.

Biotechnology – traditionally biotechnology referred to any modification and breeding of animal or plant species. Today it is synonymous with genetic engineering, which is the genetic modification of species via the use of gene technologies which modify the structure or coding of DNA in species to produce novel forms of life.

Extension Work – work which is carried out between farmers and either government agents or sales agents of agribusiness companies. The aim is to "extend" information, technologies and techniques out to farmers, while gaining feedback on what is required in terms of R&D.

Externalities – costs of production of food and fibre that are not factored into the end price paid by the consumer. These costs are termed externalities to denote the fact that they are external to the normal accounting of costs of production. They are nonetheless costs which are borne at the end of the day, usually by society as a whole. Eg. the costs of reclaiming salinated lands, or the clean-up of contaminated water ways. The emission of greenhouse gases may prove to be one of the greatest externalities of all.

GATT – The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade – An ongoing set of negotiations and agreements which have been aimed at repealing tariff and other trade barriers between nations. It has only been since the Uruguay round of GATT talks which saw agricultural trade issues become a major focus of GATT policies and negotiations.

Genetic Engineering – The genetic modification of species via the use of gene technologies which modify the structure or coding of DNA in species to produce novel forms of life.

Low Input Agriculture – Agricultural systems which aim to reduce the amounts of chemical inputs required to produce a given amount of food. Rather than seeking maximal yields, these systems aim to establish more sustainable production systems which balance the inputs versus outputs farm equation to favour lower inputs rather than higher inputs for higher outputs.

Monoculture – the planting and maintenance of a food or fibre production system which is reliant upon only one or two main crop varieties and which encourages growth and development of only those varieties with the eradication of all others. Such environments include most modern wheat, cotton and even many livestock farms.

Nitrification – The leaching of nitrates, particularly into waterways, which can cause algal blooms due to the raised levels of nutrients in the water. This causes problems because the rivers can then become choked and lack enough sunlight – leading to the deaths of other species in the water.

Organic Agriculture – a form of agriculture which avoids using artificial inputs while balancing production so as to produce an optimal harvest which exhibits low levels of vulnerability to pests and disease infestation. Organic agriculture encourages soil enhancement practices to build up humus and biological life in the soil, the planting of biologically diverse species of plants and animals and the protection of the environment from on-farm practices.

Primary Producer – those engaged in farming activities producing basic food or fibre crops which are usually then processed or handled by others before reaching us as food, clothing and other materials.

Productivity – a measurement of the output of the farming system. Generally productivity refers to the economics of the farming system, with reference to the physical status of the farm only in terms of its ability to produce high yields – irrespective of its long term ability to do so.

Rural Crisis – term used usually to refer to the economic plight of farmers hit with problems of undesirable terms of trade, particularly during the period from the 1980s where deregulation of banking, monetary and marketing sectors has meant that producers are far more exposed to the vagaries of world market fluctuations.

R&D – Research and Development - Work carried out by agribusiness companies, government agencies and universities which is aimed at establishing scientific basics (research) and then applying them into techniques and technologies (development).

Salinity – The build up or release of salts into soils which renders them less productive or unproductive from a farm production point of view. This can occur through over clearing of forests and bushlands, or through over irrigation of particularly salt prone regions.

Sustainability – The establishment of production systems and ways of living which allow for future generations to enjoy as good or better lifestyles and quality of life than their forebears.

Terms of trade – the economic terms of trade exchange for farmers for input costs (fuels, fertilisers, labour, machinery) versus output charges (food and fibre sold). Through the 1970s to the 1990s the terms of trade for many producers has been moving in such a direction that has seen less earnings being made off the same amount of produce.

World Trade Organization – Organization set up to regulate and maintain fair and open trade between nations. The WTO is particularly involved in disputes over trade barriers such as tariffs which certain nations may maintain to prevent import access by other nations.