The Concept of Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

This study examines the concept of sustainable agriculture. Sustainability is the avoidance of depletion of natural resources in order to maintain the balance of the ecosystem. The depletion of the environment by agricultural production and the neglect of most growth-yielding agricultural industries necessitated the study. Sustainable agriculture has been with us since the inception of agriculture; but recently, due to population growth and the United Nations –Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty; many forest lands have gone into cultivation, and family farms consolidated to emerge into commercial farms. The use of heavy machinery, chemicals, and intensive cultivation have drastically impacted the ecosystem. The information used for the study was from secondary sources. The study findings are organized into the following sections: an examination of the theory and principles of sustainability concerning agricultural productivity, the need to be agricultural sustainable, and a way forward. Evidence from literature emphasizes how agriculture provides food and raw materials for further production and yet many people are hungry due to food waste. Intensive agricultural production contributes significantly to deforestation and ecosystem imbalance. The study found out that the five key principles of agricultural sustainability would be a driver for sustainable agriculture. Agricultural sustainability is highly uncertain. The entire globe should formulate a policy for efficient use of natural resources for now and in the future.