Achieving sustainable agriculture: Overview of current and future agronomic best practices

Abstract

With global population expected to grow by 30 % over the next few decades, farmers will need to increase production while dealing with limited water, land, and energy. Sustainable agriculture is at the core of this challenge and its solutions, which are attainable only through a combination of advanced plant breeding, biotechnology, and improved systems-based integrated farm management practices. This chapter is a result of the deliberations of a group of about 20 prominent academics, US federal government, and industry scientists who convened for a 2-day workshop in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2010. These deliberations centered around identifying agronomic best management practices for the next two decades with the objective of developing consensus around future management practices and their contribution towards sustainable agriculture.