Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security : A Review of Current Practices and Future Directions
As the world continues to see an unprecedented amount of growth, it will also begin to see incredible fluctuations in its climate. Given this combination of factors, we are now at a significant turning point where we need to make a massive shift towards more sustainable agriculture in order to provide food security for the long term. Sustainable agriculture is not just about how farmers grow food; it encompasses all aspects of growing food in a holistic manner that also includes protecting the environment from destruction while still being able to feed the growing world population today and help the next generation (future generations) with their ability to feed themselves. The projected global population will increase to approximately 9.6 billion by 2050, thus there is a need for food security alongside sustainable agricultural practices and ultimately, to provide solutions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (S.D.G.). Therefore, this article provides an overview of the latest developments and trends in sustainable agriculture and food security while also outlining the major challenges, opportunities, and policy choices that are needed to achieve sustainable agricultural systems and food security in the future. This article examines how utilizing various sustainable agriculture practices, such as agroecology, organic farming, conservation agriculture, climate-smart agriculture, can help to improve food security and soil health, protect biodiversity, and build resilience to climate change. It discusses the importance of supporting small-scale farmers by improving their access to markets and modern technologies, promoting climate resilient agricultural practices, and reducing food loss and waste along the food supply chain.