Sustainable Agriculture and the SDGs: A Convergence Approach

1.1. Background and Significance

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a comprehensive and inclusive appeal for collective efforts to eradicate poverty, safeguard the environment, and secure universal peace and prosperity by the year 2030. The agricultural sector plays a crucial role in the attainment of these objectives, with a particular emphasis on SDG2, which seeks to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture”. Sustainable agriculture is an agricultural approach that prioritizes the cultivation of crops and livestock over an extended period, with the aim of minimizing environmental impact. The concept entails the effective administration of agricultural resources to meet evolving human demands, while simultaneously preserving or improving environmental quality and conserving natural resources (Paroda and Joshi, 2019). In this context, the convergence method pertains to the amalgamation of sustainable farming practices with the goals and objectives outlined in the SDGs. This approach acknowledges the interconnectedness between several objectives, such as promoting sustainable agriculture, empowering small-scale farmers, advancing gender equality, eradicating rural poverty, promoting healthy lifestyles, addressing climate change, and other topics encompassed by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

1.2. Objectives of the Chapter

The main objectives of this chapter are:

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  To understand the concept of sustainable agriculture and its significance in the context of the SDGs.

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  To explore various sustainable agricultural practices and their potential to contribute towards achieving the SDGs.

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  To discuss case studies highlighting how sustainable agriculture is being practiced in countries around the world.

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  To provide practical guidelines for implementing sustainable agriculture in line with the 2030 Agenda.

2.1. Defining Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture is an agricultural system that seeks to meet the needs of current human populations while also preserving the Earth's capacity to support future generations. The integration of three primary objectives is observed, namely environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. The agricultural approach under consideration prioritizes the cultivation of sustainable crops and livestock with the aim of minimizing environmental impact over an extended period of time. The concept encompasses the effective administration of agricultural resources in order to meet evolving human demands, while simultaneously preserving or improving environmental quality and conserving natural resources (Czyzewski and Kryszak, 2022).

Sustainable agriculture places significant emphasis on the cultivation of a wide range of crops, including heritage plants, which are frequently selected based on their compatibility with the specific climatic conditions prevalent in a given region. Sustainable agriculture proponents advocate for the implementation of polyculture as an alternative to industrial monoculture, wherein numerous crops are cultivated simultaneously instead of relying on a single crop. Sustainable agriculture can be defined as a farming approach that prioritizes the preservation of the environment, the enhancement and conservation of natural resources, and the optimal utilization of nonrenewable resources.