The Transitional Funnel Model of Farm Sustainability

The Transitional Funnel Model of Farm Sustainability

DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-7934-2.ch006
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Abstract

Achieving sustainability in agriculture is a complex, dynamic, and ideal state that may never be fully achieved and a progressive process where the influential factors are also changing. In a dynamic environment there is a state of equilibrium reference point to which the sector can analyze its status in relation to that reference. A change in one variable among several will affect a change in the equilibrium status that is always in a state of constant change. An individual farm enterprise is, by far, less complex and dynamic than the agriculture sector and can be defined in more specific terms with achievable measures. However, it remains an ideal but not as elusive. This chapter shows how such an ideal diversified farm model from initial start up to mature sustainability may be represented with a theoretical model based on the actual practice of diversified-integrated farming.
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The Transitional Funnel Model

According to Viaux (1993), integrated production is defined as a farming system which integrates natural resources and regulation mechanisms into farming activities to achieve maximum replacement of off-farm inputs, secures sustainable production of high quality food and other products through ecologically preferred technologies, sustains farm incomes, eliminates or reduces sources of present environmental pollution generated by agriculture, sustains the multiple functions of agriculture. There are many opportunities to implement an integrated farming system with multi-functionality and environmental integrity, but requires significant investment to set up the requisite systems for which the returns are protracted. Basically, it is a long-term process.

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