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Bottom-Up Transformation of Agriculture and Food Systems

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  • Harpinder Sandhu

    (Centre for Markets, Values and Inclusion, University of South Australia STEM, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia)

Abstract

The global agenda for sustainable development includes the alleviation of poverty and hunger by developing sustainable agriculture and food systems. Intensive farming systems and its variations, such as sustainable intensification or ecological intensification, are currently being promoted as technologies that can improve agricultural productivity and reduce environmental impacts. However, these are focused only on per-hectare productivity with growing negative impacts on local culture and the environment. This study identifies the negative impacts of crop- and livestock-based farming systems on the Indo-Gangetic plains, as well as in the USA, China, and South America as an example of key challenges in global agriculture. These impacts are classified into environmental, social, economic, and health impacts. An alternative paradigm is proposed to overcome some of the shortcomings of current global agriculture. This new bottom-up paradigm is based on three indicators that are fundamental to achieve the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of agriculture and food systems. These are divided into technical, geographic, and social indicators and have been analysed for four farming systems—low-input, high-input, organic, and desired farming systems. Seven global geographic regions have been analysed in terms of their socio-economic indicators and status of agriculture in order to develop pathways for the implementation of the new paradigm. The pathway for change suggested in this paper includes a focus on research and training, policy and institutional changes, and an evaluation of the costs and benefits, and changes in production models that consider scale and sustainability metrics and include innovations in consultation with all stakeholders. This new paradigm has the potential to direct global efforts towards more local and regional solutions, which are community driven and constitute a ‘bottom-up’ approach.

Suggested Citation

  • Harpinder Sandhu, 2021. "Bottom-Up Transformation of Agriculture and Food Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:2171-:d:501136
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Sarfraz, Muddassar & Iqbal, Kashif & Wang, Yichu & Bhutta, Muhammad Shoaib & Jaffri, Zain ul Abidin, 2023. "Role of agricultural resource sector in environmental emissions and its explicit relationship with sustainable development: Evidence from agri-food system in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    4. Dobrescu Mihaela Edith, 2021. "The Global Food Situation In Pandemic Context 2021," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 5, pages 201-205, October.
    5. Yohannes, Darebe; Purushottam, Kishor ; Mihret Dananto; Mathewos, Markos, 2024. "Evaluation of Current Farm Machinery Utilization and Farm Productivity in Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia," Research on World Agricultural Economy, Nan Yang Academy of Sciences Pte Ltd (NASS), vol. 5(4), October.
    6. Xiwen Yang & Yahui Luo & Ping Jiang, 2022. "Sustainable Soilless Cultivation Mode: Cultivation Study on Droplet Settlement of Plant Roots under Ultrasonic Aeroponic Cultivation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, October.
    7. Maura Calliera & Andrea Di Guardo & Alba L’Astorina & Maurizio Polli & Antonio Finizio & Ettore Capri, 2023. "Integrating Environmental and Social Dimensions with Science-Based Knowledge for a Sustainable Pesticides Management—A Project of Lombardy Region in Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-15, May.
    8. Praveen Koovalamkadu Velayudhan & Alka Singh & Girish Kumar Jha & Pramod Kumar & Kingsly Immanuelraj Thanaraj & Aditya Korekallu Srinivasa, 2021. "What Drives the Use of Organic Fertilizers? Evidence from Rice Farmers in Indo-Gangetic Plains, India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-13, August.
    9. Darebe Yohannes, Kishor Purushottam , Mihret Dananto, Markos Mathewos, 2024. "Evaluation of Current Farm Machinery Utilization and Farm Productivity in Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia," Research on World Agricultural Economy, Nan Yang Academy of Sciences Pte Ltd (NASS), vol. 5(4), October.
    10. Hayatullah Ahmadzai & Seta Tutundjian & Ismahane Elouafi, 2021. "Policies for Sustainable Agriculture and Livelihood in Marginal Lands: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-18, August.
    11. Valerio, Erika & Hilmiati, Nurul & Prior, Julian & Dahlanuddin, Dahlan, 2022. "Analysis of the agricultural innovation system in Indonesia: A case study of the beef sector in Nusa Tenggara Barat," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).

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