Sustainable Food Production in Rural Communities

How do we create a system of sustainable food production that will feed the ever increasing population? An answer to this problem lies in reevaluating the methods we are currently using to produce food. Seventy percent of the estimated one billion people in poverty around the world live in rural areas and depend on the productivity of ecosystems for their livelihoods.

We need the ability to feed more people while taking into account the diminishing energy resources such as fuel and natural resources like fresh water. If our rural communities begin to focus on producing their food on a smaller scale, such as small scale farming, with a more diverse range of food being produced we would be able to uphold food production longer and promote healthy ways of living and eating.

A shift to small scale rural farms would make sense globally as it would give the ability for many third world nations to begin sustaining themselves and feed through local production. An example of this can be seen in India’s state of Andhra Pradesh.

In 2001-2002 a drought hit which killed all flourishing crops in the area. After analysis it was decided that the area had all it needed to sustain itself and was not allotted any external food assistance. The eventual key to their success in designing a sustainable means of food production was found in the biodiversity of their small farms and the community nature under which they were developed. The community was like a single breathing unit. The dry and unforgiving land in this region is hard to grow on, but by introducing seeds and grains that adapted to the land they learned to use the land for what it was and adapted their farming habits to the available resources.

Though this is just an example of how we can break down areas, it really shows us how communities can work as a whole to sustain themselves.These practices were also managed without the help of any chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, giving those who live off this food a much healthier diet. This worked in India, and various diverse versions of the same plan could be implemented to feed many of the hungry people around the world. It may even be a plan for the future of our urban development to look into small scale farming within the city sector. Where small farms are actually two to ten times more productive than larger scale farms this would bring food production to the people, cutting out the middle-man and the resources needed to support it.

The additional introduction of biodiversity into farming would, in itself, create more eco-friendly food production and healthier land on which to grow. Healthier and more diverse food would be going into the world, which will support and sustain people’s bodies. Overall, when considering the oncoming shift in population something must be done to find more sustainable practices in how we produce food and feed the masses. By creating smaller self sustaining rural communities, and farming in a biodiverse manner within them, everyone would have a means of nourishment.

Sources:

Practical Action. "Food Production". http://practicalaction.org/?id=food_production (accessed November 4, 2009)

The North Sea Region Programme. "Rural Food Production in the experience economy". http://www.northsearegion.eu/ivb/project-ideas/&tid=419 (accessed November 4, 2009)

Practical Action. "Preserving the Web of Life". http://practicalaction.org/?id=web_of_life (accessed November 4, 2009)

Inter Pares. "Community Based Food Security Systems: Local solutions for ending Chronic hunger and promoting rural development". http://www.interpares.ca/en/publications/pdf/food_security_brief.pdf

BBC News. "Food production must rise 70%". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8303434.stm