Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Air Quality
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Water scarcity is an issue in many locations where crop irrigation is an active process, using wells, canal systems, or both.
As water becomes less prevalent, efforts to improve water efficiency will have more value and should be extended with further developments. Sustainable management of water resources
more broadly is also important for society; it is needed to end
hunger and it is the sixth SDG.
Action 7: Mainstream biodiversity conservation and protection of
ecosystem functions. Healthy ecosystems are a valuable part
of efforts to achieve food security and sustainable agriculture.
This can include protecting not only wildlife in general, but also
ecosystem biodiversity in places such as soil microorganisms.
Healthy and diverse organism populations in soil are generally
beneficial, and biodiversity in ecosystems has value in efforts to
increase food production. International progress in programs to
maintain important genetic resources for plant agriculture has
been reported (FAO, 2015), and many programs exist to maintain genetic resources and to enable good ecosystem function in
agriculture in many locations.
Action 8: Reduce losses, encourage reuse and recycling, and promote sustainable consumption. The issue of managing food products so that
they are used effectively and efficiently is a substantial challenge
because many foods may spoil. Somewhere around one- third of food
production is lost due to poor food management. Packaging, storage
conditions, managing supply and demand, preservation methods,
and consumer education are aspects of programs to reduce food waste
(FAO, 2011; Esguerra, 2018). Good management of food products has
significant economic value and needs to be an important priority.
Action 9: Empower people and fight inequalities. One way to empower
people is to educate them. Education is very important in agriculture because knowledge regarding farming practices, product
management, renewable energy choices, water management, and
soil stewardship are foundational to implementing these practices,
and therefore these educational efforts have great value. Children
that live in rural areas, of course, should go to school and receive
an education. Part of that education should include information
tailored to the situations those children are likely to encounter as
they grow up and begin their adult careers.
Action 10: Promote secure tenure rights. The right to have access to land
to farm it is an issue in some locations. Land ownership is a key
factor because soil stewardship is often better when the person
managing the land is the owner; they have more of an incentive
to improve soil quality. One of the issues in ocean stewardship is
the problem of managing the ocean as a common resource (see
Chapter 15).
112
1 1 2
Water scarcity is an issue in many locations where crop irrigation is an active process, using wells, canal systems, or both.
As water becomes less prevalent, efforts to improve water efficiency will have more value and should be extended with further developments. Sustainable management of water resources
more broadly is also important for society; it is needed to end
hunger and it is the sixth SDG.
Action 7: Mainstream biodiversity conservation and protection of
ecosystem functions. Healthy ecosystems are a valuable part
of efforts to achieve food security and sustainable agriculture.
This can include protecting not only wildlife in general, but also
ecosystem biodiversity in places such as soil microorganisms.
Healthy and diverse organism populations in soil are generally
beneficial, and biodiversity in ecosystems has value in efforts to
increase food production. International progress in programs to
maintain important genetic resources for plant agriculture has
been reported (FAO, 2015), and many programs exist to maintain genetic resources and to enable good ecosystem function in
agriculture in many locations.
Action 8: Reduce losses, encourage reuse and recycling, and promote sustainable consumption. The issue of managing food products so that
they are used effectively and efficiently is a substantial challenge
because many foods may spoil. Somewhere around one- third of food
production is lost due to poor food management. Packaging, storage
conditions, managing supply and demand, preservation methods,
and consumer education are aspects of programs to reduce food waste
(FAO, 2011; Esguerra, 2018). Good management of food products has
significant economic value and needs to be an important priority.
Action 9: Empower people and fight inequalities. One way to empower
people is to educate them. Education is very important in agriculture because knowledge regarding farming practices, product
management, renewable energy choices, water management, and
soil stewardship are foundational to implementing these practices,
and therefore these educational efforts have great value. Children
that live in rural areas, of course, should go to school and receive
an education. Part of that education should include information
tailored to the situations those children are likely to encounter as
they grow up and begin their adult careers.
Action 10: Promote secure tenure rights. The right to have access to land
to farm it is an issue in some locations. Land ownership is a key
factor because soil stewardship is often better when the person
managing the land is the owner; they have more of an incentive
to improve soil quality. One of the issues in ocean stewardship is
the problem of managing the ocean as a common resource (see
Chapter 15).