Moving Towards Sustainable Agriculture Through Higher Education
11
One of the worst things, which I noticed this year is the importation of carrots and
oranges with leaves. This is not supposed to happen because it is a way to distinguish
between local and foreign produce, and to reduce the risk of diseases being imported.
4.2 Impacts of Farming on the Environment
Human activity, in this case the use of land for agricultural purposes, inevitably
brings along both positive and negative changes in the natural state of the environment. Most of the farmers expressed their opinion that without farming, the Maltese
landscape would take on a totally different scenario. Farming helps maintain the
fields in a good condition, at least visually. Some of the farmers expressed that it
is of utmost importance that farmers understand the environment around them and
work to maintain it in the best possible manner through proper care.
Farmer 7 Farming helps the environment. First of all, it takes care of the environment. Whether it is rubble walls and fields which are being worked and kept
clean at least there is life rather than everything left on its own. There is a sense of
organisation, when there are farmers working the fields.
One of the most prominent aspects of the positive impacts of farming on the
environment which was mentioned by most of the conventional farmers, were rubble
walls. Rubble walls may act for the purpose of dividing one field from another, or
otherwise help in reducing soil erosion due to runoff. Rubble walls also act as an
ecological habitat within themselves. Farmers understand the importance of keeping
rubble walls intact.
Agricultural progress along the years has seen the development of new machinery
and equipment to aid in easing the work of the farmer. Over the past years, conventional farmers had to take on a more of a commercial role, increasing the quantities
of their produce in order to be able to compete with the imported produce. This
has inevitably led to more pressure on the available natural resources of the Islands,
especially soil and natural water resources, that is groundwater. Added production
has also led to an increase in use of artificial chemicals and nitrates.
Farmer 5 It is impossible to work without using pesticides! Can a doctor work with
natural remedies and not give us any medicines? He could and he tries to as much as
possible and so dothe farmers! I can assure you, and it is important to understand,
that the majority of farmers know what they are doing and they do not use pesticides
for nothing. Pesticides are very expensive, very, and if one could not use pesticides,
he would not!
Ground water is the only natural water resource available all year round in the
Maltese Islands. Another seasonal water resource available, which farmers may
utilise, is the water available during the rain period in valleys across Malta and Gozo.
11
One of the worst things, which I noticed this year is the importation of carrots and
oranges with leaves. This is not supposed to happen because it is a way to distinguish
between local and foreign produce, and to reduce the risk of diseases being imported.
4.2 Impacts of Farming on the Environment
Human activity, in this case the use of land for agricultural purposes, inevitably
brings along both positive and negative changes in the natural state of the environment. Most of the farmers expressed their opinion that without farming, the Maltese
landscape would take on a totally different scenario. Farming helps maintain the
fields in a good condition, at least visually. Some of the farmers expressed that it
is of utmost importance that farmers understand the environment around them and
work to maintain it in the best possible manner through proper care.
Farmer 7 Farming helps the environment. First of all, it takes care of the environment. Whether it is rubble walls and fields which are being worked and kept
clean at least there is life rather than everything left on its own. There is a sense of
organisation, when there are farmers working the fields.
One of the most prominent aspects of the positive impacts of farming on the
environment which was mentioned by most of the conventional farmers, were rubble
walls. Rubble walls may act for the purpose of dividing one field from another, or
otherwise help in reducing soil erosion due to runoff. Rubble walls also act as an
ecological habitat within themselves. Farmers understand the importance of keeping
rubble walls intact.
Agricultural progress along the years has seen the development of new machinery
and equipment to aid in easing the work of the farmer. Over the past years, conventional farmers had to take on a more of a commercial role, increasing the quantities
of their produce in order to be able to compete with the imported produce. This
has inevitably led to more pressure on the available natural resources of the Islands,
especially soil and natural water resources, that is groundwater. Added production
has also led to an increase in use of artificial chemicals and nitrates.
Farmer 5 It is impossible to work without using pesticides! Can a doctor work with
natural remedies and not give us any medicines? He could and he tries to as much as
possible and so dothe farmers! I can assure you, and it is important to understand,
that the majority of farmers know what they are doing and they do not use pesticides
for nothing. Pesticides are very expensive, very, and if one could not use pesticides,
he would not!
Ground water is the only natural water resource available all year round in the
Maltese Islands. Another seasonal water resource available, which farmers may
utilise, is the water available during the rain period in valleys across Malta and Gozo.