New agricultural practices for the environment
The role of agriculture in relation to the environment
In the context of growing environmental challenges, agriculture plays a crucial role. Occupying a significant portion of the world's land area, the agricultural sector is a pillar of global food security and a key player in the preservation of the planet's natural resources.
Indeed, agricultural ecosystems contribute to storing around 47% of the total carbon stock in French soils. However, agriculture is also the primary emitter of ammonia (NH₃, 94%) and one of the main emitters of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs, 36%).
Furthermore, some agricultural runoff, fertilizers, and pesticides enter rivers, lakes, and groundwater through runoff or infiltration, with the average nitrate concentration in rivers in mainland France increasing by 6% between 2000 and 2020.
Pollinators, essential to ecosystems, play a crucial role in food production, with 72% of crop species in France for human consumption relying on their activity.
That is why, at WeLOOP, we firmly believe in the need to rethink our agricultural practices to reduce our ecological footprint while ensuring sufficient food production for future generations.
The challenges of modern agriculture
Modern agriculture is facing a series of critical environmental challenges. Responsible for half of global land production and contributing to 10 to 15% of greenhouse gas emissions, its impact on the planet's ecosystem is undeniable. The need to ensure global food security while preserving natural resources and ensuring the economic viability of sector stakeholders is at the heart of current concerns.
Agricultural ecosystems provide a multitude of essential services to farmers and society as a whole. From regulating nitrogen and water for crops to carbon sequestration in soils, they significantly contribute to the economic value of agricultural production. However, these ecosystems themselves are threatened by intensive farming practices.
Agricultural activities, although necessary to meet global food needs, jeopardize the health of these ecosystems. Pollution, water restrictions, and climate risks lead to losses in agricultural yield. Aware of these challenges, an increasing number of farmers are adopting more environmentally friendly practices. As of January 1, 2023, 36,000 farms were certified as High Environmental Value, and more than 60,000 were engaged in organic production, a number that has been multiplied by 2.5 in ten years.
The future of agriculture: towards a sustainable approach
Faced with these challenges, a transition to sustainable farming practices is essential. New technologies and innovative approaches offer promising solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture while maintaining productivity and profitability.
Vertical farms
Vertical farms represent a major innovation in sustainable agriculture. By cultivating plants vertically, they optimise growing space, reduce deforestation, and preserve agricultural land. Thanks to efficient resource use, including water recycling and precise management of lighting and temperature, vertical farms enable sustainable food production with a reduced ecological footprint.
Agroforestry
Agroforestry is another promising practice that combines agricultural crops with tree planting. Indeed, it encompasses all agricultural practices that integrate, on the same plot of land, trees (in all their forms: hedges, alignments, groves, etc.) with agricultural crops and/or livestock.
From the farm to the watershed, from open fields to domestic forests or grazed woodlands, good integration of trees and hedges in agriculture not only increases production, diversifies income and ecological services, but also ensures the preservation and renewal of natural resources: water, soils and their fertility, biodiversity, etc. Furthermore, it helps to mitigate the effects of climate change by sequestering atmospheric carbon.
Smart-farming
Smart farming uses technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and artificial intelligence to optimise agricultural practices. By monitoring weather conditions, automating tasks, and using real-time data, it enables increased yields while reducing water consumption and chemical inputs.
Agricultural operations can thus create more productive and sustainable processes. A clear example of smart farming is the use of sensors to monitor parameters such as soil quality, light, temperature, and humidity. This allows workers to respond precisely to the plants' needs, thus optimising both the quality and quantity of the harvests without wasting resources.
Moreover, AI and autonomous machines, such as driverless tractors, take over certain agricultural tasks. This frees up human labour for other work, while ensuring that mechanised tasks are carried out autonomously, safely, and efficiently. Modern farms also adopt software using IoT for more efficient operations. These systems enable managers to control various aspects of the farm through smart devices or computers, thus reducing the need for manual labour.
Organic farming
Organic farming, based on environmentally and human health-friendly practices, is also experiencing significant growth. By avoiding the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers, it helps preserve biodiversity, protect water and soil quality, and ensure healthy and nutritious food for consumers.
Conclusion
The future of agriculture lies in a transition towards sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. Technological innovations, combined with better resource management and effective agricultural policies, offer promising solutions to address the environmental challenges faced by the agricultural sector.
Learn more
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