Sustainable agricultural practices for food security and ecosystem services

Abdul Rehman, Muhammad Farooq*, Dong Jin Lee, Kadambot H.M. Siddique

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The notion of food security is a global phenomenon that impinges on every human. Efforts to increase productivity and yields have historically degraded the environment and reduced biodiversity and ecosystem services, with the significant impact on the poor. Sustainable agriculture—farming in sustainable ways based on an understanding of ecosystem services—is a practical option for achieving global food security while minimizing further environmental degradation. Sustainable agricultural systems offer ecosystem services, such as pollination, biological pest control, regulation of soil and water quality, maintenance of soil structure and fertility, carbon sequestration and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient cycling, hydrological services, and biodiversity conservation. In this review, we discuss the potential of sustainable agriculture for achieving global food security alongside healthy ecosystems that provide other valuable services to humankind. Too often, agricultural production systems are considered separate from other natural ecosystems, and insufficient attention has been paid to how services can flow to and from agricultural production systems to surrounding ecosystems. This review also details the trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem services, highlights current knowledge gaps, and proposes areas for future research.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)84076-84095
Number of pages20
JournalEnvironmental Science and Pollution Research
Volume29
Issue number56
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2022

Keywords

  • Biodiversity
  • Biological pest control
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Nutrient cycling
  • Pollination
  • Soil quality
  • Food Supply
  • Humans
  • Food Security
  • Ecosystem
  • Soil
  • Agriculture
  • Conservation of Natural Resources

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Pollution
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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