The world may currently have enough food to feed everyone, but this may not always be the case. The population is still growing, and climate change is a pressing concern that stands to significantly deplete crop yields. When we think about where food comes from, we probably imagine industrial farms. Machines are used to efficiently harvest a large volume of crops with little manpower required. However, industrial farms may not be a sustainable way to further increase food production.
Industrial farming is responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and environmental degradation. Not only is land cleared to make way for farms, agricultural practices also result in poor soil health. One of the ways industrial farms maximise crop yield is via monocropping where farmers choose to only plant the one crop that is most profitable and best suited for that environment. However, this results in increased erosion as only a single type of root is present to hold sediments together. Monocropping also depletes nutrients, meaning that the land may not be able to support crops over time. Farmers compensate for the lowered fertility of the soil using chemical fertilisers, however the production of fertilisers in industrial farming is extremely energy intensive and also contributes to pollution. And the problem does not stop there. Monocropping also increases susceptibility to pestilence. If a certain insect likes soy plants, they can quickly multiply in a field of just soy. However, if there are different crops, only some of the crops suit them. Chemical pesticides used to address this only adds to energy consumption and pollution.
Even without monocropping, the machines characteristic of industrial farms require energy. Burning fossil fuels releases various pollutants and greenhouse gases into the air including carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. This stands to further accelerate climate change which threatens to increase the prevalence of droughts. As temperatures and weather patterns change, crops may not be able to keep growing in the places they are currently being grown. This means that crop yields may suffer as food producers need to adapt – be it by transitioning to other crops or finding new ways to adapt to changing conditions.
In Singapore, the question of how to produce food sustainably is especially relevant. Singapore has little land space so producing more food is not simply a matter of using more land. Rather, technology is used to allow for innovative strategies like vertical farming. On a smaller scale, community gardens introduce people to different kinds of edible plants while fostering community spirit and allowing people to learn from each other.
Cities like Seoul have implemented farm-to-table concepts where small urban farms are present in subway stations or eateries, allowing the public to conveniently access fresh produce. In Kentucky, Community Supported Agriculture programs sustainably grows and introduces participants to a variety of produce. These are all examples of sustainable food production, and supporting similar programs increases food security while lowering the environmental cost of the food you eat.
Even though small-scale farms may not churn out as much food as industrial farms, they still have value in the fight to end hunger as they are more sustainable and less environmentally damaging. Do consider supporting urban farms, community agriculture, as well as organic farms that do not use pesticides nor fertilisers!