1 min
Sustainability simply means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In agriculture, it connotes increasing food production for both present and future generations that is economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally friendly.
Thus, it becomes the main goal of every nation to become food sovereign, not just for today but also for the future. And it is not just a mere desire but a deliberate action to ensure that food produced meets the needs of the increasing population. Several interventions had increased advocacies to create more awareness amongst the various stakeholders on how sustainable agriculture can be achieved. However in recent times, stakeholders have highlighted the critical tasks to undertake towards sustainable agriculture. Thus, the narrative has changed from how sustainability can be achieved to who pays for sustainability.
This is a big question and has no one-fit-all answer due to the importance and roles various stakeholders play in achieving sustainable agriculture – from the government, to the input sellers, the farmers, the traders, the processors, the consumers and other support systems that make up the food system all have peculiar roles and responsibilities.
Amongst these, the roles of the farmers cannot be overemphasized. This is because the farmers play the role of producing crops and raising livestock, preserving the cultural landscape, including the ecosystem (and its services) and creating jobs and livelihood for others, and having more responsibilities to carry in achieving sustainability. Therefore, they need to be provided with the appropriate knowledge and capacity to ensure that activities carried out by them do not pose any harm to the environment, the food produced and people working on the farm. Thus, there is already a cost constantly paid in ensuring a balanced ecosystem. Likewise other stakeholders contribute, but not as significantly as the farmers. Thus, we need to reduce the so-much burden we have put on the farmers to ensure sustainable agriculture and spread it across to other stakeholders.
It is important that everyone pays for sustainability within a fair sharing framework. The current framework puts so much burden on the farmers to pay for sustainable agriculture which has weakened the food system as a whole. Without a proper support system to incentivize the farmers and improve their capacity, sustainable agriculture remains just a dream. Thus, more stakeholders need to be committed genuinely towards achieving sustainable agriculture. Our only hope for sustainable agriculture is shared responsibility and fair rewards to those who contribute the most. Let's work together to achieve zero hunger for many generations.
Yours-in-Service
Babatunde
This is a big question and has no one-fit-all answer due to the importance and roles various stakeholders play in achieving sustainable agriculture – from the government, to the input sellers, the farmers, the traders, the processors, the consumers and other support systems that make up the food system all have peculiar roles and responsibilities.
Amongst these, the roles of the farmers cannot be overemphasized. This is because the farmers play the role of producing crops and raising livestock, preserving the cultural landscape, including the ecosystem (and its services) and creating jobs and livelihood for others, and having more responsibilities to carry in achieving sustainability. Therefore, they need to be provided with the appropriate knowledge and capacity to ensure that activities carried out by them do not pose any harm to the environment, the food produced and people working on the farm. Thus, there is already a cost constantly paid in ensuring a balanced ecosystem. Likewise other stakeholders contribute, but not as significantly as the farmers. Thus, we need to reduce the so-much burden we have put on the farmers to ensure sustainable agriculture and spread it across to other stakeholders.
It is important that everyone pays for sustainability within a fair sharing framework. The current framework puts so much burden on the farmers to pay for sustainable agriculture which has weakened the food system as a whole. Without a proper support system to incentivize the farmers and improve their capacity, sustainable agriculture remains just a dream. Thus, more stakeholders need to be committed genuinely towards achieving sustainable agriculture. Our only hope for sustainable agriculture is shared responsibility and fair rewards to those who contribute the most. Let's work together to achieve zero hunger for many generations.
Yours-in-Service
Babatunde
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