A Better World Through Sustainable Agriculture

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A Better World Through Sustainable Agriculture

• Shanuntorn Khongsereedamrong

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Our Current World

• Fast-paced world
• New technologies
• Globalization
• Population growth
• Making money
• Resources Production

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Consumption of Resources

• Fossil fuel
• Non-renewable
• Daily consumption
• 85 of our energy demands
• 1.9 billion tons of coal a year for electricity
  only
• Global oil consumption tends to increase by an
  average of 1.9 a year from 2001 to 2025 due to
  world population growth
• Consumption of fossil fuel has increased by
  almost 700 percent between 1961 and 2001.

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In the next 25 years, the worlds energy
consumption is expected to increase by 50 and
could almost double.
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Consumption of Resources

• Water
• Finite resources
• Global consumption of water rose six-fold in 1900
  to 1995
• In 2000, 2.3 billion people around the world
  suffered from
• water related diseases and by 2025, the number
  is expected to rise.
• Nearly half a billion people around the world
  faced water shortages in 2000 and by 2025, the
  number are predicted to grow to 2.8 billion
  people.
• In some places, sea bottoms are now becoming
  deserts because overconsumption and global
  warming.

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Drinking water - a scarce resource Global water
consumption has quadrupled over the last 50
years. Almost half a billion people live in
countries where water is already scarce. By the
year 2050, it is predicted that at least a
quarter of the worlds population will be living
with chronic or regular water shortages.
Increasing pollution of surface and ground water
is intensifying the water crisis.
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Consumption of Resources

• Land
• Limited land on earth
• Over-exploited
• Soil deterioration
• Growth in population Pressure in food supply
• Erosion occurs annually and heavily due to
  humans activity
• E.g. America 1/3 of land heavily eroded
• 35 of the worlds arable land turning into
  deserts
• Each year million hectares of productive land is
  turning into wasteland.
• Soil degradation worldwide 13 reduction in
  production.

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Consumption of Resources

• Forests
• Renewable resources
• One-fifth of the world forest is now vanished
• 30 million acres of woods
• yearly destroyed
• Since 1961, global wood consumption has risen by
  64
• Demand for fuel wood and charcoals increase
  nearly 50 over the same period.
• Global demand for woods are still elevating and
  expected to be higher by 2010.
• Though renewable, consumption should be reduced.

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Problems

• Unbalanced ecosystem
• Environmental problems Global warming
• Climate and weather changes
• Natural disasters
• Rising water levels
• Temperature change
• Pollution
• Health problems
• Less biodiversity
• Land erosion
• A decrease in crop yields

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The Question is

• For how long will these limited resources remain
  ?
• And
• will our children have enough left to consume
  like our generation do?

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Sustainable Development
We do not inherit the Earth from our
ancestors. We borrow it from our children.
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource
use that aim to meet human needs while preserving
the environment so that these needs can be met
not only in the present, but in the indefinite
future.
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Sustainable Development
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Economic Sustainability

• Economic sustainability is not just about
  achieving economic growth year on year.
• Its about understanding that economic growth is
  only sustainable if it improves our quality of
  life as well as the environment.
• Sustainable agriculture

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Environment Sustainability

• Environmental sustainability is the process to
  maintain the qualities in the physical
  environment making it naturally as possible.
• Using natural resources at a rate that
  environment and ecosystem can replenish.
• Thailand Environment Institutes

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Social Sustainability

• Social sustainability is focused on increasing a
  better quality of life for everyone for now and
  for the future generations.
• It also covers social interaction or anything
  related to culture while encourage the respect
  and protect social diversity.
• One village- one product

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Can Sustainable Development help?

• Sustainable development can help the world not to
  be more worse off
• It helps slow down the resources depletion, if
  everyone of us thinks and acts with sustainable
  mindsets.
• It is when everybody is doing their part.
• With all our hands, a difference can be made in a
  long run.

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Sustainable Agriculture

• Thailand Agriculture country
• Thailand faces some problems on soil erosions,
  loss of soil nutrients, minerals and organic
  matter.
• Soil erosion with the loss of nutrients 33
• Soil with low organic matter 59.5
• These percentages misuse and mismanagement of
  farm lands.
• Applying sustainable development and sustainable
  agriculture is encouraged

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Sustainable Agriculture

• Sustainable agriculture refers to a farming
  system that is capable of producing produces
  productively indefinitely without causing damages
  to environment or ecosystem.
• This system must be resource-conserving,
  commercially competitive, social-supportive and
  environmental friendly.
• Imitate the real ecosystem.
• Two main aspects
• biophysical aspect
• socio-economic aspect.

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Biophysical Aspect

• This aspect concerns with the long-term effect of
  practices on soil and other essential practices
  on crop production.
• Concentrates on Soil Soil preservation, Soil
  Replenishment
• Concentrate on crop production Diversity

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Socio-economic Aspect

• This scope concerns with long-term ability of
  farmers to obtain and manage inputs.
• Concentrate on Profit Strategies and plans
• Concentrate on Environment Minimum impact

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Sustainable Agriculture in Thailand
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New Theory

• a farm management practice His Majesty set up
• A way to manage farm be self-sufficient in
  making a living all year round.
• Four farms section 30303010.
• 30 water reservoir for one year round.
• 30 is then for paddy fields
• 30 is for planting other fruits trees or field
  crops
• 10 will use to raise animals and residents

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Rai Ton Nuay

• Organic Agriculture for Sustainable Development
• 40 acres of land
• 1/ 47 Organic farm owners
• Imitate real ecosystem
• using minimum chemicals
• Water system, trees barriers
• Biological control
• Plant nutrients- crop rotation and diversity
• Microorganisms
• Compose fertilizer
• Multicropping

Mrs. Sommai Nudang
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Conclusion

• It is all our responsibility
• With all our hands together, little by little, we
  can surely make a difference.

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Thank you very much for your kind attention.