In agriculture, healthy nutrition of the plants and increasing the use of fertilizers depends on the application of nutrients at the time of need, with sufficient and correct methods. Well-structured soils are porous and allow water to enter easily, rather than […] Soil erosion the greatest challenge for sustainable soil management Book Review: Despite almost a century of research and extension efforts, soil erosion by water, wind and tillage continues to be the greatest threat to soil health and soil ecosystem services in many regions of the world. Increased fertilizer use efficiency and the decrease in nutrient loss are proportional to each other [14]. Scouting is the most fundamental act of traveling in crop fields and make observations. It’s based on principles of collaboration, unobstructed discovery, and, most importantly, scientific progression. Furthermore, soil helps combat and adapt to climate change by playing a key role in the carbon cycle. It’s relatively simple and involves adding charcoal and kitchen garbage to highly weathered soils with low nutrient contents. As a result of long years of practices and scientific studies, several common sustainable agricultural practices have been put forward in Figure 1. Based on the United Nations Development Program, the country has 13.2 million hectares of degraded lands affecting 33 million Filipinos. When I think of Filipino small and medium enterprises entrepreneurs, my father is the first person that comes to mind. Soil Management Soil is a compound blend of minerals, organic matter, liquids, gases, and even living organisms. Workload and cost are reduced with machines that work together and work synchronously. Today, the greatest success in agriculture will be to achieve the desired increase in production by reducing the negative environmental conditions. The system should both reduce the input cost and increase the product efficiency. This cycle can be traditional, industrial and commercial, as well as be sustainable. Some soil management techniques are not necessarily new. In particular, in order to make agriculture in high slope areas, it is the name given to the arrangement of the land in the form of steps and supported by walls. CRP is a land conservation program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). My two past columns on Bhoochetana and the Yamang Lupa Program (YLP) highlighted the importance of managing water and soil resources to help achieve better crop yields and improved incomes for smallholder farmers. Built by scientists, for scientists. Acceptability: If the social effects of land use methods are negative, it is inevitable to fail over time. Soil is a core component of land resources and the foundation of agricultural development and ecological sustainability. Licensee IntechOpen. Its components include: increasing soil carbon in all ecosystems (from tropical forests to pasture to wetlands); soil rejuvenation and efficient nutrient management; utilization of improved varieties and hybrid technologies (not only seeds); and sustainable intensification framework. Each target has its own characteristics and can be explained as follows: Efficiency: The return obtained from SLM is more than just evaluating with financial gains, it is evaluated to include the benefits that will be obtained from the protective, health and esthetic purposes of land use. Access Resource. On the other hand, the relationship between fertilizer, pesticide, tillage and crop rotation issues in sustainable systems and their effects on product yield and income should be well established. In fact, it is a known fact that the physical and chemical properties of soils are highly variable in agricultural areas. The sustainable use and management of land and soils is linked to many different areas of sustainable development. In this way, effective and economical irrigation will be provided by protecting the limited water resources and the environmental and agricultural negative effects of leaching, salinity and fungal diseases caused by excess water will be prevented. Healthy soil is the foundation for profitable, productive, and environmentally sound agricultural systems. At the same time, an increase in soil fertility, protection of water, protection of valuable seeds and biodiversity need to be taken into account. Increase soil organic matter. I am not saying here that we abandon rice, corn and coconut farming which take up approximately 80 percent of the country’s farmlands. Data maps are generated with the help of geospatial data, geographic information system (GIS) technologies and software which are acquired by various sensors on the harvesting machines. How you manage your soil can significantly impact water availability. Such was the case with a global study that used a 700-year-old technique common in West Africa. As a matter of fact, while focusing on this issue, it should not only be focused on the subject to feed of human, and should not be overlooked for the healthy and sustainable feeding. It is clear that the continuity of all the living things is possible with the food provided by natural resources. Case studies of farmers from across the country provide inspiring examples of how soil—and whole […] Soil compaction also complicates germination of the seed, limits the growth of plant roots, affects the biodiversity of the soil and causes the surface soil crusting. Introduction. With other protection methods, the use of pesticides that cause the least damage to the environment is the most effective protection method with harmful species. Discharge of untreated farm wastes and wastewater into natural surface waters should be avoided. Copyright © The Manila Times – All Rights Reserved. We'll discuss them in order, starting with soil management. Europe’s urban areas are growing, often at the expense of fertile agricultural land. To reduce waterborne erosion; it should be ensured that the water is infiltrated to the soil with the principle of agriculture and irrigation method which is perpendicular to the direction of inclination. Socio-economic intensification covers the development of markets for the produce of smallholder farmers, building social capital and creating sustainable livelihood. By understanding how the soil processes that support plant growth and regulate environmental quality are affected by management practices, it is possible to design a crop and soil management system that improves and maintains soil health over time. Between all the animals (like worms and insects) and the millions of microbes that make their homes in the ground, healthy soil is teeming with life. This technology is also effective in deciding the nature of the fertilizer to be used. Along with supporting the plant life necessary for … Under increasing soil carbon in all ecosystems (from tropical forests to pasture to wetlands), there is a need for massive replanting in degraded areas that should not only be limited to reforestation efforts since there is also a need to restore mangrove areas and sea grasses. Building Soils for Better Crops is a one-of-a-kind, practical guide to ecological soil management, now expanded and in full color. So what is the starting point for sustainable soil and land management? In this respect, soil management includes more factors such as chemical fertilizers and the use of organic fertilizers (applied fertilizer type, dose, fertilizer application time, method) and irrigation. The year 2020 has been a very unusual year, and Christmas 2020 is like no other holiday season in living memory. Contact our London head office or media team here. Soil Management in Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Crop Production, Mirza Hasanuzzaman, Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho, Masayuki Fujita and Thiago Assis Rodrigues Nogueira, IntechOpen, DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.88319. Soil erosion control measures should also be widely applied, and it is worth mentioning that the Philippines has been manufacturing even at the village level geonets made from millions of discarded coconut husks. Sustainable agriculture is the way to increase productivity in agriculture and to increase the level of economic prosperity by protecting all living things on earth, living spaces and natural resources. The long-term aim of the program is to restore valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and reduce loss of wildlife areas. Principles for Sustainable Soil Management … Similarly, all the factors necessary for production with smart systems in the farm are analyzed and presented to the manufacturer simultaneously. This will certainly create a serious need for food in the future. In fact, this is a contradiction. Soil works for you if you work for the soil by using management practices that improve soil health and increase productivity and profitability immediately and into the future. To be fully self-sufficient for sustainable agriculture is not a requirement. In sustainable systems, the soil is viewed as a fragile and living medium that must be protected and nurtured to ensure its long-term productivity and stability. Researchers looked at more than 175 sites across Liberia and Ghana and found that the soil with those additives had 200-300% more organic carbont… There are countries with a population expressed in billions of Asian countries, and in Europe and the Americas it is estimated that the population will soon find billions. Reduces the use of non-renewable sources and inputs from petroleum-based products and uses renewable resources to generate production. Agricultural ponds are important water sources for irrigated areas. In order to ensure sustainability, the following points should be taken into account: Irrigation system should be continuously controlled, pumps should be operated at optimum performance, water amount should be measured and water distribution evenness should be ensured. Adding Organic Waste and Charcoal to the Soil. In this regard, techniques such as choosing durable varieties, keeping proper distance between plants in planting, determining the timing of agricultural practices correctly, using natural predators and crop rotation are important for the success of the method. 8 Soil salinization Learn about the process of salinization, its effects, and how to manage it. Sustainable soil management for a sustainable future . In addition to the benefits to agriculture, contributes to the creation of new areas of employment. This application determines the need of appropriate input considering the specific conditions and the requirements of the land and weather conditions. Protection: Soil and water resources should be taken under strict protection for future generations. Considering this framework, it should be produced safely in the field, established a production model that will protect the natural resources, the model should be economically feasible and socially acceptable. That is not good news. Addressing soil and land degradation issues, however, needs a holistic or integrated approach where water and biodiversity concerns are also addressed. At this point, sustainable production, consumption and preservation of the natural balance are of great importance. Available from: Why sustainable agriculture is important. But more steps can be taken, learning from the Bhoochetana system and YLP, to improve soil health in the face of challenges from climate change, especially in the Philippines where soil poor health should be a cause for great concern. Increasing soil organic matter makes more water available to crops by improving infiltration. Therefore, precision farming practices are one of the most important components of sustainable soil fertility and plant nutrition management. In arid regions, the best way to protect water is to grow plants that are suitable for the ecology of the region or that only need water during the rainy season. Natural fertilizers are healthier for soil, plants, water, air and people than chemical fertilizers. Some of the most common control methods include:  Prevention of erosion in the first place by careful land management  Prevention of soil detachment by the use of cover materials such as trees, mulches, stubbles, matting and cover crops 5 Soil Management for Sustainable Agriculture HeadquartersIntechOpen Limited5 Princes Gate Court,London, SW7 2QJ,UNITED KINGDOM. The world population is growing at a great pace. In grazing systems, grazing intensity and timing should be planned well. Furthermore, crop management systems that impair soil quality often result in greater inputs of water, nutrients, pesticides, and/or energy for tillage to maintain yields. Enhance soil productivity according to its natural capacity. Excessive use of NPK fertilizers can make the soil acidic. In fertilization without considering this feature of the land, some parts of the land will be applied more than the need and in some places less fertilizer will be applied. The recent and continued withdrawal of critical chemical control measures has also rekindled interest in the role of soil management in the protection of crop health. The most important point in the cultivation of cover plants is to know the balance between the cost and the benefits of the system. Increase soil organic matter. The report also blamed the rapid conversion of agricultural areas to residential and other land uses, and increasing water pollution as major factors in land degradation. In 2017, a new FAO/GSP project was launched in seven Latin American countries to build their national soil information system to … The Global Soil Partnership (GSP) is an initiative of FAO to improve the governance and promote sustainable management of soils across the globe. These structures collect water from small sources and allow for efficient storage and use of large flow rates when needed and help to regulate water flow. Therefore, precision farming practices are one of the most important components of sustainable soil fertility and plant nutrition management. These geonets are now used worldwide for erosion control and should be used more extensively in the country. Soils are made up of four components: minerals, air, water, and organic matter.In most soils minerals represent around 45% of the total volume, water and air about25% each, and organic matter from 2% to 5%. Sustainable soil management is critical for the achievement of many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Green manure and mulch are useful in keeping water in soil. Therefore, soil management has a special place in terms of fertilizer usage efficiency. Thus, different parts of the soil are utilized with different products, and pests and diseases that are specific to each product are prevented from spreading. But many damaging mistakes in soil management have also been made, and will continue to be unless evidence-based practices are developed to meet the challenges of “sustainable intensification” (Royal Society, 2009), essential to feed the 9 billion people expected to inhabit the planet by 2050. Some of the issues to be taken into consideration for the protection of soil physical structure can be listed as follows [15]; Reduce the number and frequency of vehicle traffic, avoid unnecessary operations. To control pests and diseases naturally: Instead of chemical control, natural or integrated protection management should be applied to balance nature, products, pests, diseases, weeds and soil. Fertilizer application methods are extremely important in terms of fertilizer economy. Specific topics include soil quality, soil biology, soil organic matter, organic fertilizers and amendments, composting, soil conservation, crop rotation, mulching and nutrient management. Soil analysis and soil sampling technique are very important in terms of fertilizer usage efficiency. Sustainable soil management is critical for the achievement of many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Some general principles of sustainable agriculture can be listed as follows: Soil must be protected and developed: Soil is absolutely necessary for good and healthy products. In this context, high resolution terrain and plant structure visuals, high resolution relief, slope and product maps can be obtained and thus it is possible to create drainage maps, to evaluate the effect of the slope factor in land efficiency and to obtain various data and base map that can be used in farm management. When 2021 starts, it will be another year where I would argue that many investments are expensive. As such, soil management directly connects to sustainability. Some soil management practices increase the amount of water available to crops, while others will degrade soil and decrease available soil water. One of the cornerstones of the successful Bhoochetana program in Karnataka, India was making available to smallholder farmers micronutrients like boron, zinc, calcium and magnesium. Engage in Dr. Ritzema's experiment to discover the impacts of salt on soils and plants. In this direction, precision farming and variable rate applications are the most suitable methods to achieve maximum output by using the optimum and limited input. Locally, there may be additional protection priorities, such as the protection of genetic diversity or the need to protect specific plant or animal species. 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