Sustainable agriculture
We are in a crisis. Conventional agriculture has exploited our natural resources, we are losing the fertility and life in our soils while making crops dependent on inputs such as chemical fertilizers. The excessive use of fertilizers and insecticides has devastated biodiversity and has polluted rivers and oceans. It is also one of the causes for the lack of organic matter and soil life that is needed to retain nutrients. Moreover, our soils often cannot effectively retain water and become prone to erosion. For the sake of efficiency, farms are usually made of monocultures, only growing one crop on a large scale. This makes farms vulnerable for pests and disease. Moreover, this uniformity is boring. Farming is usually a low-pay, low status job. While we need more farmers, we are not effective in attracting enough young people to this profession. After recognizing this crisis, it's crucial for us to learn that the problem can be the solution!
"You can solve all the world's problems in a garden." - Geoff Lawton
Farming can be a job that is healing, for both the people involved as the ecosystem we work in. By implementing a good design that takes account of all the elements in an ecosystem, we can create a diverse food production system that works with us, not against us. We can effectively cycle nutrients, carbon, water and waste without relying too much on inputs. In the process, we can restore biodiversity and soil life. When our soil life is restored, we can produce crops that are nutrient dense and can nourish our people.
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Farming is a fantastic job, requiring creativity and a multi-disciplinary approach. After working and volunteering on more than twenty farms over the last five years, I am strongly convinced of the potential of sustainable farming. I am excited to visit and work on more farms - there is so much to learn. Together, we can create ecosystems where people and plants can grow. So let's connect, we can work together and get more people involved!