by Don Rainwater

Created on: April 27, 2008   Last Updated: May 07, 2008

Robert Watson previously served as the chief scientist at the World Bank and while there he started the IAASTD, which stands for International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology. This three year project has studied and reviewed agriculture in around the world and it has gathered knowledge from various experts in government and the private sector. Currently he directs IAASTD and is the head scientist at the British environment and agriculture department.

The editor of the Inter Press Service interviewed him and here is a quote: "The significance of the IAASTD is that for the first time governments from the developed and developing countries, civil society, scientific authors from natural and social sciences all worked together to address the critical issue of how to get affordable and nutritious food in way that is environmentally and socially sustainable."

He went on to say: "It is not enough to look at the science and technology of how to grow more food without looking at its impacts on natural ecosystems and on social systems."

Previous studies have concentrated on the economics of food production without looking at how to keep the soil and environment healthy so we can still grow enough food in the future. A huge concern is that agricultural technology while producing more food is ruining the environment thus not enough food or healthy food can be grown later on. The other problem is that many times making a good decision for the environment is posed to the public as a non-growth situation opposing a growth situation; this presentation of environmental concerns and policies makes the public see environmental science negatively and slows the use of sustainable technologies.

Robertson and Swinton in Reconciling Agricultural Productivity and Environmental Integrity: a Grand Challenge for Agriculture agree with Watson in that they to say that the enterprise of human agriculture "is fundamentally a social endeavor" and that necessitates understanding how the social mores of economics etc. can cooperate with the ecology that governs farming. There has to be a blend of the two so that enough food is produced and the soil, water, the ecosystems of the surrounding animals and insects is sustained.

But Robertson and Swinton point out that the feasibility of marrying new technologies with an organic method would call for new ideas so that enough organic matter and natural predators would be available. They say that reactive problem-solving causes another problem and that excess manure is an example. The solution is ecosystem management, which includes the environment plus humans.

Some ways of implementing soil management are suggested by the University of Minnesota Extension in their Soil Management page online.

Adding organic matter
Avoiding excessive tillage and soil consumption

Managing pests and nutrients effectively
Keeping the ground covered
Increasing diversity
Monitoring soil performance

Such effective practices along with emerging new ideas that incorporate the wide spectrum embraced by Watson and Robertson and Swinton if utilized can solve soil management problems.

Sources:

Increase Agricultural Productivity While Reducing the Environmental Footprint
Interview with Robert Watson
Inter Press service News Agency
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=41983
Johann esburg, Apr 15 (IPS)

Reconciling Agricultural Productivity and
Environmental Integrity: a Grand Challenge for Agriculture
G Philip Robertson1 and Scott M Swinton
Dept of Crop and Soil Sciences and WK Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University
http://www.esajournals.org/

Soil Management
University of Minnesota Extension
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/c ropsystems/components/7399_01.html

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