Academic Input Towards Sustainable Agriculture

In my last article that discusses the concepts of agroecology, what is in my opinion probably the only absolutely sustainable agriculture, I mentioned how many academic institutions are developing sustainable practice degrees and integrating them into their agricultural programs.

The College of Natural Resources at University of California, Berkeley, has a center of agroecology that will hopefully push a new surge of young people interested in sustainable and ethical farming into the commercial farming industry.

Spearheading the movement in the department is Miguel A. Altieri Associate Professor and Associate Entomologist at UCB. On the UCB agroecology website, he wrote an extensive essay describing why it is important to preserve and conserve as well as contribute to overall soil health, what role Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) play in the field;  and the importance of resisting monoculture farming techniques.

One thing he brought up quite specifically was the use of GMOs, as they are specifically designed to be pesticide resistant, which brings up a multitude of scenarios, none of which are good:

Transnational corporations (TNCs) such as Monsanto, DuPont, Norvartis, etc. which are the main proponents of biotechnology argue that carefully planned introduction of these crops should reduce or even eliminate the enormous crop losses due to weeds, insect pests, and pathogens. In fact they argue that the use of such crops will have added beneficial effects on the environment by significantly reducing the use of agrochemicals. What is ironic is the fact that the biorevolution is being brought forward by the same interests that promoted the first wave of agrochemically-based agriculture, but this time, by equipping each crop with new "insecticidal genes," they are promising the world safer pesticides, reduction on chemically intensive farming and a more sustainable agriculture.

As long as transgenic crops follow closely the pesticide paradigm, such biotechnological products will do nothing but reinforce the pesticide treadmill in agroecosystems, thus legitimizing the concerns that many scientists have expressed regarding the possible environmental risks of genetically engineered organisms. Given the power of biotechnology to produce combinations of genes not found in nature, the most serious ecological risks posed by the commercial-scale use of transgenic crops

• threatens crop genetic diversity by simplifying cropping systems and promoting genetic erosion;


• The potential transfer of genes from HRCs to wild or semi-domesticated relatives thus creating super weeds;


• HRC volunteers become weeds in subsequent crops;


• The use of HRCs undermine the possibilities of crop diversification thus reducing agrobiodiversity in time and space;


• Vector-mediated horizontal gene transfer and recombination to create new pathogenic bacteria;


• Vector recombination to generate new virulent strains of virus, especially in trangenic plants engineered for viral resistance with viral genes;


• Insect pests will quickly develop resistance to crops with Bt toxin;

In fact, Altieri brings up so many good points in the article, that I would suggest anyone interested in true scientific research, rather than corporate spin by the biotech industry, to get a cup of fair trade, shade-grown coffee and read the entire essay.

Agroecology is the traditional means of protecting the soil whose balance is so very important to sustainable food production. Heavy use of pesticides are a relatively new technological advancement in the name of profiteering, in my opinion, a criminal act of ecoterrorism.  Our support of it is paid for by our hard-earned money when we vote for out-of-season, non-accountable produce and packaged, processed foods whose substantial ingredient lists are made up of GM grains and beans by purchasing them.

If you're working with an organic farmer in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program or using the farmer's markets, talk with your farmers! Ask them what they do to conserve, protect and restore the soil of its nutrients. A good farmer will explain his position, whether or not he is using organic practices; if he isn't, ask him to look into more sustainable practices, even if he isn't "certified" organic.

We have the power, nay, the duty,  to support those who look to protect the soil, water and air: the three basic components to support sustainable life and sustainable agriculture.

Photo credit: eszpee