OVERVIEW

The largest industry in the world is agriculture. It produces approximately $1.3 trillion worth of food annually and employs over one billion people. Approximately half of the Earth's livable land is made up of pasture and crops, which serve as both a home and a food source for a wide variety of species.

When agricultural practices are managed sustainably, vital ecosystems can be preserved and restored, watersheds can be protected, and soil and water quality can be enhanced. However, unsustainable behaviors have detrimental effects on both the environment and people.

Sustainable Agriculture Stories

In Tanzania's rural areas, nature and people coexist and thrive:

A group of people from Igombavu village in Tanzania's southern highlands are collaborating with the CARE-WWF Alliance to improve their quality of life and safeguard their surroundings. The Manzigira group, which means "Environment" in Swahili, is spearheading the village's efforts to stabilize and repair damaged water banks by cultivating and restoring riparian (or water-friendly) trees. Additionally, the group is creating community ordinances to prevent further misuse of the area.

Regenerative agriculture in Wales gives native species hope:

LLANDOVERY :: UK & Wales:

Esgair Llaethdy, owned by Hywel Morgan, resembles many other Welsh hill farms with an endless supply of lush pastures dotted with fluffy sheep. But if you look more closely, he claims, you'll see that "everything has a reason, a purpose." Morgan made the transition to regenerative agriculture, a comprehensive, environmentally conscious method of land management, ten years ago. Morgan has created a lush, symbiotic ecology on his farm by balancing the quantity and breeds of animals he owns, eliminating artificial fertilizers, and diversifying his grass species.

Can soil-less agriculture contribute to global food supply?

There is an environmental cost associated with producing enough food to feed everyone on the planet. Conventional farming methods can result in excessive water use, soil erosion, deforestation, and pesticide misuse. Now, how can we feed people in a sustainable way? WWF is examining if soilless alternatives to traditional agriculture can provide a more environmentally friendly way for growing our food by combining a new study with an experimental program in St. Louis.

A Sustainable Future through Farming:

Among our best allies in conservation are farmers. They tend to the lands and streams that support their livelihoods and grow the crops that contribute to the food, fuel, and clothing of a rising world. Farmers will face greater pressure to produce more crops without harming the environment as the world's population rises.

The answer is in the dirt, which is beneath our feet.

Farmers may create fields that are more resistant to extreme weather events, preserve water sources, store carbon, and create rich, fertile soils that will provide robust crops by using conservation methods. Both nature and farmers benefit from it.