Achieving Sustainable Intensification of Crop Production: A Review Traditional Knowledge and Technology

Résumé

Sustainable crop production intensification (SCPI) is a system of boosting agricultural production without adversely affecting the environment or using additional non-agricultural land for cultivation. Numerous farming methods and technologies, adapted to local economy, culture and traditions, exist worldwide which can potentially improve crop resilience, and intensify crop production by improving yields and production efficiency without negatively affecting the environment and can be combined with modern science based technologies for synergistic effects. It is important to raise farmers' awareness of these economically and ecologically sustainable practices for their gradual acceptance and adoption and further refinements.

To meet the challenge of producing enough food to feed the growing population while preserving the environment and maintaining the ecological balance, it is important to combine farmers’ local knowledge with science-based structured knowledge. In light of rapidly degrading natural resources and increasingly stressed local and global ecosystems, it becomes imperative to embrace more eco-friendly and sustainable agricultural practices while maintaining current yields and then gradually move in the direction of yield increases. It is becoming increasingly apparent that indiscriminate use of agrochemicals and energy-intensive processes is not sustainable and strategies to minimize the dependence of agricultural production on external inputs and non-renewable energy sources are urgently needed. Since smallholder farmers have a major share of arable land globally, it is also important to focus on research and development and policy formulation efforts to develop smallholder-friendly technologies and policies. In this paper, we discuss the various agricultural practices and technologies that hold potential for sustainably increasing crop production, required to meet the growing demand for food by the increasing population, without further damaging the environment.