An article on the DevEx website explores issues surrounding the challenge of meeting the world’s increasing demand for food sustainably and amid changes in climate.

With agroforestry, there is great potential for integrating trees on farms to help replenish soil, reduce erosion and increase food production over a substantial period of time, says the article, however agroforestry has not spread widely because of many challenges. “Many people don’t own the land they farm, for instance; others seem to favor short-term gains to long-term benefits, opting for fast-growing trees they can sell for timber,” says Michael Brown, director of environment and natural resources with the international development consulting company, Chemonics.

The article states that “a range of techniques and technologies need to be integrated and adopted, with the agriculture and environmental communities setting an example by coming together around sustainable agriculture”. It further outlines many of the difficulties with implementing more sustainable practices, including:

• The rising demand among high-income consumers for more expensive foods, such as the demand for meat in China’s growing middle class which has led to countries seeking out farmland across Africa.
• Organic farming is less productive than agriculture using chemical fertilizers, so if all farmers went organic then a larger land area would be required to feed a growing population which could lead to deforestation.
• Controlling pests can have a detrimental effect on other important species such as bees and earthworms.
• Spreading new innovations to farmers takes time and extension services are lacking. Farmers need to be convinced of the benefits. “Only a farmer who brings in more money conserving the environment will abandon slash-and-burn agriculture.”
• The public and private sector need to contribute, such as companies committing to source products grown in sustainable systems.

Read the full story: How to feed our planet without devastating the environment