4 - Farming with Nature
Biodiversity refers to the variability of all organisms, including their genetic diversity and the diversity of eco-systems in which they live. Agricultural development has n most cases been pursued without considering its effect on biodiversity. Pressure on agricultural land is increasing. Global demand for food and fiber is expected to grow by at least 50 percent in the next few decades, and much more in low ncome developing countries.
LEISA farming practices contribute to the maintenance of ecosystem services on a local scale. In addition, small-scale farms are, in general, more biodiverse than larger farms, as they are often more ecologically and intensively managed.
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4 - 6Editorial
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7 - 9written by Jo Ann Baumgartner , Daniel ImhoffIn North America, present day agriculture plays a major role in the rapid reduction of wild animal and bird populations. Agriculture has converted more and more natural habitats into land suitable for highly intensive, large-scale crop and livestock production. With the loss of habitats comes the loss of species, and with the intensive production comes the pollution of land, air and water, further reducing the possibilities for wild life. A movement is now underway to counter these effects, which can be described as conservation based agriculture, permaculture or farming with the wild. The different expressions of this movement have one aim in common: to combine the goals of agriculture and conservation.
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10 - 11written by Vir Singh
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14 - 16written by Diego LynchThe Talamanca region in the south of Costa Rica is the country’s poorest region in socio-economic terms, but the richest in terms of biodiversity and tropical forest ecosystems. To preserve this biodiversity, the Amistad International Peace Park has been established, covering parts of Costa Rica as well as Panama. Cacao production was a major source of income in the area and farmers were hard hit when the devastating cacao pod rot struck in 1977, forcing them to abandon cacao production and revert to tree felling, short-term cropping and selling their land. To reverse this situation, a local NGO, Association ANAI, encouraged farmers to diversify their farming systems based on perennial crops and ecological principles. They also encouraged farmer’s organization and developed a marketing cooperative which introduced and developed the growing and marketing of certified organic products. In addition, locally-owned ecotourism initiatives are now being developed to conserve the environment and protect livelihoods.
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17 - 19Bangladesh has the highest wetland to total land ratio in the world. Cultivation on floating beds, called soil-less agriculture or hydroponics, is an indigenous practice in the south-western part of Bangladesh. This practice is now receiving renewed interest as a potential solution for farmers whose lands have been waterlogged, and also for landless people. In addition to being highly productive, this system of cultivation makes use of local resources, in particular the masses of rapidly growing water hyacinths that choke the waterways. It is also an environmentally sustainable way to make use of wetland areas.
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22 - 23written by Samwel Wandera
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24 - 26written by Constance L Neely , Jody Butterfield
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29 - 29written by L. Narayana Reddy
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35 - 36Suman sangam is all about the initiatives and efforts made towards converting a barren piece of land into a beautiful farm. Being as eco-friendly as possible in all activities, optimally utilising the available natural resources and building diversity, both crop and livestock, are the major principles on which the farm has been developed.
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