The sustainable agriculture imperative: A perspective on the need for an agrosystem approach to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030

Abstract

The development of modern, industrial agriculture and its high input–high output carbon energy model is rendering agricultural landscapes less resilient. The expected continued increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, in conjunction with declining soil health and biodiversity losses, could make food more expensive to produce. The United Nations has called for global action by establishing 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), four of which are linked to food production and security: declining biodiversity (SDG 15), loss of ecosystem services and agroecosystem stability caused by increasing stress from food production intensification and climate change (SDG 13), declining soil health caused by agricultural practices (SDGs 2 and 6), and dependence on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to maintain high productivity (SDG 2). To achieve these SDGs, the agriculture sector must take a leading role in reversing the many negative environmental trends apparent in today's agricultural landscapes to ensure that they will adapt and be resilient to climate change in 2030 and beyond. This will demand fundamental changes in how we practice agriculture from an environmental standpoint. Here, we present a perspective focused on the implementation of an agrosystem approach, which we define to promote regenerative agriculture, an integrative approach that provides greater resilience to a changing climate, reverses biodiversity loss, and improves soil health; honors Indigenous ways of knowing and a holistic approach to living off and learning from the land; and supports the establishment of emerging circular economies and community well‐being. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1199–1205. © 2021 SETAC

Sustainable development goals applied to digital pathology and artificial intelligence applications in low- to middle-income countries

“…We considered one underlying reason that digital pathology and AI rely heavily on technologies combined with computational skills (i.e., higher education); which emphasizes the sustainability associated with improved education. Importantly, perceptions of sustainability often do not cover all dimensions and focus mainly on environmental aspects ( 2 , 4 , 30 , 38 , 39 ). In our rank-order goals 13–15 (climate action, life below water, life on land) were not considered as important to realize AI ( 11 , 22 , 25 ).…”

Risk assessments underestimate threat of pesticides to wild bees

“…Pollinator risk assessments are predicated on studies that provide key lethality data for regulators to make decisions invested in protecting biodiversity while maintaining ecosystem services and economic output (Levin et al 1989; USEPA 2004; Relyea & Hoverman 2006; Stark et al 2015; Bongaarts 2019; Shahmohamadloo et al 2022). The three-tiered approach adopted by the USEPA and other regulatory agencies worldwide provides a framework by which regulators translate study results to inform their decisions on pesticide risk management (Olker et al 2022).…”

“…This metric is derived from controlled laboratory studies quantifying toxicological responses on individual organisms (Barata et al 1998; Stark et al 2015). For over half a century, LD50s have guided regulatory agencies on how best to protect biodiversity while maintaining ecosystem services and economic output (USEPA 2014; Stark et al 2015; Shahmohamadloo et al 2022). Yet, environmental protection goals are designed to protect populations and communities, making it difficult to translate laboratory studies on individual organisms to interpretable field outcomes (Clements & Rohr 2009; Newman 2009; Hommen et al 2010).…”

Key Aspects of the Relationship Between Sustainable Development Goals, Food Security and Agricultures in Ukraine

“…Other researchers identify four SDGs "linked to food production and security: declining biodiversity (SDG 15), loss of ecosystem services and agroecosystem stability caused by increasing stress from food production intensification and climate change (SDG 13), declining soil health caused by agricultural practices (SDGs 2 and 6), and dependence on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to maintain high productivity (SDG 2)" (Shahmohamadloo and et al, 2022). Johan Bouma (2014) identifies 5 SDGs that relate to land and are interconnected through it.…”