First of all, since the world’s population continues to grow, food production must grow with it. Another way to look at this, maybe we need to expand by as much as 70 percent globally. Worst off, some counties have to increase food production by 100 percent by 2050.
Seems like we always are dealing with the constant need for food production. Food demand puts pressure on land and water. Those are the resources we need to sustain it. Climate change complicates the situation even more. When food production and distribution increases, greenhouse gas emissions go up!
Changes Needed Now
Changes are needed to manage food production making agriculture more sustainable. Technology plays a helping hand. So cool that tech helps to feed the world’s population sustainably.
Therefore, here are some of the food innovations. Amazingly, these ideas could revolutionize how we produce our food. So so cool, So cool, So darn cool!!!
Precision Agriculture
Almost most Farmers today use tech to gather data about their operations.
Think about this, farmers can use collected data to improve their crops. This practice is often called precision agriculture. It involves using tools like GPS, sensors and drones to collect information on crop growth. You can then decide things like soil health, water use and weather forecasts. Crunching data with AI, enables farmers to know alot of things like precisely how much water to give plants. By incorporating weather data into calculations helps them plan watering cycles. You can plan around rainfall and can cut that water waste. Best part, Farmers can prevent over watering. Check this out, I do that with my gardening.
Hence, crop monitoring can help to spot problems like pest infestations. In addition, monitors also helps the farmer solve problems quickly. Therefore, you can stop the problems before they cause further severe damage.
Indoor Farming
Outdoor farming now takes up about 12 percent of the world’s land area. Feeding the growing population has two choices.
We could convert more land into farms. Other option, you increase the production of the land we already have. And that’s why The second option is the most sustainable!! Please note, that happens while someone manages the land responsibly.
Increasingly, we find ways that allow us to farm in non-traditional places. Especially relevant, the future is including indoor locations. Hence to therefore, Hydroponics involves growing plants without soil. Can you say vertical gardens built indoors?! One company has even started a farm in an old World War II bomb shelter underneath the streets of London using hydroponics technology.
Hydroseeding
Most essential is preventing degrading farmland. It is so crucial to growing enough food sustainably. One recent study concluded that 100 million people could be forced to migrate in the next three decades. Furthermore, it’s all due to worsening land degradation. My friends, we are talking about unsustainable management of farmlands causes erosion, nutrient depletion and increased flooding.
In conclusion, to feed the growing population, we will need to restore some of these lands. Hydroseeding helps make this process more efficient and more manageable. Land regeneration takes a long time. More important, this ground cover planting method, which involves spraying a mixture of seeds, water and additives such as fertilizers, results in improved erosion control.
Food Tracking With Blockchain
Consumers can help make the food industry more sustainable. Bottom line purchase sustainably produced food products. This is the only way to know whether a product is eco-friendly. By labeling on packaging and using words like “organic” and “sustainable” aren’t strictly regulated. Companies can and do sometimes make false claims.
The blockchain, which is mostly known for being the platform that supports cryptocurrencies, could help us track where our food comes from. The platform used to trace any transaction, and no one entity can change the records within the blockchain.
Blockchain food-tracking initiatives allow customers to scan a food product package and get information about every stage of the production process. This information is to verify claims related to sustainable labeling. Programs like this are in testing. My guess is we may start to see them soon.
So these are just a few of the technological advances. Advances have the potential to increase sustainable food production. To feed the world without damaging the planet!! We have to consider a range of solutions including. Some seen those related to lifestyle choices, farming practices and the use of advanced technologies.
Bio:
Emily Folk is a freelance writer and blogger from Lancaster, PA. She covers topics in conservation, sustainability and renewable energy. To see her latest posts, check out her blog Conservation Folks, or follow her on Twitter!
