The facts of farming
Passion, drive and knowhow; the fundamental qualities of farmers according to a new video from BASF – we couldn’t agree more.
Farming is not what it used to be; out of necessity it has changed, it has become more efficient, increasingly precise and employs an impressive diversity of technological solutions. Agriculture develops and adapts to feed us, and there’s a lot more of us than there used to be, and guess what, there’s plenty more on the way. World population doubled between 1960 and the year 2000, in just 40 years 3 billion become 6 billion. Although population growth is slowing, we can expect to be sharing the planet with 9 billion people by the year 2050.
If feeding all of these extra mouths is not challenge enough, modern day farmers also have to struggle with climate change and the unpredictable and extreme weather events that accompany it, a volatile economy and the impact of global recession and austerity measures. If this wasn’t enough, farmers have also become ‘stewards of the land’ in light of increased public concern over the fate of the environment and the role of agriculture in the sustainable use of natural resources (let’s not even get started on the conservation of ‘cultural landscapes’ and the preservation of rural tradition).
Agriculture – the act of cultivation – has around 10,000 years of history and was once an activity that involved the entire community; growing food to survive was tough, and a full time job. Thanks to the development of agriculture and the dedication of farmers, we don’t all need to work in the field anymore; society has grown and demands that we occupy our time in other ways.
Over several generations society has become disconnected from agriculture and at the same time more interested in food and health, and increasingly concerned about the environment. We want to eat healthy, we want variety in our diet, we want to do the right thing for the environment, and we want to be reassured that we can feed 9 billion people.
Agriculture is, and will continue to be, a driver of change – with or without positive intervention. We have to eat, therefore we grow. What we grow, where and how we grow are key considerations for sustainable agriculture; and as society becomes increasingly involved and influential in the sustainability debate, it will pay us (and the 3 billion new arrivals we expect in the next few decades) to understand farming a little better, to reconnect with the realities of agriculture, and avoid biting the hand that feeds us.
Growing apart – Growing together, the new video from BASF:
