2019 Envirothon5th Topic Training

AGRICULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT: KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY TO FEED THE WORLD

Key Topics1. Understanding how agroecosystems function and the services they provide.2. Understanding the importance of soil health as the foundation of a healthy ecosystem.

3. Understanding sustainable agriculture on large and small farm operations, as well as the indicators of sustainable farming.

4. Understanding how sustainable and best management farming practices enhance and protect soil health, water quality and quantity, and biodiversity; as well as manage insect pests, disease, and weeds.

5. The differences of local, regional, and national foods systems that are vital to grow food for an ever increasing world population; and the importance of each food system.

6. New technologies that help provide more efficient agriculture production.

Learning Objectives1. Understand how agroecology applies ecological principles to agricultural systems by considering productivity, ecosystem impacts, and social responsibility.- KT #1

2. Understand the indicators of soil health, including physical, chemical and biological properties and its role in the agroecosystem-KT #2.

3. Define sustainable agriculture, including comparing and contrasting sustainable practices on large and small farm operations- KT #3

4. Understand the importance of moving toward sustainable farming systems to conserve natural resources, mitigate climate change, reduce erosion and protect water quality and quantity; as well as and promote pollination- KT #4

5. Understand farm management practices to build soil organic matter, such as: composting, crop rotations, cover crops, conservation tillage, and management intensive grazing systems to improve soil health.- KT #4

6. Understand best management practices that improve water quality and reduce water use such as conservation tillage, cover crops, plant selection, precision agriculture, water re-use, and sub-surface drip irrigation.- KT #4

7. Understand integrated pest management and biological pest control techniques used to prevent insect pest, disease, and weed problems.- KT # 4

8. Knowledge of the role pollinators play in farming and ways to attract them.-KT#4

9. Describe the economic, social, and environmental benefits of sustainableagriculture to local communities, as well as to regional and global food systems.KT #5

10. Understand the role of new technology: agricultural biotechnology; precision agriculture; using UAV (drones, GIS, etc.) to increase farm efficiency for food production.- KT #6

11. Understand the risks and benefits of agricultural biotechnology.- KT #6

What will students learn?

Understand the importance of moving toward sustainable farming systems to conserve natural resources, mitigate climate change, reduce erosion and protect water quality and quantity, and promote pollination; Comprehension of farming practices that build soil organic matter such as composting, crop

rotations, cover crops, conservation tillage, and management intensive grazing systems to improve soil health;

Understand integrated pest management and biological pest control techniques used to prevent insect pest, disease, and weed problems;

Understand the role of new technology: agricultural biotechnology; precision agriculture; and using UAV (drones, GIS, etc.) to increase farm efficiency for food production.

Sustainable Agriculture

What does sustainability or sustainable mean?

What is an ecological system?

How are ecology and sustainability related to agriculture?

Agroecology

Agroecology is the application of ecological concepts and principles to agriculture.

Agroecology as a system optimizes interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment while safeguarding the social aspects of a sustainable and fair food system.

Working WITH natural systems vs. working AGAINST them

All Together Now…

Water Conservation

Nutrient Manage

ment

Wildlife Habitat

Soil Health

Agroecology: Principals Employs practices that maximize biodiversity and

emphasize interaction productivity across farms and local ecosystems.

Often done without synthetic pesticides, minimizing impacts, protecting wildlife habitat and ecosystem service.

Socio-economic benefits of agroecology

Increase income

Maintain/create jobs

Saving on chemicals

Increase food security

Outcomes of diversified agroecological systems Similar/same crop yields as conventional farming

Enhanced biodiversity on and off the farm

Agroecology: Key Elements

1. Diversity

2. Co-Creation and Sharing of

Knowledge

3. Synergies

4. Efficiency

5. Recycling

6. Resilience

7. Human and Social Values

8. Culture and Food Traditions

9. Responsible governance

10. Circular and Solitary Economy

http://www.fao.org/agroecology/en/

Agroecology explained, Greens EFA: (Video)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLqYE-m2nE4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLqYE-m2nE4

History and key concepts: Industrialized agriculture

Consequences of industrialized agriculture. Topsoil depletion

Groundwater contamination

Air pollution

Greenhouse gas emissions

Decline of family farms

Neglect of the living and working conditions of farm laborers

New threats to human health and safety due to pathogen spread

Economic concentration in food and agricultural industries

Disintegration of rural communities

Climate impacts on food supply Warming and

increased carbon dioxide may help plants grow, but more severe warming, floods and droughts may reduce yields.

Risk to livestock, heat stress, reduced food supply.

Fisheries impacts due to water temperature changes.

1.2 Agroecology: Innovations & Technology Integrated Pest Management (IPM) –

reduces use of pesticides and chemicals.

Example: biological control – using bugs to combat pest bugs. Social Media, blogs, mobile apps – help

growers identify weeds and insects to understand pest control techniques, tools to select cover crops, water quality protection methods.

Development of knowledge – landscape specific resources with low-cost/affordable techniques that work with local ecosystem.

2.0 Agroecology Principles in Soil Conservation

Soil is mixture of mineral and organic compounds that hold form structure, and composition

Size shape and amount of soil particles affect amount of air present, and influences water permeability and holding capacity

SOM (Soil organic matter) – organic component of soil made up of plant and animal residues, vital to ensuring healthy soil and crops.

Home to 1/4th of all living organisms

2.3 Soil Texture Soil textural class determined by proportions or percentages of each

size class of particles (sand, silt, clay).

2.4 Soil Horizons21

Sustainable Ag and Soil Health Soil Health

Increase in Soil Microbiological activity Process, retain and recycle nutrients = Less nutrient requirement = $$$

Increase water holding capacity = higher yield = $$$

Practices aren’t expensive, more of a SUSTAINABLE MINDSET No-till, cover crop, crop rotation, diversity…

2.6 Sustainable Soil Management

Ways to minimize soil degradation Conservation Tillage – limited tillage to no-till

approach Crop Rotation – grow different crops

annually, multiple crops on same field, rotate location of crops. Reduces erosion, prevents disease, improves soil.

No-Till

Conservation tillage

2.6 Sustainable Soil Management cont..

Green Manure – grown for increasing soil fertility i.e. legumes, clover

Compost – made from farm waste biomass (leftover straw, etc.), reduces nutrient loss, increase crop protection from diseases.

Manure – managed nutrient source.

Livestock – can increase agricultural productivity, income and resilience. Can increase plant biodiversity in grasslands.

The Future of Farming & Agriculture (Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmla9NLFBvU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmla9NLFBvU

2.7 How agroecology can promote food supply

Higher yields for each crop in sequential rotations

Improved soil health compare to intensive practices, therefore economic returns when considering labor costs.

3.0 Agroecology Principles in Water Conservation & Quality

Eutrophication Excessive nutrients leading to

algae growth, decreased oxygen levels in waterways

Runoff Pesticide loading to waterways

negatively impact aquatic systems.

3.2 Agroecology & Water Conservation: BMPs to conserve water

Residue management – leaves crop residue from previous year’s harvest before and after planting next crop reduces runoff, conserves water by retaining moisture.

Cover crops – crops used to improve soil, used for grazing. Improve land’s ability to hold moisture in plant roots during drought, act as sponge during rains. Examples: barley, oats, ryegress, legumes.

Plant Selection – choosing plants that will flourish in particular climates. Planting companion crops close to each other for pest control, pollination, habitat benefits.

3.2 Agroecology & Water Conservation: BMPs to conserve water

Precision agriculture – crop management using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), GPS to predict, map and optimize productivity..

Sub-surface drip irrigation –drip tubes or drip tape buried in ground to dispense controlled water quantities. Can reduce water use by 25-50%, but expensive to install.

Sustainable Ag and H2O Soil Organic Matter (SOM) = Water holding capacity (WHC)

Drought tolerance Crops need water at critical times

Reproductive Growth Phase

Can’t wait for the rain

Healthy Soil = More H2O, Bigger basket, easier shot

Less Compaction = More Infiltration = Less Runoff

4.0 Agroecology Principles in Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation

Agroecological systems do: emphasize biodiversity between flora and fauna.

Avoid pesticide and fertilizer use to protect wildlife habitat and populations

Incorporates ecosystem services provided by wildlife to maintain productivity i.e. birds and bats as pest control.

4.1 Benefits of Wildlife in Agroecology

Native vegetation filters contaminants before groundwater infiltration, prevents soil erosion, provides habitat.

Wildlife are pollinators, pest control, enhance biodiversity increasing resilience.

4.2 Birds

Native insectivores (bug eaters) include Eastern song sparrow, swifts, sparrows.

Can be as effective as crop pest production, reduce or eliminate need for synthetic pesticides.

4.3 Pollinators Pollination is key to food industry success. Bees, birds and other pollinators impact

35% of world’s crop production, increase yields worldwide.

Bees are declining globally from pesticide use, climate change, and disease/parasitism.

Farmers can encourage bee habitat, promote wildflower, snags and woody-debris to encourage colonization.

Gumplant next to almonds, Yolo County, August 2016

Wildflowers next to tomatoes, Solano County, May 2015

http://ucanr.edu/blogs/Green/blogfiles/38620_original.jpghttp://ucanr.edu/blogs/Green/blogfiles/38620_original.jpg

Sustainable Ag and Pollinators Industrial agriculture = dramatic effects on native wildlife

Co-evolved with small fields, hedge rows Natural insect predators Pollination

Unintended consequences…. Difficult to fully understand how eliminating or

altering animal populations can effect the overall food chain and ecological balance

5.0 Agroecology Principles in Forests and Forest Management

Agroforestry – incorporating trees in to agricultural operations, combines trees with crops and livestock to benefit land.

Examples of agroforestry include woodlot management, plantations, windbreaks, silvopastoral, intercropping/alley-cropping, streambank tree planting.

Benefits of Agroforestry PracticesEconomics • Diversified farm income • Energy savings • Significant opportunities for generating

products for farm use • Opportunities for farm labor • Possible tax incentive opportunities

Environmental

• Decreased water and wind erosion • Improved soil quality/reduced erosion • Conservation of soil moisture • Improved nutrient cycling • Increased biodiversity • Increased health and resiliency of natural areas • Improved carbon sequestration • Reduced impacts of agriculture • Increased pollinator habitat

Barriers to using Agroforestry Systems: • Belief that trees will reduce productivity of lands • Trees may physically interfere with farming operations (i.e. machinery) • Increased biodiversity could include increase in pest species (Woodlot

Management, 2007)

5.1 Woodlot ManagementBenefits

Timber sales

Recreational opportunities

Non-timber forest products such as mushrooms, medicines, fuelwoods.

5.3 Windbreaks(Shelterbelts)

Windbreaks are linear clusters of trees and shrubs used to alter wind flow to protect people, soil health, property, and livestock while enhancing biodiversity.

Used around agricultural fields, adjacent to roads, waterways and livestock facilities.

5.4 Silvopastoral

Silvopastoral systems put trees in livestock pasture to provide shade, increase biodiversity and provide potential economic return through timber product sales.

5.5 Intercropping/Alley-cropping

Intercropping/alley-cropping are agrisilvicultural systems feature multiple crops planted in spaced rows, allowing for crops in spaces between.

Pruning and maintenance required for desired shade levels.

Most commonly incorporates fruit and nut trees in overstory and annual crops on the ground.

Tree cover means crops need less weed and pest spraying, less irrigation, and have less competition from other plants.

5.6 Riparian Streambank Planting (Riparian Buffers)

Riparian buffers are strips of native plants or forest planted along waterways

Protect water quality, stabilize soil, mitigate flood water, provide habitat, encourage recreation.

Protect excessive sedimentation, filter non-point source pollution, shade to cool streams, provide fish habitat for temperature sensitive species.

Sustainable Ag and Stream Buffers Ecological backstop

Wildlife habitat Limit Erosion Limit Nutrient/Chemical Transport

HUGE BENEFIT TO WATER QUALITY

Climate Smart Agriculture: Helping the World Produce More Food (World Bank Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0V2xzEw44Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0V2xzEw44Y

2019 Envirothon�5th Topic TrainingKey TopicsLearning ObjectivesWhat will students learn?Slide Number 5AgroecologySlide Number 7All Together Now…Agroecology: Principals Agroecology: Key ElementsAgroecology explained, Greens EFA: (Video)�https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLqYE-m2nE4�History and key concepts: Industrialized agricultureSlide Number 13Slide Number 14Slide Number 15Climate impacts on food supply1.2 Agroecology: Innovations & TechnologySlide Number 182.0 Agroecology Principles in Soil Conservation2.3 Soil Texture2.4 Soil HorizonsSustainable Ag and Soil Health2.6 Sustainable Soil Management Slide Number 242.6 Sustainable Soil Management cont..The Future of Farming & Agriculture (Video)2.7 How agroecology can promote food supply3.0 Agroecology Principles in Water Conservation & Quality3.2 Agroecology & Water Conservation: BMPs to conserve water�3.2 Agroecology & Water Conservation: BMPs to conserve waterSustainable Ag and H2O4.0 Agroecology Principles in Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation4.1 Benefits of Wildlife in Agroecology4.2 Birds4.3 PollinatorsSustainable Ag and Pollinators5.0 Agroecology Principles in Forests and Forest ManagementBenefits of Agroforestry Practices5.1 Woodlot Management5.3 Windbreaks(Shelterbelts)5.4 Silvopastoral5.5 Intercropping/Alley-cropping5.6 Riparian Streambank Planting (Riparian Buffers)Sustainable Ag and Stream BuffersClimate Smart Agriculture: Helping the World Produce More Food (World Bank Video)