Crop Production: Wider Stewardship Needed

Healthy discussions on whether climate change is human induced or not, have led to widening the scope of stewardship. The impact of dramatic warming or cooling of the earth can be so devastating on crops. Pests are likely to migrate, change their attack strategy; weeds will show up earlier after farmers plant their crop and farm chemicals may be rendered ineffective.

Whereas industry may be concerned with safe use of their farm input products; farmers (consumers) on the other had have to focus on the general health of the environment. One way of doing this is to invest in reclaiming arid and semi arid areas as opposed to rushing to virgin forests for farming. Reclaiming such pieces of land is the best way to make farmers to stop accelerating climate change.

Broader stewardship concerns may have to include discussions on the impact of activities of people who stay upstream to those who stay downstream. Increased episodes of drying rivers may bring into play payments to those upstream to conserve water catchment areas. Alternatively, striking a balance through awareness of the interconnectedness of human activity to crop productivity will make stewardship work for all. 

 

---