Module 8.2

Sustainable Agriculture: Raising Crops

sustainable agriculture

farming methods that can be used indefinitely because they do not deplete resources, such as soil and water, faster than they are replaced

organic agriculture

farming that does not use synthetic fertilizer, pesticides, GMOs, or other chemical additives like hormones (for animal rearing)

soil

a complex ecosystem of mineral and organic material, including living organisms such as bacteria, invertebrates, and fungi, that supports the growth of plants and is, in turn, affected by those plants

soil erosion

the process in which soil is moved from one location to another most often by wind or water

agroecology

a scientific field that considers the area’s ecology and indigenous knowledge and favors agricultural methods that protect the environment and meet the needs of local people

polyculture

a farming method in which a mix of different species are grown together in one area

integrated pest management (IPM)

the use of a variety of methods to control a pest population, with the goal of minimizing or eliminating the use of chemical toxins

cultural control

???

biological control

???

mechanical control

???

chemical control

???

annual crops

crops that grow, produce seeds, and die in a single year and must be replanted each season

perennial crops

crops that do not die at the end of the growing season but live for several years, which means they can be harvested annually without replanting

food miles

the distance a food travels from its site of production to the consumer

carbon footprint

the amount of CO2 (and other greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change) released to the atmosphere by a person, company, nation, or activity