Angelica Mae P.

Cornejo

BSABE 2M

Technological development of agriculture and its great dilemmas

1. Trace developments in agriculture that have significantly impacted on the environment as well as
social changes which agriculture has spawned.

People since ancient times have been dependent on agriculture. This is where most people get
their food resource and livelihood. Because of the need to increase the food production farmers used
different farming methods that have significantly impacted our environment. Because of poor
agricultural practices this leads to the increase in climate change and an increase of greenhouse gases
released into the earth’s atmosphere. Pesticides and fertilizer application affects the quality of air
through the production of compounds like phosphorus, nitrate, and ammonia. Land degradation is also
caused by intensive farming where there is a deficiency of soil nutrients. Forests are being cleaned for
agricultural reasons leading to deforestation. And as agriculture is becoming more commercialized
different plant and animal species were also affected.

Before agriculture came into practice people used to hunt wild animals and gather wild plants to
sustain their food. Agriculture contributed to the rise of civilizations. People were now engaging in the
domestication of plants and animals. And with the great demand for agricultural products farmers are
forced to maintain quality production. With the great demand agricultural products are beginning to
have lower value in the market making farmers to have low income.

2. Give the pros and cons of the Green Revolution and of genetic engineering in food and feed.

Green Revolution
Pros
 It makes food access easier for everyone.
 It improved the quality of crop structures.
 It makes it possible to grow crops in different locations.
 It has allowed us to produce more food.
 Higher yields can become consistent, even in challenging conditions.
 It creates cheaper prices for food.
 The Green Revolution protects the environment.
 It has furthered the disease-resistance and pest-resistance of plants.
 It has helped to create harvests that are more predictable.
 It created more employment opportunities.
 It has reduced poverty levels in low-income nations.


Cons
 It has led to an increase of artificial fertilizers.
  It has created high levels of food waste.
 It uses items that can harm the environment.
 It has created a growing resistance to synthetic chemicals.
 It may cause seed sterility.
 It has placed a focus on cash crops over stable crops.

Genetic Engineering
Pros
 Modified crops are sturdier, standing up to more weather extremes and requiring less expensive
pesticides and herbicides
 Growing GMO crops leads to environmental benefits such as reduced pesticide use, less water
waste, and lower carbon emissions.
 GMO crops lower the price of food and increase nutritional content, helping to alleviate world
hunger.

Cons
 There are concerns about how genetically modified food will affect the overall food chain.
 Because genetically engineering foods is a relatively new practice, little is known about the long-
term effects and safety.
 Some people believe that GMO foods have more potential to trigger allergic reactions.
 Some researchers believe that eating GMO foods can contribute to the development of cancer.
They argue that because the disease is caused by mutations in DNA, it is dangerous to introduce
new genes into the body.
 There is concern that genetic modification, which can boost a crop’s resistance to disease or
make it more tolerant to herbicides, could affect the ability of people to defend against illness.

3. Show examples of traditional and current sustainable agricultural methods.

Traditional Organic Composting – is a natural process of recycling organic material such as leaves scraps
into a rich soil amendment that gardeners fondly nickname Black Gold

Water Harvesting – the redirection and productive use of rainfall, involving a variety of methods to
collect as much water as possible out of each rainfall.

Mulching, groundcovers, and manual weed control - Farmers and other growers can dramatically
reduce the growth of weeds and conserve soil moisture by covering the soil around their plants through
the use of mulching and ground covers.
Crop Rotation – is the practice of growing different crops on the same land. It is designed to preserve
the productive capacity of the soil, minimize pests and diseases, and reduce chemical use to help
maximize yield

Polyculture – involves growing many plants of different species in the same area, often in a way that
imitates nature.

Cover Cropping – cover crops are used to suppress weeds, manage fertility and quality, control diseases
and pests, and promote biodiversity

Intercropping – is a system of cropping in which farmers sow more than two crops at the same time. In
this way, farmers can maximize land use while reducing the risks associated with single crop failure

Agroforestry – involves the growth of trees and shrubs amongst crops or grazing land. Agroforestry
systems can combine both agriculture and forestry practices for long-lasting, productive, and diverse
land use when approached sustainably.

Integrated Crop – Animal Farming – the agricultural system that combines both crop and livestock
production in which the by-product of one system becomes the input for other

Hydroponics and aquaponics - these innovative farming techniques involve the growing of plants
without soil, nourishing the plants through specialized nutrients that are added to water.