How can the community benefit from agriculture

Community Agriculture Benefits

• Health. Community agriculture can increase access to healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, especially in low-income…
• Social. Community agriculture provides many social benefits, including opportunities for community engagement, fostering…
• Economic. A key economic benefit is the reduction in grocery expenses when receiving harvest…

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What are the benefits of community farming?

Community farming offers many benefits to farmers who want to practice sustainable agriculture and to communities who want fresh, healthy, locally-produced food. Community farms are locally owned and operated, and democratically controlled.

Why invest in community shared agriculture?

When a community invests in a farm, its long term viability and security as a food production (and social) system are supported. Farmers benefit from market and price stability when communities support their farmers through community shared agriculture programs, farmers markets, and local distribution networks.

What are the benefits of sustainable agriculture?

#5 Agriculture boosts soil fertility. One of the key features of sustainable agriculture is the focus on the health of soils. Practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping, no-tillage and the application of compost, improve soil fertility naturally and can even speed up the process of new topsoil formation.

Can agriculture have a positive impact on the environment?

When done right, farmers could actually bring about many positive environmental impacts of agriculture that may enrich local biodiversity and boost vital ecosystem services. How does agriculture affect the environment in a positive way?

What are 3 benefits of agriculture?

Here are ten reasons why agriculture is important:#1. It’s the main source of raw materials. … #2. It’s important to international trade. … #3. It plays a big role in a nation’s revenue. … #4. It provides employment. … #5. It’s crucial to a country’s development. … #6. It can help heal the environment. … #7. … #8.More items…

What are the benefits of agricultural?

Agriculture and Food. Agriculture can help reduce poverty, raise incomes and improve food security for 80% of the world’s poor, who live in rural areas and work mainly in farming. The World Bank Group is a leading financier of agriculture.

What are the benefits and advantages of agriculture?

Farming creates opportunities to lift people out of poverty in developing nations. Over 60 percent of the world’s working poor works in agriculture. Farming creates more jobs, beginning with farmers, and continuing with farm equipment makers, food processing plants, transportation, infrastructure and manufacturing.

How do communities benefit from urban farms?

Urban agriculture provides multi-dimensional benefits, especially as regards food security for low income groups, employment and training opportunities for disadvantaged and marginalised groups, enhanced access to fresh fruit and vegetables, and reduced environmental impacts through less transport, packaging and …

What is CSA share?

A CSA share, sometimes called a membership, is an offering that varies from farm to farm in size and product mix but is essentially a subscription of farm fresh food that is either picked up or delivered on a regular basis. In recent years, farmers have made efforts to make CSAs adaptable to customer needs.

What is upfront payment in CSA?

In a traditional CSA model, the upfront payment allows producers to invest in equipment, seeds, and cover upfront growing costs without having to take out high interest loans. Some CSA programs offer flexible payment options, allowing customers to pay throughout the season.

What is CSA in Michigan?

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, directly connects consumers and producers to help create a more profitable and transparent local food system. CSAs have been around for a while, but have adapted to changes in the market, such as the prevalence of subscription boxes, and customer preferences. Michigan State University Extension Community Food Systems helps provide consumer education on CSAs and other methods for accessing local food.

What is direct connection to producers?

A direct connection to producers: consumers can directly ask producers about their growing practices and make choices to purchase from farmers that align with their values

Why do farmers pay up front?

Farmers use up-front payments to cover the cost of seeds, tools, and other inputs at the start of the season.

Can farmers make CSAs?

In recent years, farmers have made efforts to make CSAs adaptable to customer needs. Farms may offer shares in various sizes, offer flexible pickup or delivery schedules, allow you to make choices about what is put in your share, or partner with other local producers to offer high quality add-ons.

What is CSA membership?

Relationship With the Farmers. CSA membership involves some relationship to a farmer or farmers that one often didn’t have before. There are few farmers left in the U.S., but they are vital for each and every one of us.

What are some good deals for CSA members?

Farms often offer seasonal deals to their CSA members. Boxes of tomatoes to can , a neighbor farmer’s grass-fed beef , a chance to get flats of strawberries at the end of the season so they can clear the field.

Why do CSA boxes come with newsletters?

Many CSA boxes come with newsletters, which often explain field conditions, why the farm is harvesting something early or late (or, sadly, not at all). It’s a connection to the land and the seasons that is rare for urban and suburban dwellers, and immensely satisfying.

What are some events that are part of CSA?

U-pick events, barbecues, pot lucks, farm tours, and more. Different farms handle public events differently, from full-on harvest festivals with bands and dancing to more modest farm tours, but these special events are a great bonus prize of CSA membership.

Why join a CSA?

There are a lot of reasons to join a CSA and buy a share in a farm’s harvest. Some people join for the amazingly fresh food. Some people enjoy the connection to a specific farm and farmer. Others just want to support their local food system and are looking for a simple one-stop way to do so.

What do you give up in choice?

What you give up in choice, you definitely gain in convenience. Picking up a box simply takes less time than going to the farmers market or choosing, bagging, and paying for produce at the store.

Do CSA members save money?

Assuming you use the produce that comes in the box, most CSA members will save money over a similar amount of quality produce bought at the store or from a farmers market.

What is a community farm?

Community farms are locally owned and operated, and democratically controlled. Local farms keep money circulating in their communities rather than exporting it to absentee owners or shareholders, and the benefits are passed on to local restaurants, farmers markets, retailers, and consumers.

What are the benefits of community farming?

Community farming offers many benefits to farmers who want to practice sustainable agriculture and to communities who want fresh, healthy, locally-produced food.

Why do rural communities need to invest in food?

Rural communities import much of their food. In the context of a global food crisis, establishing local suppliers of diverse food products increases food security in small rural communities. Communities that invest in community farms help secure farmland and build local food systems for ongoing food production.

What is the benefit of investing in a farm?

Farmers benefit from market and price stability when communities support their farmers through community shared agriculture programs, farmers markets, and local distribution networks.

How do community farms help the community?

Community farms build ‘social capital’ by involving a diverse group of individuals – farmers, community members, and organizations – with different skills and knowledge. This social capital, or wealth, helps create community amenities beyond food production, including environmental and agricultural education, recreational opportunities, and nature conservation areas.

How does agriculture affect the environment?

Environmental Solutions. Agriculture and farming practices can both harm and protect environmental systems and processes. Groups that farm cooperatively feel a strong sense of stewardship and responsibility to the land, but farmers do face barriers when they choose to farm sustainably.

What are the challenges of planning and development?

Common challenges experienced during planning and development include location (i.e., adequate sunlight), access to water (i.e., no competition with neighboring properties for water resources), and finding qualified/educated leadership that can handle unforeseen problems (Milburn & Vail, 2010). These programs vary from place to place and are difficult to replicate unless a model from a similar area exists. For example, California has a nearly year-round growing season where many other areas of the country do not. Other factors involved are climate change, local politics, land availability, and funding. The majority of these factors will differ in each locale (Lawson, 2005).

How does community agriculture help the economy?

Community agriculture can increase access to healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, especially in low-income areas with limited access otherwise. It also provides opportunities for public health programming to improve nutritional knowledge and attitudes (Hodgson et al., 2011). Community agriculture aims to increase civic participation in personal food production, while improving both diets and food security. Individuals and households who participate in such programs are over three times more likely to consume fruits and vegetables at least five times a day than people without a gardening household member (Alaimo et al., 2008), leading to improved diets and healthier lifestyles.

What is UCC UCF?

The UCC UCF is a nearly year-round, four-season, civic engagement and agriculture education project that started in 2017 in Logan, Utah. The UCC UCF aims to improve food security by increasing civic participation in crop production and by providing a range of education, training, and other resources to the local food-insecure population. Gardeners learn how to maintain efficient and productive small-scale agricultural systems, thereby strengthening individual self-reliance and access to fresh food items, which contributes to the overall strengthening of food security. All crop yields are donated to the local foodinsecure community.

How is community agriculture similar to community-supported agriculture?

Community agriculture is similar to community-supported agriculture (CSA) in that they both provide local food to their communities. Where they differ is in their approach. Community-supported agriculture models are structured in a way that community members pay an amount upfront that covers a weekly produce delivery for the entire season (McMurray et al., 2017). If some of the produce fails, the shareholders have already paid for the risks. Community agriculture works with local farmers, gardeners, and volunteers to donate produce. Using the UCC UCF as an example, participants and volunteers are trained to grow produce with the intention of donating to communities struggling with food security.

What is community agriculture?

Community agriculture initiatives are often run by organizations (1) relying on volunteer structures; (2) growing produce sustainably; and (3) aiming to improve health and access to food in their communities.

Is community agriculture harmful?

Community agriculture also presents potential health and environmental risks. Some factors to examine include the history of the locations (past uses) and proximity to other 3 industrial sites, automobile traffic, and other pollutants. Consider soil and water contaminants stemming from industrial wastes and pollutants, such as heavy metals, hydrocarbons, acids or bases, asbestos, solvents, or pathogenic organisms. Assessment of prior cleanup or containment of a site is extremely important as it can present serious health risks to both producers and consumers through contact with contaminated water and soil. These issues can also lead to the contaminants of foods that may also be a risk if consumed (Hodgson et al., 2011).

Why are roses blue?

This is because blue flowers are extremely rare in nature, since the color is usually the result of a mutation or quirk in acidity rather than a blue pigment. In fact, even scientists have long struggled to create the perfect color blue in flowers.

Why is proper packaging important?

Appropriate packaging is essential in ensuring that crop protection products are safely transported, delivered and stored. To safeguard this against misuse or anti-counterfeit pesticides, the plant science industry relies upon container management programs for the appropriate disposal or recycling of crop protection containers, protecting farmers and the environment. While this program may seem unimportant it is critical. Currently, there are 59 established container management programs globally. These programs see to the appropriate treatment and safe disposal of used packaging, the maximization of recycling of containers and the protection of both the environment and operators from exposure.

Why are microorganisms important?

Plant microbiomes can boost plant growth and control harmful pathogens. Now, scientists are helping to create strong ecosystems at the microbial level to ensure that plants have the best infrastructure possible for growth. Ultimately, this means higher crop yields and resilience.

How does plant science contribute to society?

Plant science, in both little and big ways, and well-known and lesser-known ways , contributes massively to our society every day. Whether it is engineering microbiomes, or creating colorful flowers, these innovations are helping to grow our communities. As our planet continues to face the pressures of global food security and climate change, among others, we are ever more dependent on innovations like these to continue to improve modern agriculture and meet these obstacles head-on.

What is vector control?

Vector control focuses on preventative measures to control or eliminate insects and organisms that transmit pathogens, like mosquitos spreading malaria or the Zika virus. These pathogens are capable of ravaging and destroying entire fields worth of crops. Effective management of the mosquitoes spreading this virus relies on insecticides, such as spraying mosquito breeding areas and insecticide-impregnated bed nets. These measures are critical for human health as it stops the spread of deadly diseases, but also protects crops, preventing famine and starvation.

Why are blue flowers so rare?

This is because blue flowers are extremely rare in nature, since the color is usually the result of a mutation or quirk in acidity rather than a blue pigment. In fact, even scientists have long struggled to create the perfect color blue in flowers. The first biotech blue flower was a blue rose created in Japan in 2004.

How does big data help agriculture?

Big data is out there, and we are leveraging it to help modern agriculture evolve so that it relies less on manual input and more on data-driven analysis. We understand that it’s impractical to rely on intuition and traditional technology while the global population continues to expand and pressure continues to build in the agriculture industry. As a result, we are developing solutions for agriculture that use automatic data collection, predictive analytics and AI-driven insights as their very foundation for sustainable agriculture.

What are the benefits of sustainable agriculture?

Below, we outline 3 of the most notable benefits of sustainable agriculture. 1. Conserving the environment and preventing pollution. By adopting sustainable practices, farmers will reduce their reliance on nonrenewable energy, reduce chemical use and save scarce resources.

What is the solution to historical thorns?

Modernizing agriculture: The solution to historical thorns. The amount of arable land is likely going to remain constant and, as the population steadily grows, producing more crops from existing resources is going to become a necessity.

What is Weather Company?

The Weather Company is focused on maximizing food production while minimizing environmental impact and limiting the necessary operating costs. Modernizing agricultural practices is no short-term endeavor, but through the experience of veteran industry leaders, decades of IBM research, artificial intelligence, analytics, and predictive insights with unique, Internet of Things (IoT) data we hope to lead the evolution of modern agriculture.

How many people will be on Earth by 2050?

By the year 2050, there will be 9 billion people on the planet, compared to 7.7 billion that currently inhabit the earth, and food production must increase by at least 70 percent to feed the growing population.

Why is farming so complex?

Managing the decision-making processes of farming has always been complex because there are so many different limiting factors that aren’t within a farmer’s control. The weather itself being chief among them.

Is IoT good for agriculture?

Farming smarter and moving food from farm-to-fork in a more efficient manner will be beneficial for anyone involved with the agriculture industry. IoT data from sensors installed in everything from seed drills, sprayers, and spreaders to drones, satellite imagery, and soil make it so surprises become rarities.

What was the Green Revolution?

Starting in the 1940s, the United States became involved in funding international agricultural research centers through the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and later the US Agency for International Development (USAID). This investment in international scientific infrastructure, along with the spread of synthetic fertilizers, led to a growth in production of grains such as wheat and rice. This era was later dubbed the “Green Revolution.” Orchestrators of the Green Revolution focused on maximizing yields in targeted areas in order to increase aggregate food production. The Green Revolution also promoted commercialization of agriculture, which fit with America’s political goal of modernizing the global peasantry to promote democracy and economic growth. Production of maize, wheat, and rice increased in the areas targeted by the US-based organizations, and new “packages” of modern crop varieties, fertilizers, and irrigation were applied in geographically disparate regions, especially for wheat. Under certain conditions (typically those of larger farms), farmers increased their yields and incomes. Although the Green Revolution coincided with poverty reduction in parts of the world, a multitude of political, economic, and infrastructural changes were also occurring, and academic scholars continue to debate the extent to which agricultural innovation was responsible for reduced poverty.

Why should incentives be changed in research?

Within the international and national research systems, incentives must be changed to encourage product-development approaches to research that are place-based and participatory. If individual scientists are evaluated based primarily on the number of journal articles they produce or the rapidity with which they can develop new crop varieties, they have no incentive—in fact, given the time required, they have a fairly strong disincentive—to work in an iterative development process. Scientists should instead be given flexibility to champion promising technologies through the development process, participating in the ways that advance that process, rather than solely focusing on advancing a research agenda, with any benefit to the client a secondary concern at best. Our research in India found that scientists wanted to work more with farmers but lacked permission from their employers, resources, or incentives to do so.

Why was the Green Revolution so successful?

This was in part because research organizations directly targeted “successful” farmers to test new technologies, with the idea that best practices would trickle down to poorer farmers. But this often didn’t happen.

What is iterative process in agriculture?

Within an iterative process of product development, prototypes are tested under a variety of conditions (including by clients) and the product is altered based on the findings to better address the conditions of actual use. Users are part of the innovation process. Moreover, understanding the economic and social implications of the product’s introduction is critical to its success in solving the problem. In the linear approach to agricultural research, new technologies are usually evaluated by only a few factors—yield improvements, disease resistance, and maybe cost. But many more factors go into a client’s decision to use a technology. For example, what are the alternatives and how is this product different? Is the market for selling this product well developed? Does the product exacerbate gender inequity by differentially increasing women’s labor over men’s? These questions are made explicit through the product development process. In contrast, under the current system of research (with its focus on short-term adoption), consideration of user needs and socioeconomic factors conflicts with the researchers’ incentives.

How did the Green Revolution affect agriculture?

In the decades following the introduction of Green Revolution technologies, numerous studies made it clear that new agricultural technologies had mostly benefited wealthier farmers with large landholdings who had access to irrigation, fertilizers, and markets . But small farms were, and today remain, an important part of the food system, the economy, and the social organization of much of the world. Worldwide, 80% of farms are smaller than two hectares (five acres). In low- and lower-middle income nations, these account for up to 40% of total agricultural land; farms smaller than five hectares make up about 90% of the agricultural land. In India today, agriculture accounts for 25% of the nation’s gross domestic product and 60% of employment; in sub-Saharan Africa the numbers are higher still. And in many areas of the world, the average size of farms is actually decreasing.

Why is agriculture research a linear model?

Linear research processes are ill-suited to tackling the problems of food security and poverty reduction that are the stated justification for this billion-dollar research endeavor, but the structure and incentives of research institutions reinforce the linear model. A shift in perspective that treats agricultural technologies as products being designed for clients , instead of “best practices” determined for passive or idealized beneficiaries, would promote a more inclusive process leading to technologies better suited to address the complex socioeconomic problems at which they are aimed.

What crops were grown in the US?

Production of maize, wheat, and rice increased in the areas targeted by the US-based organizations, and new “packages” of modern crop varieties, fertilizers, and irrigation were applied in geographically disparate regions, especially for wheat.

How many bacteria are in one teaspoon of soil?

According to Dr. Elaine Ingham, one teaspoon of healthy soil can contain up to 1 billion helpful bacteria, while concentration in intensively farmed soils might drop to one hundred [6].

How does rotational grazing affect biodiversity?

Through grazing for a limited time period in one area, biodiversity of native plants increases because grasses have time to regrow equally without one species taking over and becoming invasive.

What are some examples of agricultural systems?

For example, open meadow habitats are important for species like waterfowl, amphibians and for pollinators. Some species even increase in number due to agricultural activities.

How to help early successional species survive?

Without farmland, succession may need to be deliberately set back by management activities, such as prescribed burning, to help early successional species survive.

What is conservation reserve program?

The program is aimed at protecting native species and conserving soils by taking the land out of agricultural production.

Why is agriculture important?

Agriculture helps preserve valuable ecosystems. A perfect example is the extensive farming of increasingly rare permanent grasslands in Romania.

Why do perennials have deep roots?

In perennial systems, vegetation with deep roots helps to hold the soil together and prevent erosion. This is especially the case when farmers have constructed swales and other types of earthworks that help to stabilize steep slopes, or when applying techniques with low soil disturbance such as no-tillage.