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Many definitions of sustainable agriculture have been proposed, most incorporating the idea that it is environmentally non-degrading yet economically viable. The US Congress defined sustainable agriculture in the 1990 Farm bill as an integrated system of plant and animal production practices that:
- Satisfy human food and fiber needs
- Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends
- Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls
- Sustain the economic viability of farm operations
- Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole
The United Nation's (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) adopted the following official definition of Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in 1988:
- Sustainable development (in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors) should conserve land, water, plant and animal genetic resources, is environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable
During the UN Conference on Environment and Development, in 1992, a number of non-government organizations (NGO) drafted their own NGO Sustainable Agriculture Treaty which states:
- Sustainable Agriculture is model of social and economic organization based on equitable and participatory vision of development which recognizes the environment and natural resources as the foundation of economic activity. Agriculture is sustainable when it is ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just, culturally appropriate and based on a holistic scientific approach.
- Sustainable Agriculture preserves biodiversity, maintains soil, fertility and water purity, conserves and improves the chemical, physical and biological qualities of the soil, recycles natural resources and conserves energy.
- Sustainable Agriculture uses locally available renewable resources, appropriate and affordable technologies, and minimizes the use of external and purchased inputs, thereby increasing local independence and self sufficiency and insuring a source of stable income for peasants, family, small farmers and rural communities, and integrates humans with their environment.
- Sustainable Agriculture respects the ecological principles of diversity and interdependence and uses the insights of modern science to improve rather than displace the traditional wisdom accumulated over centuries by innumerable farmers around the world.
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