Author
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JORDAN, NICHOLAS - University Of Minnesota |
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Davis, Adam |
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Submitted to: Bioscience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 2/23/2015 Publication Date: 5/1/2015 Citation: Jordan, N.J., Davis, A.S. 2015. Middle way strategies for sustainable intensification of agriculture. Bioscience. 65(5):513-519. Interpretive Summary: Progress toward sustainable intensification is likely to require a higher degree of integration and synthesis among major streams of agriculture and their associated systems of research and development (R&D). These streams and systems include, among others, organic agriculture, conventional agriculture, biotechnology and agroecotechnology. Presently, such integration and synthesis are generally modest; rather, polarization prevails, likely resulting from path-dependent research agendas, competition for resources, and divergent worldviews. We propose that agricultural R&D should greatly increase emphasis on "middle-way" agriculture and associated R&D systems. Middle-way agriculture aims to advance sustainable intensification by capitalizing on complementarities and synergies among technologies and management approaches that characterize now-separate streams of agriculture such as organic and conventional farming. Successful examples of such systems have been place-based, and have focused on commercialization of new agricultural commodities and production so as to meet high standards for social, environmental performance as well as economic gain. We illustrate our proposals by outlining a potential middle-way path via integration of targeted, low-dose synthetic agrochemical inputs in otherwise organic farming. Technical Abstract: Sustainable intensification is a widely-shared idealistic vision for agriculture, in which production, resource conservation and other ecosystem services jointly increase to meet future “life-support” needs of humanity. Progress toward sustainable intensification is likely to require a higher degree of integration and synthesis among major streams of agriculture and their associated systems of research and development (R&D). These streams and systems include, inter alia, organic agriculture, conventional agriculture, biotechnology and agroecotechnology. Presently, such integration and synthesis are generally modest; rather, polarization prevails, likely resulting from path-dependent research agendas, competition for resources, and divergent worldviews. We propose that agricultural R&D should greatly increase emphasis on "middle-way" agriculture and associated R&D systems. Middle-way agriculture aims to advance sustainable intensification by capitalizing on complementarities and synergies among technologies and management approaches that characterize now-separate streams of agriculture such as organic and conventional farming. To create middle-way pathways, transdisciplinary R&D systems are needed that coordinate research in many practical and academic disciplines via normative orientation provided by "purposive disciplines" such as applied ethics and design, and ongoing feedback among all participating disciplines. Successful examples of such systems have been place-based, and have focused on commercialization of new agricultural commodities and production so as to meet high standards for social, environmental performance as well as economic gain. We illustrate our proposals by outlining a potential middle-way path via integration of synthetic agrochemical inputs in otherwise organic farming, describe its normative rationale, and suggest an R&D agenda for middle-way agriculture. |
