CHASING CHANGE

This Blog Post highlights the benefits of integrating traditional African small-scale farming with modern technology. It contrasts industrial farming’s negative impacts with the sustainable, community-focused practices of small-scale farming. Featuring Nkosi, a young farmer embracing both traditional and new methods, the piece underscores how combining these approaches can enhance productivity, sustainability, and social bonds. Embracing innovation while honoring tradition, Nkosi’s journey reflects a hopeful path toward sustainable agriculture and community well-being.

Energy efficiency in farming is vital for sustainable agriculture. Different agronomy systems can be categorized by energy inputs—low (solar power), medium (wind and animal power), and high (artificial inputs)—show varying effectiveness. The challenge lies in balancing productivity with ecological impact, aiming for sustainable practices to feed a growing population.

Modern technology now dominates agriculture, but its large-scale, industrial methods have caused significant environmental damage. This includes soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Traditional African farming, transformed by colonial influence, now faces sustainability challenges. Regenerative agriculture offers a solution by emphasizing eco-friendly practices that enhance biodiversity, soil health, and carbon capture, promoting sustainable, small-scale farming to ensure food security and rural resilience.

Modern farming has led to significant soil degradation and loss of fertility impacting on human health and harming natural ecosystems. Today there is a move towards eco-friendly farming that has the restoration of natural systems in mind. I this Post we distinguish between Permaculture, Integrated Organic Farming, Natural Farming and Regenerative Farming.

Although it is true that technical development has been(and largely is) responsible for the environmental crisis, the possibility thattechnology could also become an important solution of the crisis, should not be overlooked.