Romania, a former communist country of 20 million people located in Eastern Europe, has one of the highest poverty rates in the European Union, according to the World Bank. Agriculture has historically been a pillar of the Romanian economy; going forward, an increasing prevalence of sustainable agriculture in Romania can help grow the economy and reduce poverty rates.

History of Agriculture in Romania

Throughout time, agriculture has been important in Romania, as more than 14.7 million hectares (one hectare is about 2.5 acres) of land serve agricultural purposes. Of that land, about two-thirds are suitable for farming. During the first half of the 20th century, farmlands were reallocated to peasant farmers from larger landowners. However, the rise of communism in the mid-20th century resulted in collective agriculture, followed by questions of ownership in the years since communism’s end. Despite accounting for more than 25 percent of the Romanian workforce, in the early 2000s, the agriculture industry (including forestry and fishing) was less than 10 percent of Romania’s GDP. Today, the majority of farms in Romania are run by small landowners and are less than five hectares.

The World Bank Waste Management Project

The World Bank has worked since the early 2000s to help promote economic growth and sustainable agriculture in Romania, leading to it becoming the fastest growing economy in the EU in 2017. Currently, the Integrated Nutrient Pollution Control Project (INPCP) is working to promote a cleaner and safer environment. Many of the small agricultural production sites in Romania lack proper equipment for waste management. Contamination from that waste can lead to groundwater pollution, causing health risks to people and damaging the environment. INPCP works to manage the waste by providing rural farmers with the tools necessary to safely dispose of the waste contaminants.

Organic Farming

Organic farming could be a key tenet of sustainable agriculture in Romania in future years. As of 2016, organic farming practices saw large growth: over a five-year span the land area increased by 40 percent and the number of certified organic farmers increased fourfold. Organic farming strives for sustainability in all aspects, from the soil to the crop to the consumer. Organic farming practices are increasing globally, and Romania has much room for future growth in this sector — only 2 percent of the total agricultural land area is used for organic growing.

Urban Agriculture

Currently, the majority of the Romanian population lives in rural areas. However, as countries experience economic growth (such as the growth occurring in Romania), people often begin to move toward cities. Within cities, the green space for gardening is often minimal and creative gardens are necessary. Kaufland Romania, a food retailer, is investing over $350,000 to create community urban gardens on its rooftops, in its parking lots and in Bucharest schools. These gardens not only provide local food in a big city but also create environmental benefits through pollution reduction. According to a survey by Kaufland, in Romania, seven out of 10 respondents already practice urban agriculture by growing food in their own homes. The new larger urban gardens will allow for the sharing of techniques, social gathering and community education.

As the economy continues to grow, projects in sustainable agriculture in Romania will further bolster the economy and reduce poverty. Not only do these projects benefit the economy, but they also improve the environment and can create a sense of community.

– Hayley Herzog

Photo: Adam Jones

More than 70 percent of Tonga’s population lives in rural areas with agriculture and fisheries as its main source of livelihood. The country’s predominant economic activity is agriculture, so establishing sustainable agriculture in Tonga is essential to its economy.

Of all the Pacific Island countries, Tonga has one of the highest rates of subsistence food production. The method is self-sufficient and farmers produce enough food for local consumption with a little surplus for trade. More than 95 percent of Tonga’s agriculturally active households engage in subsistence and semi-subsistence agriculture activity, and only five percent engage in commercial activities.

Small landholdings, typically eight acres or 3.24 hectares, enable sustainable agriculture in Tonga. Multi-crop systems based on root crops provide food security, employment and income.

Root crops constitute 50 percent of Tonga’s total exports, with half being taro. Approximately 60 percent of Tonga’s exports are destined for New Zealand.

Watermelon exports increased from 86 tons in 2010 to 271 tons in 2013. Tonga’s goal is to export 1,000 watermelons per year to New Zealand over the next three years; New Zealand imports 2,500 tons of watermelons annually. Other export destinations include Samoa and American Samoa.

Tonga’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests (MAFF) plans to improve sustainable agriculture in Tonga by implementing the Tonga Agriculture Sector Plan’s four programs:

1. Climate Resilient Environment: Ensures that Tonga’s natural resources are preserved
2. Enabling Environment: Focuses on improving Tonga’s environment for the agriculture sector’s operation
3. Sustainable Livelihoods and Healthy Foods: Improves farmers, knowledge, marketing techniques and technologies for sustainable and diverse agriculture
4. Sustainable Growth and Foreign Exchange Earnings: Increases exports and enhances import replacements

MAFF’s main purposes are to:

• Provide policy advice to the Tongan government on maintaining a sustainable and competitive agricultural sector
• Provide policy advice on achieving social, economic and environmental benefits from limited natural resources
• Administer government programs and legislation to support these objectives
• Regulate imports to ensure Tonga is safeguarded against exotic threats
• Regulate exports to satisfy importing country requirements

The Tongan government is focused on establishing a secure agricultural sector plan that promotes sustainable agriculture in Tonga. With the majority of Tongans reliant on agriculture, successful implementation of the Sector Plan is vital to the population.

– Carolyn Gibson
Photo: Flickr

The small island nation of Grenada is located off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. Independent since 1974, its history has long been tied to the dark side of agriculture. Colonized in the 16th century by the French, they grew sugarcane on plantations owned by colonists and run by slaves. The British took the island in 1762 and expanded sugarcane production. Now the people of Grenada are moving into the future. In the twenty-first century, sustainable agriculture in Grenada is the goal.

The future of any nation lies with its children. The younger generations always hold the key to the future, but it is the duty of the older generations to lead by example. In Grenada, the government, in cooperation with the island’s 4H clubs and the World Bank, began an initiative to educate children about the importance of sustainable agriculture in 2016. The program is called “The Pilot Programme on Integrated Climate Change Adaptation strategies”. Its goal is to teach Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) to children in Grenada. To reach this goal, members of the government team and 4H members are trained in CSA techniques and lecture in schools across Grenada. These techniques are as simple as planting crops for home use among trees and other indigenous plants and saving rainwater.

Educating the population about these techniques is important to sustainable agriculture in Grenada. The small island nation is susceptible to hurricanes, which can cause massive damage to the island both physically and economically. Heavy rain and strong winds cause erosion. On a small island, any erosion can be dangerous. The World Bank emphasizes CSA techniques that promote smart land use. First on their list is no-burn agriculture. In slash and burn agriculture, a field or forest is cleared using fire and crops are planted in the ashes. Although the soil is highly nutritious for the crops, this technique causes mass erosion. Forests help to hold soil in place during storms.

Proof that programs and sustainable agricultural techniques work can be found on the farm of Yacouba Toussain. Toussain runs a farm that operates using only CSA techniques. His farm grows Scotch Bonnet peppers. Solar power and wind turbines completely power his electric irrigation system. The benefit of an electric irrigation system is that the system is designed to only use a predetermined amount of water so as not to be wasteful. Toussain’s farm uses a drip irrigation system fed from a water tank. 

Toussain’s power system also uses batteries so that his farm is not connected to the power grid. The cost of energy is high in Grenada, meaning that advanced farming techniques, especially irrigation, are difficult for many people to attempt. Toussain hopes that he can lead by example and others will follow suit. Systems like Toussain’s meet almost all of the World Bank’s CSA goals. In the future, it hopes to invest in ways to make it feasible for more farmers to follow in Toussan’s footsteps.

As Sustainable agriculture in Grenada gains momentum, hopefully more farms like Toussain’s will be seen around Grenada; not only small farms but also commercial farms. These farms would be both environmentally and economically friendly, encouraging prosperity throughout the nation.

– Nick DeMarco

Photo: Flickr

Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia and home to many languages and ethnicities. This has, of course, been a cause of disputes for many years. A democratic republic, political unrest and ethnic divides have been a main source of disarray, as noted by its 30-year civil war which ended in 2009.

But other than political issues, Sri Lanka is an economically stable country, with a high Human Development Index rating and a per capita income that ranks the highest among South Asian countries. Its main sectors are tourism, textiles, rice products and tea, of which it is the second-largest exporter in the world.

With such importance placed on agriculture as a sector, sustainable agriculture in Sri Lanka is a necessity. However, historically, even with arable and fertile land, Sri Lanka did not implement sustainable practices in agriculture.

In 1998, the Sri Lanka Farmer Forum reported that current research was creating an ecosystem that focused on high input crops and reduced crop independence. Similarly, farmers used harmful toxins and pesticides that increased output but did not sustain output and they used fossil fuels in agricultural production. To increase sustainable agriculture in Sri Lanka, the nation needs to retrain farmers on the management of lands without toxins and heavy energy and rebuild soil fertility so natural productivity can return.

For example, a team of researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada has plans to use existing technological infrastructure to engage Sri Lankan farmers in methods that will improve their farming and quality of life. Sri Lankan farmers often do not have access to the internet, which makes it difficult for them to learn how to change their existing farming practices.

The connectivity of cell phones and computers could make it an easier task to implement sustainable agriculture in Sri Lanka and create nationwide change. This approach will allow farmers to create social networks and manage knowledge together.

Another project that hopes to create sustainable agriculture and nurture knowledge is the Sustainable Agriculture Water Management Project. Launched in 2005, it used 10,000 solar-powered drip irrigation units to bring water to farmers in dry areas of Sri Lanka. It reduced water use by 50 percent, increased yields two to threefold and decreased labor costs. In addition, these units cultivated a culture of sustainable growth without fossil fuels.

As a massive agricultural exporter, Sri Lanka needs to focus its resources on sustainable practices that do not dry out fertile soil and debilitate its economy. However, with the projects mentioned above and the innovation of its farmers, Sri Lankans can share knowledge and resources to create a sustainable nation in which its farmers can live stable lives.

– Nick McGuire

Photo: Flickr