**2. Principles of sustainable agriculture**

Some general principles of sustainable agriculture can be listed as follows:


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loss of wildlife areas.

*Soil Management in Sustainable Agriculture DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88319*

present and future years.

as follows:

**3. Why sustainable agriculture is important?**

product in small areas and high efficiency.

agricultural production.

areas of employment.

**4. Sustainable agriculture practices**

**4.1 Precision chemical application**

needs resulting from these differences.

**4.2 Conservation reserve program (CRP)**

productivity.

The world population is growing at a great pace. There are countries with a population expressed in billions of Asian countries, and in Europe and the Americas it is estimated that the population will soon find billions. This will certainly create a serious need for food in the future. One of the main objectives of industrial agriculture is to ensure that everyone has access to basic needs in the

Industrial agriculture, on the one hand, uses more chemical input to meet the increasing demand, on the other hand, agricultural and soil resources are polluted by chemical residues and production potential is reduced. In fact, this is a contradiction. At this point, the sustainable farming method protects both the soil and the environment and ensures the production and the long-term agricultural production. In summary, the benefits of sustainable agriculture are

• With sustainable agriculture method, it is possible to produce more than one

• An enterprise with sustainability will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. Efficient soils will have a habitat for animals, but will also contribute to

• In addition to the benefits to agriculture, contributes to the creation of new

As a result of long years of practices and scientific studies, several common

It can be defined as a set of methods that include mechanical and biological controls to reduce the use of pesticides and control pest populations [5]. In this method, Variable Rate Application Technologies (VRA) is applied and unlike traditional agriculture, instead of homogeneous input, it is the application of measurement of productivity differences in the field and appropriate input according to the spatial

CRP is a land conservation program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). In return for a contract with farmers involved in the program, it is an incentive for farmers to make agricultural production that is sensitive to the environment and improves the environmental health and quality [6]. Contracts for land enrolled in CRP are 10–15 years in length. The long-term aim of the program is to restore valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and reduce

sustainable agricultural practices have been put forward in **Figure 1**.

• The fertilization of the soil will ensure long-term use and increase of

*Sustainable Crop Production*

answers firstly [2].

socio-cultural values of the local people.

**2. Principles of sustainable agriculture**

more qualified by applying new production techniques? What methods should be applied to obtain sufficient product without damaging nature? are required to find

All of the work done on soil in order to grow the necessary and useful plants and animals for the survival of the people and to obtain the products is called agriculture. In order to meet the growing agricultural needs in a healthy manner, water resources should be protected and soil should be developed and original seeds should be stored and reproduced for the future. At the same time, an increase in soil fertility, protection of water, protection of valuable seeds and biodiversity need to be taken into account. In general, many methods are applied under the definitions of traditional, organic, industrial, ecological, smart and integrated, and each method differs from the others [3]. Sustainable agriculture mainly focuses on increasing the productivity of the soil and reducing the harmful effects of agricultural practices on climate, soil, water, environment and human health. Reduces the use of non-renewable sources and inputs from petroleum-based products and uses renewable resources to generate production. In general, it focuses on the needs, knowledge, skills and

Some general principles of sustainable agriculture can be listed as follows:

soil, plants, water, air and people than chemical fertilizers.

• Soil must be protected and developed: Soil is absolutely necessary for good and healthy products. Soil should be enriched with natural fertilizers such as organic and green manure and compost. Natural fertilizers are healthier for

• Water and water resources should be protected: As in life, it needs absolute water in agriculture. In arid regions, the best way to protect water is to grow plants that are suitable for the ecology of the region or that only need water during the rainy season. Green manure and mulch are useful in keeping water in soil. The contour barriers protect the water by preventing the water flow. Another method for preserving water is to apply drip irrigation instead of traditional irrigation methods and to make irrigation time planning.

• To control pests and diseases naturally: Instead of chemical control, natural or integrated protection management should be applied to balance nature, products, pests, diseases, weeds and soil. In this regard, techniques such as choosing durable varieties, keeping proper distance between plants in planting, determining the timing of agricultural practices correctly, using natural predators and crop rotation are important for the success of the method.

• Cultivate different agricultural products: This is called product rotation. According to the characteristics of the products, for 3–6 years rotation or cultivating multiple crops are the methods of preventing diseases and pests. Thus, nutrients are kept in the soil and diversity in agriculture is ensured and

• Start with small changes first: Most agricultural techniques have been developed over a long period of time. However, new methods may not always be successful. New ideas should first be tried in small areas, and should be applied

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healthy food is provided.

when it becomes clear and successful.
