How sustainable has food production been in attempting to achieve food security?

Food production can be increased to improve food availability and food security. These attempts can be sustainable.

Image result for organic farming Organic farming

This type of farming using natural processes (e.g. natural products are used instead of artificial chemicals; cow manure instread of artificial fertiliser) to return nutrients to the soil so that soil stays fertile and food can continue to be produced. Animals are also not given vaccinations. Llimiting the use of artifical chemicals makes farming more environmentally sustainable as it helps protect the natural environment and maintain biodiversity. But producing food in this way is more expensive making it unaffordable for some, limiting its social sustainability.

Intensive farming Related image

This type of farming aims to produce as much food as possible in as small an area as possible. Farmers often use artifical fertilisers and pesticides to maximise crop yields. They may also keep animals inside in small spaces and give them food with added antibiotics and growth hormones to prevent disease and encourage growth. The environmental sustainability of this type of farming is limited as chemicals from fertilisers, pesticides and antibiotics can make their way into the natural environment, disrupting ecosystems. Also, it is not very economically sustainable as the chemicals are expensive to buy and have to be used year after year to maintain crop yields which increases the cost of food production.