Role of Agriculture in Implementing the Concept of Sustainable Food System

Nowadays, agriculture faces problems that threaten its basic function, i.e., meeting human needs for food. These problems include: climate change; loss of biodiversity; soil degradation, compaction, salinization and pollution; depletion and pollution of water resources; increasing production costs and decreasing number of farms and rural population [1]. In particular, the intensifying effects of climate change in recent years have contributed to the discussion on the impact of agriculture on these changes [2]. Agriculture is closely linked to the environment, as its efficiency depends on natural resources, and agricultural production using environmental resources can negatively affect its quality [3]. In addition, the impact of agriculture on climate change may result from the fact that it is to some extent responsible for anthropogenic changes in the environment and loss of biodiversity [4]. Therefore, an integrated approach to agricultural production is needed, which includes agriculture that protects land resources (technical and economic) and is friendly to the natural environment (agroecology-rural), which has a positive impact on the protection of biodiversity and contributes to more sustainable agriculture [5]. The effect of these activities is the promotion of more sustainable practices from food production to consumption, leading to the implementation of innovative solutions in agricultural practice and directly affecting the quality of food.

The changes occurring in the natural environment oblige agricultural production to be conducted in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. Recently, this has become a priority for industrialized countries, where the development of the agricultural sector previously proceeded in accordance with the principles of industrial agriculture [6]. Changes in agriculture towards sustainable development should take place by promoting innovative technologies and management models [7]. It has been confirmed that the impact of agriculture on the natural environment depends on the intensity of its production. Therefore, it is necessary to promote the intensification of agriculture in accordance with the principles of sustainability, the so-called ecological intensification [8].

Sustainable agriculture requires the introduction of practices that support the protection and preservation of biodiversity and the ecosystem services resulting from it, improving soil health and biodiversity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing carbon sequestration in the soil by using diversified crop rotations, cover crops, creating protective belts for wildlife or using agroecological cultivation methods [9].

In the context of implementing the concept of sustainable development, agricultural production focused on production systems that are safe for people and the environment, which includes organic farming, is important. Organic farming, compared to conventional farming, is perceived as more environmentally friendly due to the reduction of carbon and ammonia emissions, positive impact on soil conditions (increased organic matter content and biological activity of the soil, reduced soil erosion) and water conditions (reduced leaching of nitrates and pesticides into groundwater and surface water) [10,11].

The implementation of these practices is important both at the central and local levels, which aims to reduce the negative effects of environmental pollution and the ongoing global warming. The level of development of organic production is different among the members of the European Union, and the main differences are related to the number of farms and the area of organic land. Therefore, the need for a non-uniform approach to sustainable agriculture in the EU, with particular emphasis on the differences between the old and new Member States, is emphasized by Zakrzewska et al. [12]. The challenges related to changes in the development of agriculture should be different depending on the level of productivity and the amount of inputs in individual Member States. However, the main challenge should be to strive for a balance between economic, social and environmental goals in agricultural production.

Long-term use of sustainable agricultural practices brings measurable effects. Particularly important are practices that improve the health and biodiversity of agroecosystems, increase carbon sequestration in the soil, or reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which include the use of diversified crop rotations, including the introduction of legumes to the crop rotation, cover crops, minimum tillage or integration of grazing livestock into crop production systems [13,14,15].

A significant problem in plant cultivation is also abiotic stress factors, which significantly reduce the quantity and quality of the crop. Therefore, the application of natural biopreparations (containing free amino acids, humic compounds, seaweed or plant extracts, chitin, chitosan, or microbial inoculants) that have a beneficial effect on plants by stimulating plant growth, improving mineral uptake and increasing plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, is one of the methods supporting plant production, also in the ecological system [16,17]. It is important to use these biopreparations in plant cultivation intended for both food and animal feed, which contributes to improving the quality of agricultural crops.

In turn, in animal production, the basis for sustainable breeding is to increase productivity while reducing negative effects on the environment and improving the welfare of farm animals [18,19]. One of the elements of sustainable production is to reduce CO₂ emissions, and one of the strategies to introduce these changes is the introduction of breeding indices with trait weights derived from the agricultural environment and genetic selection of individual animals based on economic and carbon indicators [20,21].

Modern agriculture faces the need to reconcile the production of high-quality food with care for the environment. In this context, one of the key challenges is the effective and responsible management of agrophages. Traditional approaches to pest manage-ment, mainly based on the use of pesticides, have contributed to increased yields in re-cent decades, but at the expense of negative environmental impacts, such as soil and water pollution, decline in biodiversity, development of agrophage resistance, and health effects [22]. Sustainable food production systems integrate biological, agrotechnical, physical and chemical crop protection methods in a way, that minimises risks to the environment and human and animal health, but at the same time takes into ac-count social and economic aspects [23]. In modern agriculture, advanced agricultural technologies and communication tools also play an important role in food production [24]. Modern monitoring systems for pests can be important decision-support tools for the timing and need for protective treatments. Continuous, automated monitoring can provide a wealth of useful information, including species composition, timing of pest emergence and seasonal activity. Integrating phenological data with meteorological data allows for more precise planning of control treatments, thus reducing the use of chemicals and their pressure on the environment.

The authors also highlight the role of systematic monitoring using various tools such as pheromone traps and sticky tapes in determining the appropriate timing of pesticide application. They point out, that the efficacy of an agent is highly dependent on the developmental stage of the pest at which it was applied, for which a good knowledge of the pest’s biology and behavior is essential. The authors point out the great importance of biological methods of protection in preventing the development of pest resistance to some chemical plant protection products. The use of biological methods is also a response to environmental requirements and new regulations related to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Farm to fork strategy.

An interesting study on the potential use of some plant species in the phytoreme-diation of degraded agrocenoses is presented by Szmagara et al. [25]. The aim of the study was to investigate the resistance of ten varieties of canna (Canna indica) to fungal diseases, but also their ability to grow in contaminated environments. The results con-firmed the high tolerance of some varieties to environmental stresses and infestation by fungal pathogens (mainly Fusarium spp., Alternaria alternata), while maintaining favorable photosynthesis and gas exchange parameters. This may indicate the potential use of such species on degenerated soils, in regenerative agriculture or in marginal land management. In addition, the resistance of some varieties to fungal pathogens gives them the additional function of reducing the amount of chemical protection used and thus reducing the pressure on the environment.

Conclusions from the research discussed in this Special Issue point to the need for further development of early warning systems, monitoring of agrophages and in-tegration of environmental data into cultivation practices. Sustainable agrophage management requires a systematic approach, combining knowledge of species biology, weather data, digital technologies and elements of biological control to increase con-servation efficiency and reduce the negative environmental impact of agriculture.

The concept of sustainability involves minimising the negative impact of agriculture on the environment while ensuring food security and the economic viability of farms [26]. In this context, modern technical solutions play an important role which, on the one hand, increase production efficiency and, on the other, can reduce energy consumption, material consumption or greenhouse gas emissions [2]. Among the innovations in agriculture, we can mention precision crop management systems, modern materials, machinery or technological processes. The development of remote monitoring tools, field sensors and predictive models enables rational management of water, fertilizers and plant protection products, yield fore-casting or early detection of diseases and pests [27,28]. This is supported by a study by Kulig et al. [29], in which the possibility of using remote sensing methods based on UAV and hand-held devices was assessed for yield forecasting of winter wheat with reduced allergenic proteins. Using modern equipment, plant condition was monitored to optimize fertilization without yield loss. The study showed differences in the response of individual genotypes (with and without allergenic protein) to fertilization levels. Statistical analysis showed, that indices based on radiometric measurements have a moderate correlation with grain yield, but differences in prediction are not significant. The authors point to the need to continue field studies dedicated to monitoring and evaluating grain productivity, especially using UAV remote sensing techniques.

Also of great importance are new generations of agricultural materials, e.g., bio-degradable food packaging, which make food production more sustainable [30,31]. In this context, the research on the evaluation of a new generation of agricultural nets (Tama LT) for wrapping various bulk materials made of light and strong HDPE polymers is interesting. The study showed, that nets produced with ‘light’ technology provide high quality wrapping of e.g., hay, straw, green fodder, and their use may contribute to reducing the amount of plastics used in agriculture. The authors mention the urgent need to develop and implement technologies for recovering used agricultural nets and converting them into granulate, that can be reused in production.

Both the use of remote crop monitoring technology and the introduction of mod-ern agricultural materials show, that the technical aspects of agricultural production can significantly support sustainability goals. The introduction of modern agricultural solutions enables more precise crop management, which translates into efficient and less environmentally damaging food production.

Sustainable agriculture allows for the implementation of environmental and climate protection goals while maintaining food production at the current level and, in the long term, even increasing it. The articles presented in this reprint comprehensively cover issues related to the introduction of sustainable agricultural practices. The proposals for changes in technologies presented in them will allow for agricultural production in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. These articles concern both plant and animal production, with particular emphasis on ecological aspects while maintaining efficiency. It has been shown that it is justified to promote long-term practices based on responsible management of natural resources promoting sustainable development.