Sustainability in Agriculture is Under the Threat of Covid-19!

The Covid-19 pandemic poses many threats to the sustainability of the agricultural sector. Stating that the pandemic has encouraged everyone to review how important agriculture is for life, experts say it is of great importance to increase the capacity of agricultural systems to adapt to quarantine situations.

Üsküdar University Medicinal Aromatic Plants Program Head Dr. Faculty Member Tuğba Kaman made evaluations about the effects of the pandemic on agriculture.

Sustainability in agriculture under threat of Covid-19

Stating that the Covid-19 pandemic continues to cause significant economic difficulties and deaths worldwide, Dr. Faculty Member Tuğba Kaman said, “We can say that the Covid-19 outbreak has direct and indirect effects on the agri-food system, both locally and globally, like the past pandemics. The pandemic poses many threats to the sustainability of the agricultural sector. It is therefore of great importance to increase the capacity of agricultural systems to adapt to quarantine situations. Adapting to the Covid-19 pandemic requires a good understanding of the risks, fragility, resilience and systemic changes of agricultural systems.” said.

Pandemic reveals the importance of agriculture

Stating that the pandemic has encouraged everyone to review how important agriculture is for life, Kaman said, “The most important point underlined by the epidemic is that soil and water resources should be used sustainably in order to grow basic nutritious foods more resilient and to reach nutritional goals effectively. Because food supply cuts can lead to serious consequences for people in our country as well as all over the world, it is an important issue and its sustainability must be ensured. he said.

Ready-made seeds increase the cost, reduce the yield

Emphasizing that agriculture is indispensable for every country and that it directly affects countries due to its basic products, Head of Medicinal Aromatic Plants Program Dr. Faculty Member Tuğba Kaman said, “Unfortunately, agriculture, which is an indispensable element for people, becomes inefficient due to many reasons such as wrong cultivation of the soil, wrong irrigation techniques, wrong fertilization, inadequacy of existing techniques. In addition, the increase in the use of ready-made seeds increases the cost and reduces the yield.” used his statements.

Agriculture should be supported more

Emphasizing that agriculture, one of the most important sectors serving humanity, is an area that needs to be further supported and developed in our country, Kaman said, “Because the development of agriculture also means the recovery and development of the country's economy. At the same time, importance should be given to encouraging the production of high value-added products that can contribute to employment.” said.

Good planning should be done at the beginning of breeding.

Dr. Faculty Member Tugba Kaman; He listed what needs to be done to develop agriculture, to get higher yields from the unit area and to ensure its sustainability as follows:

• First of all, trainings on conscious farming should be planned for our farmers,
• Production should be encouraged and necessary economic support should be provided to our farmers,
• Before starting the breeding, a good planning should be done,
• After analyzing the soil and water, it should be well determined which product can be grown,
• Ecological conditions should be analyzed, the plant planned to be grown should be planted at the right time and the most appropriate time for harvest should be followed,
• Again, a suitable soil tillage and appropriate irrigation technique should be used for the product to be grown,
• Production material (seed, seedling, sapling, purpose) that can produce high yields and is resistant to diseases and pests should be used,
• Weed cleaning must be done,
• Fertilizing should be done at the appropriate time and in a content that will meet the needs of the soil,
• As much as possible, natural, biological and biotechnical methods should be used to combat the diseases that plants are infected with.