Where is Agriculture in Sustainable Development Goals?

 On September 2015, member countries of United Nations signed to reform on 17 different thematic areas  to a better humanity; that what we call Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). Along with the 17 goals, 269 targets and 332 indicators were put forward to achieve something that we can be proud of by 2030s.

Almost all SDGs are directly or indirectly related to agriculture. Among the different agendas, food security and nutrition, tackle climate change, conservation of natural resources and biodiveristy, etc are the major ones. SDGs promote Sustainable Agriculture to achieving targets by 2030.

SDGs relevant to Agriculture

Different Goals of 17 SDGs and their relation to agriculture is presented as below:

Goals	Objective	Relation to agriculture
Goal -1	No Poverty	Rural areas are home to about 80% of the poor where major occupation is agriculture.
Goal -2	Zero Hunger	We generate enough food for everyone, but about 800 million people go hungry.
Goal -3	Good Health and Well-being	Nutritious and healthy food is important for good health.
Goal -4	Quality Education	Agriculture extension provides with agriculture skills and technology. Also nutrition is important for a good state of mind for quality education.
Goal -5	Gender Equality	In fields, women work harder than men but the ownership of land is very less compared to men. Reports suggest that women produce half of the total world's food.
Goal -6	Clean Water and Sanitation	Water is basic one of the basic things plant require to grow. Agriculture sector will require more water in the future. Reports suggest double the water demand by 2030. The problem can be addressed by Sustainable Agriculture approach.
Goal -7	Affordable and Clean Energy	Energy demand will double by 2030 and biofuel will be utilized that has roots in agriculture. Current food system heavily depends on fossil fuel.
Goal -8	Decent Work and Economic Growth	Agriculture reforms can contribute to poverty eradication in developing and under-developed countries.
Goal -9	Industry, Innovation and  Infrastructure	Agriculture is a huge part of GDP for developing countries. It supplies raw materials for industries and construction.
Goal -10	Reduced Inequality	Land reforms can contribute by providing ownership to those people who have been depending on agriculture from other's farm for decades.
Goal -11	Sustainable Cities and Communities	Investment in rural areas can reduce increased unmanged urbanization.
Goal -12	Responsible Consumption and Production	In the same world where people are dying of hunger, a huge part of food is thrown as waste. 1/3 of the food is believed to have been wasted.
Goal -13	Climate Action	Agriculture is one of the contributing sector of climate change and also the most affected sector by climate change impacts.
Goal -14	Life Below Water	Fish contributes 20% of total animal protein to over 3 billion people.
Goal -15	Life on Land	80% of terrestrial world is covered by forests. Agricultural lands are made clearing the forest area since the very beginning of human world. Increasing efficiency of existing farmland is desired rather than cutting down more trees.
Goal -16	Peace and Justice Strong Institutions	Ending global hunger and ensuring food security can contribute to peace.
Goal -17	Partnerships to achieve the Goal	Partnership helps to raise voice against hunger.

How is Sustainable Agriculture included in the SDG?

Although all SDGs somehow relate to Agriculture, SDG indicator 2.4.1 points directly to promotion of Sustainable Agriculture. And I would say the only indicator of agriculture with a challenge to increase land with sustainable agriculture by 2030.

The curve of global human population is going higher and higher every second. But the required food production curve is not going parallel to the population. The gap is getting wider and wider. Very soon there would be no food to all human on Earth. We have a precise term to describe the situation, 'Food insecurity'.In order to prevent food insecurity or at least delay it as much as possible we human have come up with the approach of Sustainable Agriculture. 

Sustainable agriculture aims to increase soil productivity with minimum disturbance to existing natural condition. Also, use of locally available resources and replacing non-renewable by renewable resources for enery used in food system. And ensure long term employment ensuring nutrition supply to the existing and future generation.

It encompasses environmental, social and economic dimension of farmer ensuring a better future. The five dimension of Sustainable agriculture are:

• Increase food system production, employment, and value addition.
• Natural resources should be protected and improved.
• Improve people's living conditions and promote inclusive economic growth
• Improve people's, communities', and ecosystems' resilience
• Adapting governance to new issues is essential

Importance of Sustainable Agriculture

• Based on the principle of conservation of soil, minimum tillage concepts and promoting natural feritilizers restoring soil fertility and increasing productivity
• Replace fossil fuels used in agriculture by tractors or different machenaries during processing by energy from renewable resources, thus reduce Green House Gases and global warming
• The concept suggests efficient water use reducing water loss 
• Encourage diverse farming, thus reducing risk of crop failure and heavy pesticide use that affect environment in long run
• Promote local resources and varieties
• Work in harmony with the environment
• Ensure food security for today and tommorow

In the nutshell, Agriculture is the key to Sustainable Development. Although it included as promoting Sustainable Agriculture in indicator 2.4.1. Agriculture has its part in all Sustainable Development Goals.