Free Bias-Free Study On Food Sustainability Essay Example

In a research essay by Uma Khumairoh, Jeroen C. J. Groot and Egbert A. Lantinga, entitled, “Complex agro-ecosystems for food security in a changing climate” they argued that one of the ways in order to help ensure food security, particularly in the production of rice, is the use of a complex system of farming called the Rice, Ducks, Fish, Compost, and Azolla (RDFCA) system over the traditional Rice, Compost (RC) system. While systems such as the RDFCA are indeed more efficient in rice production compared to RC, the research has failed to show whether RDFCA could sustain the increasing need in rice of the entire world population. In other words, the research has failed to provide substantial evidence to support its argument.
In the methods of the research it was mentioned that the duration for the experiment was only for three months. It should be pointed out that the research was intended to show that RDFCA could help assure food security even with threat of climate change. If the duration was only for three months then it is not proper to conclude that RDFCA systems are suitable for climate change. The changes in the weather patterns due to climate change have been at a very fast rate. The experimental set-up should have considered the different weather conditions and had experimental setups for each to provide the sufficient evidence to support their argument.
Another important factor or issue that should have been addressed in the research essay was the issue of industrial farming. While it can be proven in the study that RC is less efficient than RDFCA systems, it was not successful in proving that the latter system is more efficient than the industrial system of farming. Such comparison (RDFCA vs. Industrial Farming) is important as developed countries and other major producers of rice in the world are using industrial farming and not RC. In other words the study was comparing RDFCA with a non-popular system of farming called the RC and it has not shown whether RDFCA could replace industrial farming which is extensively used today but is improper per Greenpeace advocacies.
With the two aforementioned points intentionally or unintentionally missed by the authors in the research, it is tempting to think that entire research is biased to support Greenpeace’s advocacies. This is something that is improper in governance, especially in corporate governance and control. Any organization must move forward with its goals with utmost honesty and sincerity. The information that should be analyzed and presented should not be biasedly selected. The selection between RC and RDFCA, and the disregard for Industrial type of farming reflect such bias. The organization, which is represented by the authors of the study, should have considered all parameters that should have been considered in the experimental part of the study and they should have also considered a longer duration to accumulate enough evidence.
Nevertheless, the essay made interesting points that I do agree with. The first is that the type of farming must put into consideration nutrient cycling which would help assure food sustainability. Nutrient cycling is cycle of nutrients in the water and soil which helps makes sure that all the necessary nutrients by plants to grow are present. When such cycle is hampered, farm lands will become less productive as they fail to produce high yields. The system must also consider the economic factors as well as the social factors that are associated with its use. These three factors – environmental, social, and economic – when considered help make sure that the system chosen for food sustainability is indeed sustainable.
In conclusion, while the research article has made agreeable and interesting points or arguments, it has failed to provide significant proofs in support of them. This inability to provide sufficient proofs may be from two factors which include bias and lack of consideration to all parameters that affect the issue at hand. The later factor could have arisen from the lack of experience from the involved researchers. The ability to consider things from a non-biased perspective and having sufficient experience in doing particular things such as research experiments are important to consider in corporate, organization, or group governance and control. If such these things are fully considered then the advocacies as well as he purpose of organization may be jeopardized – even the reputation and the integrity of the entire organization could be put at risk which would adversely affect its credibility and its ability to sway public opinion on pressing issues.

Work Cited

Khumairoh ,Uma; Groot, Jeroen C. J. and Lanting, Egbert A. Complex agro-ecosystems for food security in a changing climate. Ecology and Evolution 2.7(2012): 1696–1704. <http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/Global/international/briefings/agriculture/2014/Complex_agroecosystems_for_food_security_in_a_changing_climate.pdf>.