The defining components of the vision of the "green" agriculture

In the light of the Laudato si' encyclical and some supranational strategic documents (especially the UN SDG target system, the European Green Deal and the "F2F" strategy)

Abstract

The main goal of the study is to shed light on the fact that the biological and biophysical food supply of mankind requires the fulfilment of a double and highly relevant sustainability condition. Recently, it has become evident that, on the one hand, the local, regional and global protection of the environment is a matter of existence in itself, in relation to which agricultural production is as an environment-damaging factor, therefore it needs to be „greened” for the sake of environmental sustainability. The other sustainability condition – related to the pillar of social sustainability built on top of the former – is the guarantee of food security and food safety, i.e. that there must be something to eat at all, and that the food is not harmful to human health. The challenge is therefore twofold: it is necessary to protect the environment in itself, but also in order to be able to maintain food production that meets both the increased quantity and quality requirements by ensuring the appropriate environmental condition, so that humanity's „daily bread” can still be put on our tables in the future. All this cannot be achieved without predictable climatic conditions, fertile soil and sufficient clean water. We fall into Heller's „catch 22” because, in the meantime, the soil, which serves as the common source of nutrients for the biosphere and humanity, as well as the sphere of water, which is the basis of life, are being degraded to a significant extent precisely because of intensive agricultural production and the linear food system. In the relationship between man and nature, especially in food production – which always faithfully reflects this relationship – renewal, what's more, „rebirth”, „ecological conversion” is needed according to the encyclical Laudato si': it is becoming increasingly clear that the „protection of creation” approach is not only a possible alternative in this field, but the only viable path, which can be smoothed by the agro-environmental law strengthened by supranational strategic documents in topic.