The goal of sustainable agriculture is to develop efficient, biological systems that do not need high levels of material inputs. Making the transition to sustainable agriculture is a process. For farmers, the transition to sustainable agriculture normally requires a series of small, realistic steps. A healthy soil will produce healthy crop plants that have optimum vigor and are less susceptible to pests. While many crops have key pests that attack even the healthiest of plants, proper soil , water and nutrient management can help prevent some pest problems brought on by crop stress or nutrient imbalance.
Greater inputs mean greater costs to the grower.
In sustainable systems, the soil is viewed as a fragile and living medium that must be protected and nurtured to ensure its long-term productivity and stability. Regular additions of organic matter or the use of cover crops can increase soil aggregate stability, soil tilth, and diversity of soil microbial life. Management decisions that promote sustainability nourish the environment, the community and the individual. Management decisions should reflect not only environmental and social considerations, but also individual goals and lifestyle choices. For example, adoption of some technologies or practices that promise profitability may also require such intensive management that one's lifestyle actually deteriorates.