Sustainable agriculture plays a crucial role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. This chapter analyzes the linkages between sustainable agriculture practices and specific SDGs, examining the potential of eco-friendly farming techniques to address socio-economic and environmental issues. It provides an overview of prominent goals directly influenced by agriculture like zero hunger, climate action, and responsible production and consumption. Additionally, it highlights innovative case studies that demonstrate how principles of regeneration and agroecology can drive progress on interlinked SDGs spanning poverty alleviation, clean water access, gender equality, and reduced inequalities. By synthesizing research on sustainable techniques like conservation agriculture, integrated farming systems, and organic agriculture, this chapter offers actionable recommendations for agricultural stakeholders to align with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. It emphasizes the need for evidence-based, context-specific approaches that balance productivity, resilience, and environmental protection across local and global scales.

Low nutrient reserves and poor soil fertility management in coconut cultivation have limited coconut productivity. Biochar is one of the best solutions to improve soil nutrient reserves and fertility over time. This study explored the best rate of biochar application in coconut-growing soils to reduce leaching losses and macronutrient enrichment. Two major coconut-growing soil series; Madampe (Sandy) and Andigama (Sandy loam) were used in the experiment. Gliricidia wood biochar (BC) pyrolyzed at 700 °C was used to amend the 0−15 cm topsoil in PVC columns at the rates of 0% BC, 1% BC, 2% BC and 3% BC (w/w) with recommended doses of inorganic fertilizer. Columns were arranged in Completely Random Design (CRD) with three replicates and leached two weeks intervals over five months. Our findings revealed two distinct scenarios for sandy and sandy loam soils. Considering the retention of macronutrients in sandy loam soil treated with 2% and 3% biochar, the order of retention was P > K > Mg > Ca. However, soil N was not altered substantially (P > 0.05) with the amount of biochar amendment. Similarly, in sandy soil, 3% BC treatment demonstrated the sequence P > Mg > N = Ca, although soil K was not differed significantly (P > 0.05) with biochar amendment rate. Albeit a once-in-a-lifetime application of 3% biochar could be recommended on coconut-growing sandy soils, application of this rate would be unprofitable. Thus, the 2% rate will be more appropriate for both sandy and sandy loam soils. These application rates must be validated through long-term field experiments under major coconut-growing soils.

As a result of the increase in agricultural production and environmental pollution, waste management and disposal are becoming vital. Proper treatments, such as converting abundant bio-mass wastes into beneficial materials, might mitigate the negative effects and convert waste into reusable resources. Aquatic weeds are a significant concern in the majority of water bodies. Their quick growth, rapid ecological adaptations, and lack of natural enemies make these plants invasive, problematic, and challenging to manage over time. Although there are many methods to manage aquatic weeds, composting has been identified as one of the easily adapted and eco-friendly methods for transferring nutrients to the cropping cycle. Their short life cycle, higher biomass yield, higher nutrient compositions, and allelopathic and phytoremediation properties confirm their suitability as raw materials for composting. Most aquatic ecosystems can be maintained in optimum conditions while facilitating maximum benefits for life by identifying and developing proper composting techniques. Studying the ecology and morphological features of aquatic weeds is essential for this purpose. This is an overview of identifying the potential of aquatic weeds as a source of composting, targeting sustainable plant nutrient management while managing weeds.

One of the most significant approaches to improving global resilience to the increasing effects of human-caused climate change is through the involvement of women in agriculture. Research evidence demonstrates that improving gender equality and empowering women improves climate change results. Despite making up a sizable portion of the agricultural labour force worldwide, women have more challenges than males in gaining access to opportunities and essential resources. In order to improve the capacity of agriculture to adapt and become more resilient to the effects of climate change, this chapter addresses the importance of expanding the representation, involvement, leadership roles, and influence of women in climate change policies and initiatives. Overall, the chapter shows that creating strong and sustainable food systems that are resistant to the effects of climate change requires the involvement of women at the centre of adaptation efforts.

Lack of water and poor use of water for irrigation are significant issues affecting food security and environmental conservation around the world. Precision irrigation systems based on artificial intelligence use soil moisture prediction, evapotranspiration, and crop water stress for the precise application of water. Smart allocation and scheduling make use of accurate time weather data to optimize the time and quantity of water to be used in irrigation. In predictive maintenance, IoT sensors and machine learning are used to identify and solve equipment problems before they occur, while AI keeps water quality appropriate for the crops.By integrating AI with existing conservation practices and indigenous knowledge, it is possible to generate site-specific and sustainable approaches to the use of water in different agricultural settings. While climate change aggravates the water deficit worldwide, AI holds the potential to pave better ways for sustainable and secure food production.

Sustainable soil fertility management is crucial for enhancing productivity in coconut plantations. This study investigated the synergistic effects of king coconut husk (KCH) ash, biochar, and chemical fertilizers on soil properties in a coconut plantation over a short period (4 months). Six treatments were applied: control, chemical fertilizers alone (F), fertilizers with ash (FA), fertilizers with biochar (FB), fertilizers with both ash and biochar (FAB), and fertilizers with half ash and biochar (FA^1/2B). Strongly alkaline KCH ash contained significantly higher total and available potassium content levels than mildly alkaline biochar. Data indicated that KCH ash significantly enhanced soil available potassium, electrical conductivity, and organic carbon content compared to the control and F treatments over a short-term period. Even though biochar application demonstrated initial improvements in soil moisture content, a longer study duration may be required to evaluate its influence on other soil parameters comprehensively. Highlighting the synergistic benefits of KCH ash and biochar, FA^1/2B treatment exhibited the highest combined index score based on physical, biological, and chemical soil indicators, suggesting its potential for optimizing agricultural outcomes. It emerged as the most promising approach, underscoring the value of exploring sustainable soil amendments derived from agricultural waste streams to promote soil fertility and sustainable coconut production.