Many arenas of work and discussion for sustainable development are cross-cutting, or, in other words, affect implementation of all of the more individual topics considered under sustainable development. Some of these cross-cutting topics include gender equality, poverty eradication, financing, governance, and means of implementation.

Three cross-cutting topics are particularly important for USDA agencies because they affect all aspects of USDA work. These include Science for Sustainability, Education for Sustainability, and Green Infrastructure.

USDA Science for Sustainability

Science provides a foundation for the Department's policies, strategies and actions on sustainable agriculture and development.

The Science for Sustainability effort is aimed at both research on sustainable agricultural and at methods to better develop and foster sustainability at local to international scales.

Sustainable agricultural research is focused on developing practices and improving systems that promote the triple bottom line for sustainability (producer profit, environmental quality and social responsibility).

Because of its sustainability focus, this research is usually multidisciplinary and involves direct participation of producers and other partners, customers and stakeholders.

Another research aspect is aimed at the science of sustainability. This “Science for Sustainability” seeks to:

• Expand the research and development agenda about sustainability.
• Strengthen the infrastructure and capacity for conducting and applying science to sustainability.
• Connect science and policy to effectively pursue a transition toward sustainability.

Research is primarily conducted by the following USDA agencies:

• The Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES),
• The Agricultural Research Service (ARS),
• The Economic Research Service (ERS) and
• The Forest Service (FS)

They work in partnership with all USDA agencies, many other federal, state and local agencies, and private and public organizations. They are working to integrate the concepts and principles of sustainable agriculture and development within their respective research, education and extension programs.

USDA programs have been growing steadily in their focus on sustainability and involve a variety of national program leadership staff that work to build the science base for sustainability. For example, CSREES Science for Sustainability Working Group is made up of program staff from across the Agency's program units working to offer competitive grant and other programs that account for the economic, environmental and social dimensions of effects of their programs and build large-scale systems research programs that will support the science for sustainability.

To promote sustainable agriculture, every project in ARS is evaluated on its contributions to sustainability based on criteria developed in cooperation with organizations working in sustainable agriculture. These criteria include reliance on on-farm resources to increase profitability, natural resources stewardship and effects on rural communities. The number of projects substantially contributing to improving sustainability has been steadily increasing.

Additional Resources

SARE program of the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service

Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, Sustainable Agriculture

Economic Research Service publication: Green Technologies for a More Sustainable Agriculture

Agricultural Research Service National Program: Integrated Farming Systems

ATTRA, National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

Alternative Farming Systems Info Center, National Agricultural Library, Agricultural Research Service

Education for Sustainability

Education is the foundation for transferring discoveries and technologies about sustainability from one generation to the next, and from researcher to practitioner. Education for sustainability builds a workforce that understands the dynamic interactions among economic, environmental and social variables, and uses these linkages to make decisions that lead to a more sustainable future.

The Education for Sustainability Goals includes:

• Develop undergraduate and graduate programs and courses about sustainability in institutions of higher education, such as Land-grant universities and colleges, and those closely associated with USDA.
• Infusing the concepts and principles of sustainability into the formal K-12 school curricula such as geography, science, and economics.
• Developing new learning opportunities about sustainability for non-formal youth serving organizations such as 4-H and its science, technology, and environment related programs.
• Providing adult education programs for farmers, ranchers, and producers to encourage their adoption of sustainable practices. Other target audiences include local elected officials, community leaders, and the general public through such venues as public television.
• Educating the current USDA workforce and related state and county offices about sustainability concepts and principles.
  

Education for Sustainability supports the WSSD Partnerships such as My Community Our Earth: Geographic Learning for Sustainable Development and the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development.

The USDA Education for Sustainability effort in found in the activities of most all of the mission areas and agencies, but with special focus in the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, Forest Service, and Natural Resource and Conservation Service.