3. I- Introduction
Agricultural intensification is characterized by a system
of cultivation using large amounts of labor and capital
relative to land area.
Those large amounts of capital and labor are necessary
to the application of
fertilizers, insecticides, mechanization, etc..
Capital is particularly important to the acquisition and
maintenance of high efficiency machinery
4. I- Introduction
Human number growing so it is required to increase the food
supply
Technological advances for better nutrition and productivity
Environmentalists claims that it’s negatively affecting the
environment
Source:
plentytothin
kabout.org
6. II- Intensification
A)Traditional farming suspended
1) Not efficient anymore
- Increase in population vs. food supply
- Land became scarce and unable to extensify
- Shifting from Extensification to Intensification
7. II- Intensification
2) Shift of labor from rural to industrial work,
thus the urbanization effect
- Traditional farming is exhausting
- Higher income in the industrial field
8. II- Intensification
B) Modern intensive agriculture:
1)Usage of sophisticated method for agriculture output
a) Nitrogen fertilizers and improved pesticides
b) Mechanization
c) Green revolution: growing genetically modified seeds
9. II- Intensification
2) Appearance of specialization
- Relying on agribusiness markets
- Farmers buying products from agribusinesses
- Agribusinesses selling farmers products
10. III- Impacts of intensive
agriculture
A) Negative impacts
1) General consequences
a) Negative local consequences
-Increase erosion
-Lower soil fertility
-Reduce biodiversity
-Depletion of water resources
b) Negative regional consequences
-Polluting groundwater
-Eutrophication
c)Global consequences
-Negative affects atmospheric constituents
-Climate change and global warming
11. III- Impacts of intensive
agriculture
2) Livestock impacts
a)Important greenhouse emission
b)Health risk to workers
-Affected by toxic gases
c) Risk of unemployment
-Replace of family firms by machinery
d)Usage of hormones and antibiotics
12. III- Impacts of intensive
agriculture
B)Positive impacts
1)Benefits in yield
a) In developing countries, yield increases accounted for 69% of overall
growing in agriculture product between 1970s and 1990s
b) Use of hybrid seeds and fertilizers
2)Increased productivity
-Due to better fertilization
-Due to better irrigation styles
-Improvement of crop variety
-Mechanization
-Genetics
-Chemicals
-Infrastructure (grain logistic system)
13. IV- Policies and regulations
implemented
A) Policies concerned with air pollution
Regulate emissions and green houses
-Clean air act
B) Policies concerns with effect of livestock
production on environment
Regulations that will decrease ammonia emission up to
10%
-Environmentally superior technology (McCubbin)
15. IV- Policies and regulations
implemented
C)Protecting the environment
1)Instituting environmental compliance to provide
farmers with incentive to stick to regulations regarding the
environment
-The US consecutive program
2)Relying on ecological intensification
-Using ecological and natural processes to improve
production efficiency
-Ecological intensification by animal traction for soil tillage
16. IV- Policies and reguulations
implemented
3)Government intensification
-Public funding for agriculture research and development
extension
-Green payment: payment to farmers who adopt sustainable
environmental method
4)Establishing sustainable alternative by creating new
energy sources
a) Biodiesel: from soybeans
b) Ethanol: from corn & sugar
c) Agriculture waste production
d) Wind energy
17. V- Conclusion
Intensive agriculture shouldn’t be totally
suspended; yet it shouldn’t also be freely
practiced
-Government & agribusiness need to find middle ground
-Responsibility should be taken not only by government but
also by farmers.
-Public awareness about environmental issues
-Scientists should cooperate to develop better genetic
modified crops that sustain population even with depleted
environmental condition
