Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable Agriculture 2nd Edition (John Mason) If we can’t sustain agricultural production, we will eventually see a decline in production; hence a decline in food and other supplies. There is no escaping the fact that people need agricultural products to survive: for food, clothing, etc. Science may be able to introduce substitutes (eg synthetic fibres) but even the raw materials to make these will generally be limited. As the world’s population increases (or at best remains stable in some places) demand for agricultural produce increases accordingly. Poorly maintained farms produce less in terms of quantity and quality. Profitability decreases mean that surplus money is no longer available for repair and improvements. Farm land can become contaminated with chemical residues, weeds or vermin. The amount of vegetation produced (i.e. the biomass) may reduce, resulting in less production of carbon dioxide, and a greater susceptibility to environmental degradation.