The environmental impact of agricultural intensification: A summary note

With human population on the rise, there is a growing need to address food availability and security. By 2050, the need for farmed products will be 60% higher than it was fourteen years ago (FAO 2009). Unfortunately, as farms work to address an exponential need for agricultural products, large natur...

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Main Authors: Lichtenthal, Peter, Zhang, Wei, Hettiarachchi, Upeksha
Format: Brief
Language:Inglés
Published: CGIAR System Organization 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/180660
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author Lichtenthal, Peter
Zhang, Wei
Hettiarachchi, Upeksha
author_browse Hettiarachchi, Upeksha
Lichtenthal, Peter
Zhang, Wei
author_facet Lichtenthal, Peter
Zhang, Wei
Hettiarachchi, Upeksha
author_sort Lichtenthal, Peter
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description With human population on the rise, there is a growing need to address food availability and security. By 2050, the need for farmed products will be 60% higher than it was fourteen years ago (FAO 2009). Unfortunately, as farms work to address an exponential need for agricultural products, large natural landscapes have been rapidly converted to farmlands. Widespread deforestation and land-use change caused by agricultural expansion have resulted in devastating consequences on the environment and climate. Numerous conservation organizations and national governments have promoted agricultural intensification as a solution to reduce harmful “slash and burn” practices and slow agricultural expanse into natural areas while still maintaining farm profitability (Phelps et al. 2013). Intensification consists of increasing production per unit area. It is expected that this can be achieved through increased chemical inputs, increased labor, agricultural technical advancements, or other measures of enhanced field production. The concept surrounds maximizing land and resource use, rather than expanding sites with nonproduction optimized agriculture practices (Struik and Kuyper 2017).
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spelling CGSpace1806602026-01-26T23:09:39Z The environmental impact of agricultural intensification: A summary note Lichtenthal, Peter Zhang, Wei Hettiarachchi, Upeksha intensification environmental impact With human population on the rise, there is a growing need to address food availability and security. By 2050, the need for farmed products will be 60% higher than it was fourteen years ago (FAO 2009). Unfortunately, as farms work to address an exponential need for agricultural products, large natural landscapes have been rapidly converted to farmlands. Widespread deforestation and land-use change caused by agricultural expansion have resulted in devastating consequences on the environment and climate. Numerous conservation organizations and national governments have promoted agricultural intensification as a solution to reduce harmful “slash and burn” practices and slow agricultural expanse into natural areas while still maintaining farm profitability (Phelps et al. 2013). Intensification consists of increasing production per unit area. It is expected that this can be achieved through increased chemical inputs, increased labor, agricultural technical advancements, or other measures of enhanced field production. The concept surrounds maximizing land and resource use, rather than expanding sites with nonproduction optimized agriculture practices (Struik and Kuyper 2017). 2025-12-31 2026-01-26T21:09:06Z 2026-01-26T21:09:06Z Brief https://hdl.handle.net/10568/180660 en https://hdl.handle.net/10986/44098 Open Access application/pdf CGIAR System Organization Lichtenthal, Peter; Zhang, Wei; and Hettiarachchi, Upeksha. 2025. The environmental impact of agricultural intensification: A summary note. CGIAR System Organization. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/180660
spellingShingle intensification
environmental impact
Lichtenthal, Peter
Zhang, Wei
Hettiarachchi, Upeksha
The environmental impact of agricultural intensification: A summary note
title The environmental impact of agricultural intensification: A summary note
title_full The environmental impact of agricultural intensification: A summary note
title_fullStr The environmental impact of agricultural intensification: A summary note
title_full_unstemmed The environmental impact of agricultural intensification: A summary note
title_short The environmental impact of agricultural intensification: A summary note
title_sort environmental impact of agricultural intensification a summary note
topic intensification
environmental impact
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/180660
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