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The sustainable intensification of agriculture

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  • Jules N. Pretty

Abstract

Agricultural development is currently facing unprecedented challenges. With 800 million people already having insufficient access to food, population growth estimates project an even bleaker situation in the future. The article summarizes the major schools of thought regarding how to face the dilemma, and advocates sustainable intensification of agriculture, relying on integrated use of a wide range of technologies to manage pests, nutrients, soil and water. Local knowledge and adaptive methods are stressed rather than comprehensive packages of externally‐supplied technologies. The article shows how regenerative, low‐input agriculture, founded on full farmer participation in all stages of development and extension, can be highly productive. It is stressed that policy must not prescribe specific, concretely defined technologies or practices, as this would restrict future farmer options. Farmers and communities should be allowed and encouraged to adapt to changing conditions; what needs to be sustainable are local processes of innovation and adaptation. The article highlights environmental and economic benefits resulting from sustainable intensification practices, for farmers as well as communities and nations with examples are taken from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Despite the increasing success of sustainable agriculture, it is clear that the challenge remains to ‘scale up’ the process from small ‘islands of success’ to fundamental reform of both policies and policy formulation processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Jules N. Pretty, 1997. "The sustainable intensification of agriculture," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 21(4), pages 247-256, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:natres:v:21:y:1997:i:4:p:247-256
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1477-8947.1997.tb00699.x
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    2. Weltin, Meike & Hüttel, Silke, 2019. "Farm eco-efficiency: Can sustainable intensification make the difference?," FORLand Working Papers 10 (2019), Humboldt University Berlin, DFG Research Unit 2569 FORLand "Agricultural Land Markets – Efficiency and Regulation".
    3. Tom O’Donoghue & Budiman Minasny & Alex McBratney, 2022. "Regenerative Agriculture and Its Potential to Improve Farmscape Function," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-25, May.
    4. Jakub Staniszewski & Łukasz Kryszak, 2022. "Do Structures Matter in the Process of Sustainable Intensification? A Case Study of Agriculture in the European Union Countries," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-19, February.
    5. Kotu, Bekele Hundie & Oyinbo, Oyakhilomen & Hoeschle-Zeledon, Irmgard & Nurudeen, Abdul Rahman & Kizito, Fred & Boyubie, Benedict, 2021. "Are Smallholder Farmers Interested in Practicing Sustainable Intensification? A Choice Experiment on Farmers’ Preferences for Sustainability Attributes of Maize Production in Ghana," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315032, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    6. Meike Weltin & Silke Hüttel, 2023. "Sustainable Intensification Farming as an Enabler for Farm Eco-Efficiency?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 84(1), pages 315-342, January.
    7. Madhu Khanna & Ruiqing Miao, 2022. "Inducing the adoption of emerging technologies for sustainable intensification of food and renewable energy production: insights from applied economics," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 66(1), pages 1-23, January.
    8. Areal, Francisco J. & Jones, Philip J. & Mortimer, Simon R. & Wilson, Paul, 2018. "Measuring sustainable intensification: Combining composite indicators and efficiency analysis to account for positive externalities in cereal production," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 314-326.
    9. Petan Hamazakaza & Gillian Kabwe & Elias Kuntashula & Anthony Egeru & Robert Asiimwe, 2022. "Adoption of Sustainable Agriculture Intensification in Maize-Based Farming Systems of Katete District in Zambia," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-15, June.
    10. Sidhoum, Amer Ait & Mennig, Philipp & Frick, Fabian, 2023. "Payments for agri-environmental schemes and green productivity in Germany: An impact assessment analysis," 97th Annual Conference, March 27-29, 2023, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 334513, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    11. Miguel A. Altieri, 2000. "Developing sustainable agricultural systems for small farmers in Latin America," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 24(2), pages 97-105, May.
    12. Kotu, Bekele Hundie & Oyinbo, Oyakhilomen & Hoeschle-Zeledon, Irmgard & Nurudeen, Abdul Rahman & Kizito, Fred & Boyubie, Benedict, 2022. "Smallholder farmers’ preferences for sustainable intensification attributes in maize production: Evidence from Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    13. Opeyemi Obafemi Adelesi & Yean-Uk Kim & Heidi Webber & Peter Zander & Johannes Schuler & Seyed-Ali Hosseini-Yekani & Dilys Sefakor MacCarthy & Alhassan Lansah Abdulai & Karin van der Wiel & Pierre C. , 2023. "Accounting for Weather Variability in Farm Management Resource Allocation in Northern Ghana: An Integrated Modeling Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-21, April.
    14. Alexandra Doernberg & Annette Piorr & Ingo Zasada & Dirk Wascher & Ulrich Schmutz, 2022. "Sustainability assessment of short food supply chains (SFSC): developing and testing a rapid assessment tool in one African and three European city regions," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(3), pages 885-904, September.
    15. Weituschat, Chiara Sophia & Pascucci, Stefano & Materia, Valentina Cristiana & Caracciolo, Francesco, 2023. "Can contract farming support sustainable intensification in agri-food value chains?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    16. Jakub Staniszewski & Anika Muder, 2023. "Structural and weather-related factors of the sustainable intensification process in agriculture of the European Union regions," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 69(10), pages 385-393.
    17. Mahon, N. & Crute, I. & Di Bonito, M. & Simmons, E.A. & Islam, M.M., 2018. "Towards a broad-based and holistic framework of Sustainable Intensification indicators," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 576-597.

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