Sustainable Intensification

Our position

Agriculture is the single largest user of land and the largest driver of deforestation. The most effective way to meet rising food demand without converting more natural habitat is to produce more on existing agricultural land by raising crop yields and livestock productivity. This process is already happening. Since the mid-twentieth century global agricultural production more than tripled, while total cropland expansion and emissions slowed, due to massive yield growth. Maintaining and increasing agricultural yields remains a fundamental challenge requiring R&D investment, biotechnology reform, and agricultural development programs that can help lower-income countries increase yields and reduce deforestation and land conversion.

Questions

What is sustainable intensification?

Sustainable intensification means producing more food on existing farmland while reducing agriculture’s environmental impacts. By increasing yields through better technology and farming practices, farmers can use land, water, and other resources more efficiently while limiting pressure to convert forests and habitats.

What does "intensification" mean in agriculture?

Intensification means increasing the amount of food produced on a given area of farmland. Farmers can achieve this through improved crops, fertilizers, irrigation, machinery, and other technologies. Higher productivity can reduce pressure to expand farmland into forests and natural habitats.

How can intensification be sustainable?

Intensification can be sustainable when farmers produce more food while reducing environmental impacts. Higher yields, precision agriculture, improved crops, efficient irrigation, and better fertilizer use can conserve land and resources, reduce pollution, and limit agricultural expansion into forests and natural habitats.

What is the difference between sustainable intensification and agroecology?

Sustainable intensification focuses on producing more food with fewer environmental impacts and utilizes technologies and practices that increase efficiency. Agroecology generally emphasizes ecological processes, crop diversity, and reduced external inputs. The approaches can overlap, but sustainable intensification is typically more technology-neutral.