Sustainable Agriculture, People and the Resource Base: Impacts on Food Production

Summary Summary Jules N. Pretty, 'Sustainable Agriculture, People and the Resource Base: Impacts on Food Production', Forum for Development Studies, 1997:1, pp. 7–32. As this century draws to a close, agricultural development faces some unprecedented challenges. But the views on how to proceed vary hugely, and there are five distinct schools of thought. Sustainable agriculture seeks the integrated use of a wide range of pest, nutrient, soil and water management technologies. Contrary to popular opinion, such regenerative and low-input (but not necessarily zero-input) agriculture can be highly productive, provided farmers participate fully in all stages of technology development and extension. But there remains a huge challenge to find ways to spread or 'scale up' the processes which have brought about these transitions. For sustainable intensification of agriculture to spread widely, there is a need for fundamental reform of both policies and policy formulation processes.