The variable paths to sustainable intensification in agriculture

Abstract

Continuing environmental degradation amidst economic growth and population increase has underscored the desirability of pursuing sustainable intensification in agriculture. In theory, it would increase the volume of agricultural production without further degrading the natural environment or compromising the food security of the world’s poorest people. In practice, difficult choices involving trade-offs between agricultural development and environmental protection have characterized most efforts at sustainable intensification. Against this backdrop, a series of studies have tried to identify an optimal strategy for sustainable intensification. This article argues that there is no one optimal strategy. Rather, optimal strategies vary across socio-ecological contexts. Distinct strategies of sustainable intensification have emerged (1) in peri-urban agriculture, (2) on large farms situated on prime agricultural lands, and (3) in smallholder-dominated agricultural districts. Government interventions to promote sustainable intensification should recognize and build on these distinct, place-based economic, and agro-ecological dynamics.