Food production and nature conservation: conflicts and solutions

Human development has been intimately linked with the development of agriculture over the past 10,000 years. Significant developments in agronomy and agricultural practice have supported civilizations and technological advances and allowed the human population to grow to over 7 billion people. Much of this increase in food production has happened at the expense of nature, wth consequences for biodiversity decline, nutrient loss, soil loss and pollution. The intensification of agriculture has disconnected food production from nature as nutrient limitations in the sols are supplemented by fertilisers, while weeds, pests and diseases are controlled by medication and a range of chemicals and water shortages are overcome by irrigation and dams