Pretty Jules, Bharucha Zareen Pervez
University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK.
Ann Bot. 2014 Dec;114(8):1571-96. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcu205. Epub 2014 Oct 28.
Agricultural systems are amended ecosystems with a variety of properties. Modern agroecosystems have tended towards high through-flow systems, with energy supplied by fossil fuels directed out of the system (either deliberately for harvests or accidentally through side effects). In the coming decades, resource constraints over water, soil, biodiversity and land will affect agricultural systems. Sustainable agroecosystems are those tending to have a positive impact on natural, social and human capital, while unsustainable systems feed back to deplete these assets, leaving fewer for the future. Sustainable intensification (SI) is defined as a process or system where agricultural yields are increased without adverse environmental impact and without the conversion of additional non-agricultural land. The concept does not articulate or privilege any particular vision or method of agricultural production. Rather, it emphasizes ends rather than means, and does not pre-determine technologies, species mix or particular design components. The combination of the terms 'sustainable' and 'intensification' is an attempt to indicate that desirable outcomes around both more food and improved environmental goods and services could be achieved by a variety of means. Nonetheless, it remains controversial to some.
This review analyses recent evidence of the impacts of SI in both developing and industrialized countries, and demonstrates that both yield and natural capital dividends can occur. The review begins with analysis of the emergence of combined agricultural-environmental systems, the environmental and social outcomes of recent agricultural revolutions, and analyses the challenges for food production this century as populations grow and consumption patterns change. Emergent criticisms are highlighted, and the positive impacts of SI on food outputs and renewable capital assets detailed. It concludes with observations on policies and incentives necessary for the wider adoption of SI, and indicates how SI could both promote transitions towards greener economies as well as benefit from progress in other sectors.
农业系统是具有多种特性的人工改造生态系统。现代农业生态系统已趋向于高流量系统，由化石燃料提供的能量从系统中输出（有意用于收获或因副作用意外输出）。在未来几十年，水资源、土壤、生物多样性和土地方面的资源限制将影响农业系统。可持续农业生态系统是那些对自然、社会和人力资本往往产生积极影响的系统，而不可持续的系统则会反馈导致这些资产的消耗，使未来可利用的资源减少。可持续集约化（SI）被定义为一种过程或系统，在该过程或系统中，农业产量增加且不会对环境产生不利影响，也无需转换额外的非农业用地。该概念并未明确阐述或偏袒任何特定的农业生产愿景或方法。相反，它强调结果而非手段，并且不预先确定技术、物种组合或特定的设计要素。“可持续”和“集约化”这两个术语的结合旨在表明，通过多种手段可以实现围绕更多粮食以及改善环境产品和服务的理想成果。尽管如此，它在一些人当中仍然存在争议。
本综述分析了可持续集约化在发展中国家和工业化国家影响的最新证据，并表明产量和自然资本红利均有可能实现。综述首先分析了农业与环境综合系统的出现、近期农业革命的环境和社会成果，并分析了随着人口增长和消费模式变化，本世纪粮食生产面临的挑战。突出了新出现的批评意见，并详细阐述了可持续集约化对粮食产量和可再生资本资产的积极影响。最后对更广泛采用可持续集约化所需的政策和激励措施进行了观察，并指出可持续集约化如何既能促进向绿色经济的转型，又能从其他部门的进展中受益。
