Sustainable Intensification in the Future Agriculture: Bridging the Gap between Research and Application

Dear Colleagues,

There is a debate between researchers and growers regarding the applicability of sustainable intensification to sustain the food security in the future. Consequently, future research should address maximizing soil productivity in a sustainable manner (intensification) and enrolling other marginal soils in sustainable production (extensification) with emphasis on harness ecosystem services and service-providing biota to meet the growing food, feed and fiber demands. This special issue, therefore, will help in bridging the gap between research and application of the sustainable intensification in the future agriculture.

Followed by industrial revolution in late 1900, green revolution in 1950s helped to feed the world growing population through agricultural intensification, which involved synthetic fertilizers application, chemical pest control, genetic engineering of hybrid varieties, modern irrigation designing and farming machinery. These intensification toolboxes reshaped the life style of human being and welfare. However, intensification, without a sustainability focus, has opened doors of new challenges for generations to come in the form of environmental pollution. It is quite difficult to exactly trace back the dates in literature when mankind realized the change in environment; however, the realization of changing climate and its serious consequences on today’s human health and future generation have made man to prevent polluting the planet further and find out the ways to recover the damage done so far through environmental conservation. There is consensus that modern agricultural systems should sustain agricultural production and minimize the potential adverse effects on the biosphere. FAO has introduced “Sustainable Intensification” as a future direction for agricultural production for addressing the challenges of overpopulation, food security, climate change and resource conservation. Sustainable intensification is championed by scientists as a nature-based alternative to the conventional intensive agriculture although producers meet this approach with little interest arguing that more food should be produced to safeguard the maximum production. Consequently, future research of sustainable intensification should emphasis on maximizing the productivity of the existing agricultural footprint and bringing marginal soils into sustainable agriculture (extensification). This future research should also involve harness ecosystem services and service-providing biota that provide direct or indirect contributions for sustainable agricultural production.

Therefore, we encourage you to submit articles covering the following issues:

• Enhancing Soil Health
• Restoring Biodiversity of the Rhizosphere
• Improving Nutrient Supply Potentials of Soil
• Sustainable Land Reclamation
• Efficient Use of Water Resources: Sustainability Options
• Recycling Agricultural Byproducts into Value-added Products
• Organic Additives Functionalization for Agro-environmental Applications
• Wastewater Remediation for Irrigation: Sustainability Options
• Sustainable Pest Management
• Maximizing Productivity of Organic Farming Systems

Dr. Zahoor Ahmad
Dr. Ahmed Mosa
Dr. Muhammad Shahid
Guest Editors

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