and pulses and oil crops has grown from 1. 8 to 4.6
billion tonnes (FAO, 2011). Growth in cereal yield and
lower cereal prices significantly reduced food inse-
curity in the 1970–1980s when the number of under-
nourished actually fell despite rapid population
growth. Overall the proportion of undernourished
in the world population declined from 26 percent to
14 percent between 1969–1971 and 2000–2002 (FAO,
2009a; FAO, 2011).It is now recognized that these gains in agricultural
production and productivity were often made at the
expense of the environment. Impacts included land
degradation, salinization of irrigated areas, overex-
traction of groundwater, the buildup of pest resist-
ance and loss of biodiversity, such that the
production gains were unsustainable. In addition, in
many instances, smaller-scale farmers were unable
to participate or reap the rewards of scale.3. Increasing crop production sustainably
Given the significant challenges to our food supply
and the environment, sustainable intensification of
agricultural production is emerging as a major pri-
ority for policy-makers and their international de-
velopment partners. Sustainable intensification
means producing more from the same area of land
while reducing negative environmental impacts,
increasing contributions to natural capital and the
flow of environmental services (Godfray et al., 2010).
An ecosystem approach uses inputs such as seed,
fertilizer, land, water, chemical or bio-pesticides,
power and labour to complement the natural
processes which support plant growth. Examples of
these natural processes include: the action of soil-
based organisms (that allow plants to access key
nutrients; maintain a healthy soil structure which
promotes water retention and the recharge of ground-
water resources; and sequester carbon); pollination;
natural predation for pest control. Farmers find that
harnessing these natural processes can help to boost
the efficiency of use of conventional inputs.There is now widespread awareness of the importance
of taking an ecosystem approach to intensifying
crop production. A major study of the Future of
Food and Farming up to 2050 prepared by the
Government Office for Science in the United
Kingdom, has called for substantial changes
throughout the world’s food system including
sustainable intensification to simultaneously raise
yields, increase efficiency in the use of inputs and
reduce the negative impacts of food production
(Foresight, 2011). The International Assessment of
Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology
for Development (IAASTD) highlighted the need for
policies that value, restore and protect ecosystem
services, and address the needs of the world’s
small-scale and family farmers. It emphasized the
need for a change in paradigm to encourage
increased adoption of sustainable ecological agri-
culture and food systems and called for a shift
from current farming practices to sustainable agri-
cultural systems capable of providing significant
productivity increases and enhanced ecosystem
services (IAASTD, 2009).Assessments in developing countries have shown
how farm practices that conserve resources improve
the supply of environmental services and increase
productivity. A review of agricultural development
projects in 57 low-income countries found that more
efficient use of water, reduced use of pesticides and
improvements in soil health had led to average crop
yield increases of 79 percent (Prettyet al.,2006).
Another study concluded that agricultural systems
that conserve ecosystem services by using practices
such as conservation tillage, crop diversification,
legume intensification and biological pest control,
perform as well as intensive, high-input systems
(Badgley et al., 2007 ; FAO, 2011).Sustainable crop production intensification (SCPI),
when effectively implemented and supported, will
provide the “win-win” outcomes required to meet68