Impacts of agriculture in Latin America: problems and solutions

Abstract

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition, agriculture is “the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock, and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products.” As it is, even though this definition is very comprehensive, there is more than meets the eye about the universe of activities involved in agronomic practices. Agriculture is witness to many changes since its dawning, evolving from animal and seed domestication to genetic modification of organisms through molecular biology techniques to better suit worldwide demand. These changes influenced land ownership as well as technology development. Different climatic and anthropological realities generate diverse productive systems that adapt to every situation. Developing countries with less appropriate technologies for industrialization have large rural populations where peasant economies are sometimes critical for subsistence. Despite all the benefits of agriculture, it sometimes faces drawbacks for proper production. Other times agriculture brings along sociopolitical and environmental problems. Cultural practices have detrimental impacts on soil quality and water availability. Moreover the environment is the ultimate recipient of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and other by-products. Nonetheless bioremediation techniques involving plants and microorganisms are in constant development to try to decrease the negative effects of farming, bringing these emerging processes new options for a better management in agriculture.