Advantages and Disadvantages of Intensive Farming

Sure, it might be cruel, but intensive farming saves lives - Jay Rayner (Restaurant critic, of the Observer)

Intensive farming is an agricultural system that aims to get maximum yield from available land. This farming technique may be applicable to the yield of livestock also. You could say that under intensive farming, food is produced in large quantities with the help of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used appropriately to save such agricultural yield from pests and crop diseases brought on by them. Products such as eggs, meat and other agricultural items available in many supermarkets are produced using modern intensive farming methods. Intensive farming is practiced widely by many developed economies of the world. Sustainable intensive farming, intensive aquaculture, intensive livestock farming and managed intensive grazing fall under intensive farming. Here, we will take a look at both, the advantages and the disadvantages of intensive farming.

Advantages of Intensive Farming

→ One of the major advantages of intensive farming is that the yield is high.

→ With the introduction of intensive farming, farm produce such as vegetables, fruits and poultry products have become less expensive. This means that poor people can afford a balanced and nutritious diet.

→ Many opine that organic food can be afforded only by the rich and the elite strata of the society. Apart from that, large farming spaces are required to cultivate organic crops using natural manure. However, with the introduction of intensive farming, the space, equipment and other requirements for farming less and more economical.

→ Another advantage of intensive farming is that large productivity of food is possible with less amount of land. This leads to economies of scale and directly contributes towards meeting the ever-growing demand for food supplies.

Disadvantages of Intensive Farming

→ Intensive farming involves the use of various kinds of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides. Apart from this, intensive farming is also associated with farms that keep livestock above their holding capacity and this could lead to pollution and various diseases and infections brought about by overcrowding and poor hygeine.

→ Reports and studies reveal that intensive farming affects and alters the environment in multiple ways. Forests are destroyed to create large open fields and this could lead to soil erosion. Intensive farming affects the natural habitats of wild animals. Use of chemical fertilizers contaminates soil and water bodies such as lakes and rivers.

→ Pesticides sprayed on crops not only destroy pests and contaminate the crops but also kill beneficial insects. Eventually, these chemicals are passed on to the human beings when they consume the agricultural produce.

→ Fruits and vegetables purchased from farms that promote intensive farming are covered with invisible pesticide. These are not easily washed off. The residue of these pesticides affect the health of human beings.

→ Statistics show a direct relation between consumption of food procured from intensive farming sites and an increase in the number of cancer patients. Researchers opine that consumption of inorganic vegetables, fruits, poultry and meat could probably be one of the reasons.

→ There are many hybrid varieties of livestock and poultry today. The livestock and poultry are injected with hormones and other chemicals to increase the yield. There is a tug-of-war between the animal-rights activists and farmers of intensive farming. However, the debate is still ongoing without much success.

There are both pros and cons in promoting intensive farming. Intensive farming involves genetic selection and breeding of both plants and animals. Artificial growth hormones and inorganic plant nutrients are mixed with the fertilizers and livestock feed. This results in the highest yield of all time. On one side, the health of human beings is largely affected by intensive farming, while on the other side, it is argued that the poor and needy cannot simply afford organic food. Compared to the disadvantages, the advantages of intensive farming are less.