Intensive farming

Definition

Intensive farming, also known as intensive agriculture, refers to a system of agricultural production that aims to maximize yields from available land through the use of high inputs of labor, fertilizers, and pesticides. This method often involves practices that increase crop production and livestock output per unit area, but it can also lead to environmental consequences and heightened disease transmission risks, particularly in the context of viral emergence and re-emergence.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Intensive farming can increase food production significantly, making it essential for feeding growing populations in urban areas.
2. The reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides in intensive farming can lead to soil degradation and water pollution.
3. Higher animal density in intensive livestock farming increases the risk of disease outbreaks among animals, which can spill over to humans.
4. Intensive farming practices are often linked to habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity due to land conversion.
5. Increased human-animal interactions in intensive systems can facilitate the emergence and spread of zoonotic viruses.

Review Questions

• How does intensive farming contribute to environmental changes that may affect viral emergence?
  • Intensive farming leads to significant environmental changes, such as habitat destruction, soil degradation, and increased use of chemical inputs. These changes can disrupt local ecosystems, reduce biodiversity, and create conditions that favor the emergence of viruses. For instance, as natural habitats are replaced by monocultures, wildlife is displaced and may come into closer contact with livestock, facilitating cross-species transmission of viruses.
• Discuss the role of antibiotic resistance in intensive farming and its implications for viral diseases.
  • Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern in intensive farming due to the overuse of antibiotics in livestock to promote growth and prevent disease. This practice not only leads to resistant bacteria but can also create an environment where viral infections thrive. The presence of resistant bacteria in animals can complicate treatments for infections that arise from zoonotic viruses, creating public health challenges and increasing the risk of outbreaks.
• Evaluate the impact of intensive farming practices on the spread of zoonotic diseases and how this relates to viral re-emergence.
  • Intensive farming practices significantly impact the spread of zoonotic diseases by increasing animal density and human-animal interactions. As farms operate with higher stocking rates, the likelihood of disease transmission among animals rises. Furthermore, these practices create a conducive environment for viruses that may jump from animals to humans. Such conditions have been linked to various viral re-emergences, highlighting the need for sustainable farming practices that reduce these risks while ensuring food security.

Related terms

monoculture: The agricultural practice of growing a single crop or plant species over a wide area for many consecutive years.

antibiotic resistance: The ability of bacteria or other microorganisms to resist the effects of an antibiotic to which they were once sensitive, often exacerbated by intensive farming practices.

agroecosystem: A community of living organisms in conjunction with their physical environment, where intensive farming alters natural ecosystems to increase productivity.