AG-CC122/AGB125: Cebu Technological University

Republic of the Philippines
CEBU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

BARILI CAMPUS
Cagay, Barili, Cebu City, Philippines
Website: http://www.ctu.edu.ph E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: +6332 513-0641/ 516-1742
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD SCIENCE,

AGRIBUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION
AG-CC122/AGB125
INTRODUCTION TO
AGRICULTURE 2
CHAPTER 2
What Is Modern Agriculture?
Modern Agriculture is an emerging approach to agricultural technologies and

farming practices that help farmers increase productivity and increased the number of
natural resources such as water, land and energy required to meet the needs of the world
in terms of food, fuel and fiber. The modernity of farming systems is a function well
understood by farmers but not easily described with specificity. Nonetheless, the
distinction between new and conventional systems has important implications for the
potential growth of the global food system (Motes, 2010).
Traditional Agriculture vs. Modern Agriculture Systems (Motes, 2010)
Traditional Agricultural Systems
Traditional farmers often say they seek to work effectively with available
resources. That is, they use the land, the rainfall, the seeds, the methods of tillage and
the sources of power they have to produce which nature offers. Conventional methods
are used for field tilling, picking and planting seeds, protecting plants from competing
plants and animals and harvesting. Surpluses are commercialized at nearby outlets.
Such producers often report only limited capacity to change these processes and some
attempt to prevent change. These systems' productivity depends primarily on the
inherent fertility of the soils, improved by skillful treatment and environment. The
technology and management systems involved are often characterized by lack of
access, or inability to use new production and/or management knowledge, or public or
commercial aid. Their productivity tends to grow slowly, often in response to external
developments, which reduce the isolation of producers, increase market access or
support investment in water and land.
Modern Agricultural Systems
In modern agricultural systems, farmers believe that they have much more
central roles and willing to use technology and knowledge to manage much of the
system's components, a somewhat different perspective from traditional farmers.
Contrary to the isolation inherent in traditional systems, modern agriculture appears to
see its performance as dependent on interconnections — access to capital, technology,
management, investment, markets, and government support policies.
Features of Modern Agriculture (Motes, 2010)
Much of the success of modern agricultural systems depends on the:
 development and maintenance of soil fertility through the specific provision of

nutrients when they are depleted;
 machine power and technology to create soil conditions necessary to promote
plant growth with minimal disturbance and minimal soil loss;
 use of improved genetics for crops and livestock to enhance yields, quality and
reliability;
 modern genetic and other techniques to protect plants and livestock from losses
to competing plants, diseases, drought insects and other threats;
 access to efficient, effective irrigation to supplement rainfall in many climates;
 advanced harvesting, handling and storage equipment and techniques to
prevent losses and to market commodities efficiently;
 public and private investments to provide access to technology, equipment,
information and physical facilities throughout the production-marketing system;
and
 well-supported commercial and financial systems and broad public policies that
support effective commercial markets at all levels that generate economic
returns throughout the system.
Modern agriculture in developed countries, including the United States, requires

much more than farms and farmers — it relies on large, highly sophisticated systems
that transport, store and process production from producers through an vast value chain
extending to food goods and end consumers.
Impacts of Modern Agriculture (Motes, 2010)
In addition to the importance of effective, sustainable production, the vital

importance of food for physical, economic and cultural growth makes modern
techniques essential. In fact, there is clear evidence that only such methods have any
serious chance of meeting the basic food needs of the world in the next few decades.
Below are the impacts of Modern Agriculture on the following areas:
a. Food Security
 Along with the importance of effective, sustainable growth, and the critical
value of food for physical, economic and cultural development makes
modern techniques important. In addition, clear evidence exists that only
these solutions have some realistic chance of meeting the essential food
needs of the world over the next few decades. Increased agricultural
production continues to boost diets gradually, indicating increased food
supply, dietary diversity, and exposure to high-protein food products.
 Increasing food supply by establishing a greatly improved degree of

cooperation across the entire global food chain.
 Improving the affordability of food by using new and existing

technologies and optimal productivity practices.
 The global hunger and poverty spreading to about a billion people reflects
weak policies, low growth and low wages. Failure to continue to use new
technologies to advance productivity on the farm and across the food
system simply exacerbates every aspect of these problems, particularly
those forced on people and families living in poverty. The extreme hunger
and malnutrition which persists in many parts of the world would have
been much worse if agricultural systems had not grown and evolved as
they did.
 Ensuring food safety with a combination of technology and high quality

standards and processes, combined with a greater measure of global
cooperation is also to be considered. Technology processing and
advances in handling contribute tremendously to improved food safety
through pathogen reductions and significant reductions in post-harvest
losses which further increase food supplies.
 Producing more biofuels to reduce dependence on fossil fuels while

creating no negative effect on global food supplies.
b. Socio-Economic
 The additional supply of modern food systems has allowed hundreds of

millions of people to know more of their potential and better lives —
improving the achievements of everyone, from students to retired people.
It improves productivity for the workforce and generally promotes human
growth and development.
 Improved standard of living and quality of life as food costs decline. This
effectively raises consumer incomes as it leaves more buying power for
other consumer goods, for education, health care, leisure, etc., a trend that
has also been a major driver of economic growth in developed countries
and in some developing countries.
 Modern agriculture promotes global political stability by supplying more

food, improving its quality and making it more available to people.
c. Environment
 Increasing sustainability through a highly productive and efficient system

that simultaneously protects the environment by making use of natural
resources sensitive and efficient.
 Modern agriculture has significantly strengthened the physical stresses

on the environment that have become increasingly prominent public
issues, eliminating the need to increase land area and thereby raising the
need to farm vulnerable lands and forest areas. Modern agriculture
involves innovative new technologies like biotechnology to enable both
higher yields and reduced impacts on the environment. This reduces the
use of land, fertilizer, and pesticide per unit of output and pressure on
grassland, forest and cropland, thereby increasing wildlife habitat.
 Although the unintended negative environmental effects of modern

agriculture are often noted, little mention is ever made of the negative
impacts on the environment that often result from smallholder farming,
especially from slash and burn primitive systems in a wide use in
developing countries where vertical rows are often planted up steep
hillsides, resulting in some of the world’s heaviest soil erosion, badly
polluted watercourses and many other problems of both efficiency and
sustainability. The lack of sustainability of these practices can be seen in
the fact that they typically cause successive plots to be abandoned year
after year.

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Republic of the Philippines

CEBU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD SCIENCE,

What Is Modern Agriculture?

Modern Agriculture is an emerging approach to agricultural technologies and

Traditional Agriculture vs. Modern Agriculture Systems (Motes, 2010)

Traditional Agricultural Systems

Modern Agricultural Systems

Much of the success of modern agricultural systems depends on the:

 development and maintenance of soil fertility through the specific provision of

Modern agriculture in developed countries, including the United States, requires

Impacts of Modern Agriculture (Motes, 2010)

In addition to the importance of effective, sustainable production, the vital

 Increasing food supply by establishing a greatly improved degree of

 Improving the affordability of food by using new and existing

 Ensuring food safety with a combination of technology and high quality

 Producing more biofuels to reduce dependence on fossil fuels while

 The additional supply of modern food systems has allowed hundreds of

 Modern agriculture promotes global political stability by supplying more

 Increasing sustainability through a highly productive and efficient system

 Modern agriculture has significantly strengthened the physical stresses

 Although the unintended negative environmental effects of modern

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