The Major Challenges Facing the Modern Agricultural Industry

 

Farmers need to meet the rapidly evolving needs of the planet, along with meeting the expectations of food processors, consumers, retailers, and regulators. The pressure is increasing due to biodiversity loss, soil erosion, depleting water resources, and concerns about sustainable production.

Increasing population growth, climate change, economic instability, high costs of transportation, lack of financing options, and rising product costs are some prominent issues impacting the global agricultural industry.

Modern agriculture provides many solutions but with varying outcomes because every farm has unique access to technology, soil, landscape, and yield potential. Here's an overview of common challenges faced by the modern agricultural industry.

#1- Climate Crisis

The global population is expected to cross 10 billion by 2060. More mouths to feed mean the global food system needs to meet the rising demand for nutritious food. Although the Agro-food sector provides a livelihood to millions, it also has a large environmental footprint. If sustainable practices aren't followed, it could lead to additional greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.

The changing climate also has far-reaching adverse effects on agricultural production, which can result in food insecurity soon. Gradual carbon dioxide and temperature increases have resulted in favorable conditions in some regions, improving yields.

But extreme turbulence with droughts or extreme heat during crop flowering has led experts to predict a decrease in yields in many regions. The increasing frequency of extremely high temperatures represents a major challenge for the agriculture industry. It can cause heat stress in plants and animals, harming global food production.

#2- Loss of Agriculture Land

Loss of agriculture-friendly characteristics within the geographic area or actual loss of land could both mean less land is available for agricultural practices. Water and wind erosion can cause large rocks or small particles to be weathered down from the area. The land is eventually reduced over the course of a few hundred years.

Reduction in minerals and nutrient running off are also threats agricultural lands face because of erosion. When the nutrient-rich topsoil erodes, it can be removed, leading to less efficient crop yields in the future. 

Highways and factories designed to facilitate us are also rapidly clearing agricultural lands. The pollution created by manufacturing facilities and chemicals that are left to seep into agricultural lands also negatively impact crops. The growth and nutritional value of the plants become stunted. The crops might not even be good enough for sale if the seeping chemicals pose health hazards to consumers.

#3- Outdated Irrigation Systems

Irrigation systems and techniques used in many parts of the world are outdated due to insufficient resources, inaccessibility, or a lack of knowledge about the technological advancements that have evolved industry best practices over time.

An efficient irrigation system helps farmers conduct all agricultural activities cost-effectively, sustainably, and timely. With so many challenges the agricultural industry is facing, lack of efficient equipment shouldn't be a problem. Companies like Flatwater Sales Inc. are addressing that with reliable new and used irrigation supplies.

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