ABSTRACT
While increases in the human population and the growth of agriculture have supported substantial improvements in human culture, health and wellbeing, there have also been negative consequences of agricultural development. The indirect eect of this expansion of the human population – in terms of both numbers and distribution – on land, water and the atmosphere is there for all to see. Agricultural development has also led to signicant direct eects, including signicant land use change, pollution of soils, water and air and the spread of invasive species across continents (Rockström et al. 2009; Prins & Gordon 2014). Land use change associated with agricultural development is seen, and continues to be seen, as the most
important factor in the recent loss of species and natural habitat across the planet (Foley et al. 2005). Not only has this loss of biodiversity and natural ecosystems devalued nature, it has also had a signicant impact on the health, livelihoods and wellbeing of the citizens of the world, particularly the poorest who cannot use money to compensate for the ecosystem services that have been lost.
