Europe forges new bonds between agriculture and biodiversity

As the environmental and economic costs of industrial farming grow, so do opportunities to spur an ecological change.For avocado farmers in Peru, it appears to be a boom time. Their production has increased sixfold over the past decade to meet growing demand abroad.But appearances can deceive.These and other single-crop growers are now grappling with rising energy and fertilizer costs and increasing public awareness of the adverse effects of pesticides, according to Brenton Ladd, a researcher at the Scientific University of the South, or UCSUR, near the Peruvian capital Lima."The industrial model of agriculture production begins to look less viable," Ladd said.In agriculture, growing only one crop—monoculture—has tended to encourage increased output by lowering overall costs. But these so-called economies of scale have brought with them environmental threats resulting from intensive production.Now, single-crop farming is increasingly an economic risk for producers themselves.The ...