The Sustainability of Agricultural Systems

RIGBY D. Y CÁCERES D.

Institute for Development Policy and Management. Working Papers

IDPM - University of Manchester

Año: 1997 vol. 10 p. 1 - 38

The concept of sustainability lies at the heart of current debates over the use of the planet´s natural resources, yet, despite its intuitive appeal , there is no consensus on its meaning. Progress in using the sustainability concept to modify policy and management therefore demanads clarification of competing interpretations, and critical evaluation of assumptions which underly them. This paper focuses on sustainable agriculture, for which the absence of a consensus on meaning conforms to the general pattern for “sustainability” issues. As a first step to clarifying implications for agricultural policy and practice, the paper explores the common themes that have emerged from attempts to define sustainable agriculture, and identifies the main streams within the sustainable agriculture movement.