Four key dimensions are considered in sustainable crop production intensification, through an ecosystem approach. These are: a) increasing agricultural productivity; b) enhancing sustainable crop protection; c) managing biodiversity and ecosystem services; and d) strengthening livelihoods.

Increasing agricultural productivity

Increasing agricultural productivity is, under normal circumstances, a challenge – today, with global issues such as soaring food and fuel prices, climate change, increased poverty and growing populations with an increasing trend towards urbanisation, this is even more so. In the past, increasing agricultural production with little or no consideration for long-term environmental sustainability led to negative consequences such as degraded land and a reduction of ecosystem goods and services. In turn, these environmental consequences have negative repercussions on the ability of agro-ecosystems to produce desired quantities of safe and quality foods.

Increasing agricultural productivity can happen through improved use and management of agricultural biodiversity resources (such as seeds, pollination, beneficial fauna, etc), to achieve higher yields while promoting the sustainability of the farming systems and progressing from subsistence farming to market-oriented agriculture. This will also contribute to implementing adaptation strategies for climate change.

From an agricultural landscape perspective, sustainable crop production intensification should identify good farming practices (for example, no-tillage and soil recovery strategies, genetic diversity selection and utilization, etc), but also assess the surrounding and wider (global/regional) environments and related environmental events (this is particularly true for events that result from climate change, such as predisposition to drought, floods, temperature increases, etc). At the wider environment level, and especially in light of climate change, it is important to evaluate mitigation and adaptation measures not only to deal with potential effects of environmental stress, but also to contribute to their mitigation (e.g. carbon sequestration).

Enhancing sustainable crop protection

Increasing agricultural production has a number of implications, amongst which is ensuring that crops are safe – both during their production and consumption. Crop protection is a critical aspect of production, and it has been shown that indiscriminate use of pesticides is no longer viable. The over-use of pesticides has impacts on crop-associated biodiversity, as well as on human health (of the farmers as well as the consumers downstream). Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an ecological approach to managing pests, and is an example of the use of biodiversity and management of biological processes to not only improve crop production, but also ensure crop protection.

At the policy level, crop protection is addressed through the implementation at national level of globally agreed instruments such as the International Plant Protection Convention, the Rotterdam Convention, the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Indeed, global and regional instruments, treaties, conventions and codes are essential to international cooperation for enhancing and sustainably using natural resources, and reducing risks from and improving management of transboundary threats to production, environment and human health in an increasingly globalising world.

At the national level, policies related to a number of sectors could have an impact on sustainable crop production intensification – for example: agriculture, environment, health, infrastructure, finance and planning. Relevant national policies could include agricultural development plans, poverty eradication strategies, agricultural biodiversity programmes, biodiversity action plans, and so forth.

Managing biodiversity and ecosystem services

The management of biodiversity and ecosystem services is at the crux of sustainable crop production intensification. It involves the identification and use of mechanisms for valuing agricultural biodiversity and ecosystem services (such as pollination), in addition to sound agronomic practices (crop, soil, nutrient and water efficient management).
 
From a broader perspective, managing biodiversity and ecosystem services also involves the scientific understanding that these can be considered as agricultural inputs for crop production but with the additional benefit of long-term environmental sustainability. It also involves scientific knowledge of ecosystem functions and biological processes  - and their interactions - within and around the agro-ecosystem. Lastly, training and capacity building play an important role. Here, farmer led participatory learning concepts like Farmer Field Schools can be considered.

Strengthening livelihoods

Sustainable crop production intensification is not only about production and protection within the context of a healthy environment, but has a further-reaching element of socio-economic sustainability. Sustainable crop production intensification has impacts along the production chain, from the farmer to the market and ultimately to the consumer. Farmers in particular – in their role of producers, custodians of biodiversity, vendors and consumers – are the primary beneficiaries of sustainable livelihoods through crop production.

Strengthening livelihoods can be achieved by using the benefits of increased productivity and diversification within the value chain, including through providing the conditions for access to good farming practices and knowledge, quality seeds and other production inputs, post-harvest and agro-processing technologies, food safety systems, markets and credit.