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Meaning & use

intensive agriculture

noun·Academictechnical

Last updated

UK/ɪnˌtensɪv ˈæɡrɪkʌltʃə/
US/ɪnˌtensɪv ˈæɡrɪkʌltʃər/

Meanings

  1. noununcountabletechnical

    A farming method that produces the most possible food from each unit of land by using large amounts of labor, machines, fertilizer, or water.

    Grammar: Used as an uncountable phrase: say 'intensive agriculture is', not 'intensive agricultures are'.

    Patterns

    • intensive agriculture in a region
    • practise intensive agriculture
    • the rise of intensive agriculture

    Intensive agriculture in the valley relies on heavy irrigation and chemical fertilizer.

    Many environmental groups criticize intensive agriculture because it can damage soil and water supplies.

    The country moved from small family farms to intensive agriculture to feed its growing cities.

  2. noununcountabletechnical

    The branch of farming studied in economics and geography that focuses on raising output per hectare rather than expanding farmland.

    Grammar: In academic writing, it often appears after 'of': 'the economics of intensive agriculture'.

    Patterns

    • a study of intensive agriculture
    • the economics of intensive agriculture
    • compare intensive agriculture with extensive farming

    Her thesis examines intensive agriculture and its effect on rural employment.

    The textbook explains how intensive agriculture differs from traditional crop rotation.

    Policy makers debate whether intensive agriculture can be sustainable in the long term.

Common combinations

intensive agriculture relies on
Intensive agriculture relies on high-yield seeds and regular irrigation.
practise intensive agriculture
Farmers in the delta practise intensive agriculture on very small plots.
the spread of intensive agriculture
The spread of intensive agriculture has changed the landscape of the region.
sustainable intensive agriculture
Researchers are looking for ways to make intensive agriculture more sustainable.
intensive agriculture and the environment
The report discusses intensive agriculture and the environment in equal detail.

Synonyms and how they differ

factory farming
Usually refers specifically to raising animals indoors in large numbers, while intensive agriculture can also mean intensive crop production.
high-input farming
A more technical term that emphasizes the heavy use of fertilizer, fuel, and machinery rather than the high output itself.
industrial agriculture
Suggests large-scale, mechanized corporate farming; intensive agriculture can be small-scale but still use a lot of labor and inputs.

Opposites

extensive agriculturesubsistence farming

Word family

intensively adverb
In a way that uses a lot of effort or resources for a small area: 'The land is farmed intensively.'
intensify verb
To become stronger or more serious, or to make something stronger: 'Competition for water has intensified.'
intensive adjective
Involving a lot of activity, effort, or resources in a short time or small space: 'an intensive course'.
agricultural adjective
Connected with farming: 'agricultural land'.
agriculturalist noun
A person who works in or studies farming.

Commonly confused: intensive agriculture or intensive farming? intensive agriculture or extensive agriculture?

intensive agriculture vs intensive farming

This is a close synonym, but it often includes animal production, while 'intensive agriculture' is more common in academic and policy writing about crops and land use.

intensive agriculture vs extensive agriculture

The opposite: it uses large areas of land with relatively low inputs per hectare, such as nomadic herding or shifting cultivation.

Practice

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