SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND MODELING IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE - Environmental Impact of Food Production and Consumption - Palaniappa Krishnan ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FOOD PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION

Agricultural food production and consumption covers activities ranging from agriculture to food consumption. Pollution and food contamination related to the use of production technologies and processes, as well as from the use of products aimed at increasing agricultural yields and facilitating food conservation, have significant environmental consequences. There are a number of important issues in agricultural food production and consumption that have significant impacts on the environment and human health such as soil bio diversity, desertification, water use and water pollution, energy, climate change, chemicals, food safety and biotechnology.