The industrialisation of agriculture over the past century has brought (0) ABOUT a dramatic increase in food production worldwide. Few would deny that this has been of enormous benefit to humanity, yet the environmental costs associated 1 modern farming practices are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Pesticides and fertilisers, 2 of which are used in vast quantities, have contaminated rivers and depleted the soil of essential nutrients. It is estimated that approximately one third of all arable land 3 now so degraded that it can no longer sustain productive farming. Alarming 4 these figures may be, they have so far failed to generate the kind of political urgency that the situation demands. Part of the problem lies in the fact that the consequences of soil degradation are not immediately visible, 5 makes it easy for policymakers to defer action. There is also the uncomfortable truth that feeding a growing global population 6 continuing to damage the planet represents one of the defining challenges of our age. Only 7 governments, scientists, and farmers work together can sustainable solutions be found. The question remains whether there is still enough time to reverse the damage that has already 8 done.