why do farmers face sustainability challenges?

1.) List the 7 challenges for agriculture as described in the readings.
-losing agricultural land to competing users 
-improving the productivity of existing farmland
-conserving scarce resources, such as water and top soil
-identifying the appropriate role in agriculture for biotechnology
-balancing production of food for international trade rather than for consumption at home
-meeting the needs of people who are undernourished
-making greater use of organic farming 
2.) Define Prime Agricultural Land and describe the challenges that farmland is facing in an ever urbanizing world.
Prime agricultural land is the most productive farmland. The challenges that farmland is facing in an urbanizing world is the farmland is now being replaced by urban land uses. For example, Baltimore and Washington DC are continuously being built up and they are building on the agricultural land. If they keep building on this land there will be no more agricultural land.
3.) Maryland is a unique case study for agricultural sustainability and in particular, Harford County has seen major urban development over the last 20 years. Do some outside research to see what laws were passed in Harford County to protect farmland and preserve a rural setting in areas of the county. Have you seen loss of farmland near where you live? For what new purposes is the land being used now?
There have been laws passed like Harford Agriculture Land Preservation Program and Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation. I have seen loss of land close to my house for lots of new building and houses. 
4.) Discuss the process of desertification. How much land is being lost to this process? Using figure 9-41, Identify the areas of the world that are having the most severe problems with this phenomenon.
Desertification is the process of land deteriorating into a desert like condition. The Earth Policy Institute estimates that 2 billion hectares of land has been degraded. The areas of the world with the most severe problems of desertification are the west coast of the US, parts of Australia and Southwest Asia.
5.) Describe the impact and importance of the Green Revolution. What advantages came out of the Green Revolution? What new challenges presented themselves as a result of the new processes?
The Green Revolution is the invention and rapid diffusion of more productive agricultural techniques. The importance of the revolution is agricultural productivity at a global scale has increased faster than population growth. The new challenges was getting the nitrogen and hydrogen to produce the fertilizer. Farmers also need tractors, irrigation pumps, and other machinery to make the most effective use of the new seeds but not all farmers have access to this stuff. 
6.) Describe the debate surrounding the planting of GMO seeds. Does your family avoid foods made with GMO seeds? Why or why not?
The debate on the planting of GMO seeds is are GMOs helping solve issues concerning world hunger, environmental sustainability and an increasing global population or are GMOs doing more harm than good. My family does not avoid foods made with GMO seeds. I am not really sure why but I know we have had food made with GMO seeds. 

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