The impact of environmental, economic, and social sustainability under intensive agriculture

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Intensive agriculture has substantially increased agricultural productivity but is increasingly associated with environmental degradation, resource depletion, and socio-economic challenges. The study objectives were to evaluate the sustainability impacts of intensive agricultural practices across environmental, economic, and social dimensions in Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, India, with particular emphasis on resource utilization, ecological stress, and the factors influencing sustainable agricultural development.METHODS: Primary data were collected during ۲۰۲۵ from ۶۶۳ eligible farmers selected through multistage stratified random sampling across eight taluks of Namakkal District using a structured questionnaire. Farms were classified as traditional or intensive based on cultivation practices. Relationships among the study variables were examined using correlation analysis, analysis of variance, regression analysis, and non-parametric statistical tests.FINDINGS: The findings revealed a strong positive relationship between landholding size and family size (correlation coefficient = ۰.۷۲۱۴), indicating close structural and demographic linkages within farming systems. Intensive agriculture was significantly associated with land expansion (correlation coefficient = ۰.۶۵۸), environmental pollution (correlation coefficient = ۰.۵۱۹), and declining health conditions among farming communities (correlation coefficient = ۰.۴۱۲). Approximately ۶۳ percent of respondents reported land degradation, while ۶۵ –۷۸ percent reported salinity and nutrient depletion, reflecting perceived ecological stress. The regression model explained ۷.۱ percent of the variation in agricultural production (coefficient of determination = ۰.۰۷۱), indicating modest explanatory power. Questionnaire reliability was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha = ۰.۸۲۴), supporting the internal consistency of the survey instrument.CONCLUSION: Intensive agriculture is associated with higher short-term agricultural productivity but is also associated with environmental degradation, increases health risks, and places greater pressure on natural resources. These findings may inform strategies to improve the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of agricultural sustainability through sustainable soil management, balanced agrochemical application, efficient irrigation, and policy support. While the study is limited to a single district and cross-sectional data, it provides empirical evidence to inform future longitudinal and multi-regional investigations.

کلیدواژه ها:

Agro-chemicals ، Economic Impact ، environmental impact ، Intensive cultivation ، societal impact ، Sustainable development