The new landscape of global agriculture

Abstract

There are strong indications and evidence that the agricultural and food system as well as the rural areas across the world are experiencing major change. Increased urbanization and the increased affluence in emerging economies combined with the demand for agricultural commodities for biofuels is changing the landscape of global agricultural and food systems and rural landscapes as we used to know it. The recent crisis in the global financial system and the sharp volatility in food prices also provides further evidence that the global agricultural landscape is indeed likely to be totally different.