Almost everything we eat comes from either a plant or an animal. People understand this, but most of us live without considering how those plants and animals are farmed or raised. We are rarely exposed to the behind-the-scenes processes behind our food, so the concept of agriculture remains abstract and foreign. But agriculture is an essential part of our lives, with its impacts extending beyond food security, the environment, and our economy. Still, navigating the 21st century, the modern agriculture sector struggles with a myriad of challenges on its journey forward.

The major crises of agriculture include resource depletion for farm maintenance, poor farmland management, urbanization, and labor shortages. The first of these, resource depletion, is becoming more acute due to the increase in the world population. Water, land, and energy resources are already limited, but demand for them continues to increase, making resource depletion a dire problem. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), agriculture irrigation accounts for 70% of water use worldwide and over 40% in many OECD countries. This means that as water shortages become more and more commonplace, the agriculture industry will be among the hardest hit. Therefore, we must pay more attention to water shortages and dedicate our research to finding new energy sources to help maintain the future of our food.

The second problem is related to the land where we farm our crops. Soil is as essential to agriculture as water is. Fertile land is needed to grow healthy, nutritious plants, but improper management and unpredictable weather changes have devastating impacts on our soil. Fortunately, various methods such as crop rotation, reduced tillage, mulching, cover cropping, and cross-slope farming can combat this — but it is still up to us to enforce these methods to maintain soil health and prevent erosion. In addition to existing farmland undergoing these harmful changes, farmland can also be lost altogether. Unlike in the past, people who work in the agriculture industry are now vastly outnumbered by those who do not. Areas previously used as farmland are gradually urbanizing, reducing the amount of viable land. Urban land development may be considered an economic boon by various businesses, but this is not enough to justify its threats to agriculture. It’s not just that the area of farmland is shrinking; urbanization limits farmers' abilities, pressures excessive competition, and directly threatens food security. Only about 3.5 percent of Earth’s surface is currently suitable for agriculture without any physical constraints. We are already at a shortage of land, and urbanization of the remaining land is exacerbating the issue. To prevent land loss from getting out of hand, we need proper urbanization regulations to protect farmland and reduce the disparity between urban and rural areas. Thus, maintaining the health of agriculture requires the joint efforts of farmers and lawmakers.

Yet another significant challenge is the labor shortage. There are simply not enough people to farm, a problem that seems easily solvable by hiring more people. However, the reality is much more difficult. First, we must look at the education and job trends in this country and worldwide. As more employers ask for a well-educated workforce, people are trying to get higher degrees to pursue higher-paying careers. The problem here is that farmworkers are among the lowest-paid workers in the US, which means people are unlikely to seek jobs in farming. Even for those who do want to farm, the initial time and equipment purchases required make entering the agricultural workforce difficult for beginners. In addition to the lack of return on investment, many people lack understanding and appreciation for farming. Most of us know little about how difficult it is and how it directly impacts us. Because of this disconnect between the public and agriculture, farming doesn’t look attractive or “charming” to people, especially for youth. If there are no future workers to continue agriculture, it will naturally decline as an industry, leading to problems with food security and local food production. To solve this, we first need a change in perception. Even though farming is a necessary survival skill that shaped the development of human society, there is still a stigma that looks down on it as an occupation. Therefore, it is vital that the country informs the public and fosters positive interest in farming, especially in the younger generation.

The challenges of agriculture are not something only farmers should worry about; they are widespread issues that concern everyone. We are all impacted by agriculture and cannot function without it. Developing, or at least maintaining, this dying sector requires us to consistently pay attention and seek solutions.

This article was edited by Grace Hur.