Marine pollution hazards related to agriculture

Abstract

For several centuries, agricultural activity (arable farming and livestock raising) has developed in harmony with the environment. Farmers produced what nature allowed them to produce without large quantities of input. At the end of the last century, with the introduction of fertilizers, the development of plant breeding and modern techniques of livestock-rearing and crop protection, yields have progressively grown to present the levels. At the end of the 1970's, it became apparent that progress in agriculture had brought with it several less desirable phenomena such as the presence of residues of plant protection products in food, nitrates in ground water, the degradation of certain soils, growing uniformity of the countryside, and so on (F.A.O., 1994a). Some of these negative effects, due to the increased agricultural activity, may also affect the marine environment. Following is an outline account of the various hazards emanating from agriculture with special reference to the Maltese Islands.