Coastal Agriculture and Future Challenges

Abstract

Coastal areas provide excellent soil and climatic conditions for agriculture. They play an important role in the economy, providing food and raw material for industry. Agricultural products find markets in tourism and craft, while port facilities facilitate trade. However, coastal agriculture faces several challenges due to temporal ocean/sea activities producing saline air and water and the inundation and erosion of coastal land. Upstream activities can affect the quality and availability of water. Agriculture is also influenced by the positive and negative interactions with companion sectors. Negative influences are competition for land, water, capital, labor and pollution originating from coastal or outside sectors and agriculture’s own negative practices, such as irrigation practices. Agrochemicals and silting of coral reefs and ports cause pollution for fisheries and marine biodiversity and negative influences on other sectors.

These challenges can be overcome with moderation of ocean/sea activities and overall integrated coastal planning, including agriculture. Planning requires collection of information on biophysical and socio-economic environments, interactions with other sectors, governance, and addressing challenges, opportunities and alternatives. Planning should conform to national and international laws and facilitate eco-friendly conservation agriculture avoiding negative impacts. A participatory approach involving all stakeholders is required, including changes in cropping patterns and cultivation methods.