The goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet the needs of present and future generations for its products and services, while ensuring profitability, environmental health and social and economic equity.

The current trajectory of growth in agricultural production is unsustainable because of its negative impacts on natural resources and the environment. One-third of farm land is degraded, up to 75% of crop genetic diversity has been lost and 22% of animal breeds are at risk. More than half of fish stocks are fully exploited and, over the past decade, about 13 million hectares of forests a year were converted into other land uses.

The transition to sustainable food and agriculture requires major improvements in the efficiency of resource use, in environmental protection and in systems resilience.