Modern economic development in its current form creates a loss of community identity,
culture and traditional livelihoods through a transformation of rural livelihoods. As modern
society absorbs rural communities, local residents are forced to extract natural resources and
engage in monoculture, aquaculture and other means of paying for basic requisites, once
freely available in their community. The constant demand for resources to sustain city life
and provide input for industry erodes the self-sufficiency of local communities and degrades
the environment. This situation creates an ever increasing flow of natural resources, from
rural to urban areas, stimulated through policies and regulations realized by urban dwellers.
In effect, rural areas serve as a ‘supermarket’ which provides nourishment for the inhabitants
of the city and fuels industry. Moreover, the cultivation of monoculture and other commodity
food products means decreases the prevalence of community trade as large retailers tend to
dominate the marketplace.