The desire for a sustainable agriculture is universal, yet agreement on how to progress
towards it remains elusive. The extent to which the concept of sustainable agriculture has any
operational meaning is discussed. Sustainability is considered in relation to organic farmingÐ
a sector growing rapidly in many countries. The role of regulation and the use of synthetic
agrochemicals, the desired degree of self reliance of agricultural systems, and the scale of
production and trade in agricultural goods are all considered in the context of this discussion
of sustainability.