Land use and Agriculture in Italy

1. In terms of Italy's land use, about 31% of Italy's land is used for agriculture purposes (23% for arable land, replanted crops and 8% for permanent crops). The other 69% is for the other two, urban and forestry, the percents being about 38% and about 31% respectively.

2. Monoculture

Pros

• Maximium profit from the growing of margin crops

• Reduced plant competiton on nutrients, space and solar radiation

• Control of undesirable organisms

Cons

• Depeltion of nitrogen levels in the soils

• Damage to the environment

• Lower amount of food being produced per acre of land

Slash and Burn Agriculture

Pros

• Source of food and income when used properly

• Ability to farm in place where it usually isn't possible due to dense vegetation or soil infertility

• More useful/less harmful when practiced on a small piece of land

Cons

• Can cause temporary or permanent loss of forest cover

• Can lead to lack of water in the soil which can lead to erosion

• Loss of biodiversity which can make certain species living in those areas become extinct

Polyculture

Pros

• Reduced susceptibility towards diseases (makes pesticides redundant)

• Local biodiversity in the region increases

• Higher amount of food being produced per acre of land

Cons

• Harvests take longer than other methods

• Harder to calculate income and profits gained from results

• Expensive cost of seeds and heavy potential of seed loss, harming profits

3. Italy generally uses the monoculture format in its agriculture. Thanks to the amount of water surrounding the Italian peninsula as well as in the soil itself, Italy is one the leaders in high quality fruit and vegetables, such as tomatoes and apples. Italy's current state of agriculture is still good, but has weakened slightly over the years.