Environmental sustainability of food production in the Czech Republic

Abstract

The present World witnesses a complex and globalized socio-economic development that brings many negative and ecologically inter-linked problems related to environmental security of planned food production. These include natural as well as anthropogenic factors, including air, water and soil pollution, arable land erosion, disposal of solid wastes, etc., that may ultimately contribute to reduction of food quality and agricultural production decline. Foodstuff security is together with energy stability and natural (biodiversity and landscape) protection and preservation one of the most topical and global environmental and economic themes. This paper discusses some of the issues on the natural resource management and the economy-related security on the example of the present national food-production strategy of the Czech Republic. The study illustrates a closed dependence of particular environmental, social and economic system segments. Environmental risk assessments of potential natural and anthropogenic accidents (including climate-triggered events, such as drainage floods, landslides, drought seasons with forest fires, as well as industrial pollutions and agricultural soil contaminations) thus play the key role in the short- and long-term evaluation of the food security status of the country. Effective plans and programs should be aimed to monitor, prevent and mitigate these risks that might potentially develop into full-scale ecological, food- and health-risk situations. Recognition of the main environmental (natural and industrial) hazards for the national food production security in frame of sustainable development belongs to the principal action priorities of the state's institutions and the central government.