monokultuuri

Monokultuuri, often translated as monoculture, refers to the agricultural practice of growing a single crop year after year on the same land. This approach contrasts with polyculture, which involves cultivating multiple crops simultaneously or in rotation. Monoculture is widely adopted in large-scale commercial farming due to its perceived efficiency. It allows for specialized machinery, simplified planting and harvesting processes, and often higher yields of the single target crop. This specialization can lead to economies of scale, reducing production costs per unit.

However, monoculture also presents significant disadvantages. It can deplete specific nutrients from the soil, requiring increased reliance on synthetic fertilizers. The lack of crop diversity makes the system highly vulnerable to pests and diseases, as a single outbreak can devastate the entire crop. This often necessitates the use of pesticides and herbicides, which can have negative environmental impacts. Furthermore, monocultures contribute to a reduction in biodiversity, affecting both plant and animal life in the surrounding ecosystems. The long-term sustainability of monoculture systems is a subject of ongoing debate among agricultural scientists and environmentalists.