Agriculture, nutrition, health: Exploiting the links

Most people would say that agriculture is for growing food, and on one level, they are right. Agricultural performance, after all, is measured in terms of production and productivity. The point of agriculture doesn't stop there, however. At a deeper level, the purpose of agriculture is not just to grow crops and livestock, but to grow healthy, well nourished people. Farmers produce a wide range of goods, including cotton, coffee, and energy crops, but one of their ultimate tasks is to produce food of sufficient quantity (that is, enough calories) and quality (with the vitamins and minerals needed by the human body) to feed all of the planet's people so that they can lead healthy, productive lives. Agriculture thus effectively includes goals related to human health and nutrition.