Sustainable agriculture improves the economic value of agricultural products and waste

Consumers look for “values-based” foods grown using methods that promote farmworker well-being, respect the environment, and strengthen the local economy. Unfortunately, the growing demands for food due to the increase in the global population and climatic variations have determined the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and non-therapeutic antibiotics to increase agricultural productivity. The use of chemicals in agriculture can have severe consequences for human health and the environment. On the contrary, sustainable agriculture grows fruits and vegetables using eco-friendly cultural practices (biological diversity, proper soil microbe management, and ecological diversity) to improve agricultural yields. These agricultural practices stimulate plants to produce secondary metabolites (phytochemicals) to defend themselves from attacks by pests and atmospheric agents. Some phytochemicals can prevent chronic degenerative diseases (e.g., cancer, cardiocirculatory, and inflammatory diseases), improving human well-being. So the products obtained by sustainable agriculture have a generally higher nutritional value than those obtained by industrial agriculture due to the more significant presence of these bioactive molecules. Furthermore, agricultural waste to be disposed of is reduced because it can be used to extract phytochemicals useful for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries, being also rich in phytochemicals and free of harmful chemical molecules. Therefore, sustainable agriculture meets the needs of ensuring profitability and environmental health.