Public Health · Vol. 11, No. 1 · 2026 · pp. 184–191 · e-ISSN 2472-3878

Agricultural Practices and Their Impact on Community Health: A Global Review

Menta Anusha, Gurrala Priyanka, Maloth Girija Sri, Pandhiri Kruparani, Pogakula Shravani, M. Bhavani Suchitra

Department of Agricultural Extension Education, College of Agriculture, Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural
Department of Agricultural Extension Education, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur – 584104, Karnataka, IndiaIndia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17140/phoj.11.01.184 · Published 2026-03-19 · Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 · © 2026 The Author(s)

Also available as PDF (figures and tables appear in the PDF).

Abstract

Agricultural practices play a critical role in shaping not only food production systems but also the overall health and well-being of communities worldwide. With the increasing global demand for food, agricultural intensification has led to both positive and negative health outcomes. This review examines the complex relationship between agricultural practices and community health, highlighting key factors such as pesticide usage, water management, soil health, and livestock production systems. While modern agriculture has significantly improved food security and economic stability, it has also contributed to environmental degradation, chemical exposure, and the emergence of health risks among farming communities and consumers. The review further explores the role of sustainable agricultural practices, including organic farming, integrated pest management, and agroecological approaches, in mitigating health risks and promoting ecological balance. Special emphasis is placed on the socio-economic determinants influencing farmers’ adoption of safe and sustainable practices, particularly in developing countries. Additionally, the study discusses the impact of climate change on agriculture and its indirect effects on public health through food insecurity, malnutrition, and the spread of vector-borne diseases. Overall, the paper underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach involving policymakers, agricultural experts, and public health professionals to ensure that agricultural development aligns with health and environmental sustainability goals. Promoting safer and more sustainable farming practices is essential for improving community health outcomes globally

Keywords: Agricultural practices; community health; sustainable agriculture; pesticide exposure; food security; Agriculturalpractices; communityhealth; sustainableagriculture; pesticideexposure; foodsecurity

methods

CropRotation Alternatingcrops Improvedsoilhealth,

andDiversification acrossseasons pestcontrol

Applicationof Enhancednutrient Improved Sustainable

BiofertilizersUse beneficial availabilityand nutritional soilfertility

microorganisms plantgrowth

Betterhygiene, Improved vaccination, Increasedproductivity Reducedzoonotic Livestock reduced anddiseasecontrol diseaserisk Practices antibiotics

oticsintreatinghumandiseases.Resistantpathogens

canbetransmittedfromanimalstohumans,making

infectionsmoredifficulttotreat.Toaddressthesechal-

lenges,theadoptionofsustainableandresponsible

livestockmanagementpracticesisessential. Proper

animalhusbandrypractices,includingadequatehous-

ing,nutrition,andhygiene,canreducetheincidence

ofdiseasesandimproveanimalhealth. Vaccination

programsarealso crucial for preventing the spread

ofinfectiousdiseasesandprotectingbothanimaland

humanpopulations. Improvedsanitationandwaste Nutritionaldiversity, Reducedsoil

improved degradationand

foodsecurity diseasecycles

qualityofcrops management

Lower

environmental

contamination

managementpracticesareequallyimportantinreduc-

ingenvironmentalcontaminationanddiseasetrans-

mission.Properdisposalofanimalwasteandmainte-

nanceofcleanfarmingenvironmentshelpminimize

thespreadofpathogens.Additionally,theimplemen-

tationofbiosecuritymeasures,suchascontrollingani-

malmovementandmonitoringhealthstatus,canfur-

therreducetheriskofdiseaseoutbreaks. Reducing

theuseofantibioticsandpromotingalternativeap-

proaches,suchasprobioticsandimprovedmanage-

mentpractices,canhelpcombatantimicrobialresis-

AgriculturalPractice Description

PesticideUse chemicalagentsto

FertilizerApplication organicfertilizersto

IrrigationPractices growth vector-bornediseases

Mechanization and

LivestockFarming

CropDiversification diversityand

OrganicFarming reducedchemical

Monocropping

Table 4. PathwaysLinkingAgriculturalPracticestoCommunityHealthOutcomes

AgriculturalPractice Description

Applicationof

PesticideUse chemicalagents

tocontrolpests

Useofchemicaland

FertilizerApplication organicfertilizersto

enhancesoilfertility

Supplyofwater

throughcanals, Improvedcropgrowth IrrigationPractices sprinklers, andfoodsupply

ordripsystems

Useofmachinery Mechanization andreduced infarmingoperations

Rearinganimals Improvednutrition Zoonoticdiseases, LivestockFarming forfoodandincome (proteinintake) antimicrobialresistance

CropDiversification Growingmultiplecrops

Farmingwithout OrganicFarming reducedchemical Loweryieldsinsomecases syntheticchemicals

Cultivationofa Monocropping Simplifiedmanagement pestoutbreaks, singlecroprepeatedly

PositiveImpacts NegativeImpacts

onHealth onHealth

Increasedcrop Applicationof Toxicexposure, yield cancerrisk, and controlpests neurologicaldisorders foodavailability

Useofchemicaland Watercontamination, Improvedcrop nitratetoxicity, productivity enhancesoilfertility soildegradation

Supplyofwater Improvedcrop Waterlogging, throughcanals,

sprinklers,or andfoodsupply (malaria,dengue) dripsystems

Increasedefficiency Useofmachinery Occupationalhazards,

infarmingoperations accidents reducedlaborburden

Rearinganimals Improvednutrition Zoonoticdiseases,

forfoodandincome (proteinintake) antimicrobialresistance

Improveddietary Growingmultiple Minimalrisks

crops ifmanagedproperly nutrition

Saferfood, Farmingwithout Loweryieldsin

syntheticchemicals somecases exposure

Soildegradation,

Cultivationofa Simplified pestoutbreaks,

singlecroprepeatedly management reducednutritional

diversity

PositiveImpacts NegativeImpacts

onHealth onHealth

Toxicexposure, Increasedcropyield cancerrisk, andfoodavailability neurologicaldisorders

Watercontamination, Improvedcrop nitratetoxicity, productivity soildegradation

Waterlogging,

vector-bornediseases

(malaria,dengue)

Increasedefficiency Occupationalhazards,

accidents laborburden

Improveddietary Minimalrisksif

diversityandnutrition managedproperly

Saferfood,

exposure

Soildegradation,

reducednutritionaldiversity tance.Educationandawarenessprogramsforfarmers

arealsoessentialtoencourageresponsibleuseofan-

tibioticsandadoptionofbestpractices,whilelivestock

farmingisessentialforfoodproductionandeconomic

development,itmustbemanagedcarefullytomini-

mizehealthrisks. Byadoptingsustainablepractices,

improvinganimalhealthmanagement,andaddress-

ingantimicrobialresistance,itispossibletoreducethe

impactofzoonoticdiseasesandensuresaferandmore

sustainablelivestocksystems.

2.Conclusion

Agriculturalpracticeshaveaprofoundimpactoncom-

munityhealth,influencingfoodquality,environmen-

tal conditions, and exposure to various health risks

(4).Whilemodernagriculturaladvancementshavesig-

nificantly improved food production and economic

development,theyhavealsointroducedchallenges

suchaschemicalexposure,environmentaldegrada-

tion,andthespreadofdiseases(5).Sustainableagricul-

turalpractices,includingorganicfarming,integrated

pestmanagement,andefficientwaterandsoilmanage-

ment,offerviablesolutionstomitigatehealthrisksand

promotelong-termwell-being(8,16).Policymakers,re-

searchers,andfarmersmustworkcollaborativelyto

implement strategies that reduce harmful practices

andencouragesaferalternatives(19),aligningagricul-

turalpracticeswithpublichealthobjectivesisessential

forbuildingresilientandhealthycommunities(1). A

holisticandinterdisciplinaryapproachisnecessaryto

ensurethatagriculturecontributespositivelytoboth

humanhealthandenvironmentalsustainabilityona

globalscale.

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