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Agriculture is strongly intertwined with the world economy, livelihood of the world's poor and biodiversity conservation. Agriculture uses more than half of the Earth's habitable land, employs more than one billion people and produces goods worth one trillion dollars annually. It’s also the biggest user of water, accounting for almost 70% of global withdrawals, and up to 95% in developing countries (FAO, 2006). Furthermore, pesticide and fertilizer use on agricultural crops lead to widespread ecological degradation. Estimates indicate that up to 40,000 lives are lost around the world each year due to improper pesticide application and handling (WHO, 2002).
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Glossary Items 
