Ecological intensification means designing more productive, sustainable production systems that save on inputs and are less harmful to the environment. It also means developing varieties better suited to their environment, and inventing new pest and disease control techniques. Lastly, it means understanding how nature functions so as to exploit its resources without destroying it, producing more, and breaking with practices based on excessive, massive use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, water and fossil fuels.
http://www.cirad.fr/en/research-operations/priority-lines-of-research/ecological-intensification/research-issues