Can We Help Agriculture Have A Greener Future?

As one of the world’s largest industries, agriculture is expected to feed a projected 9.7 billion people by 2050. To get there, modern agriculture first needs some fixing.

Agriculture has huge responsibilities.

Apart from ensuring food and nutrition security for a growing population, agriculture is accountable for the overexploitation of natural resources, climate change, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Over the centuries, rapid agricultural expansion has eliminated natural habitats and grasslands. Deforestation and unsustainable farming practices have led to a severe loss of topsoil, water, and other resources. Half of all agricultural topsoil has been lost in the past 150 years. 72% of all freshwater withdrawals are attributed to agricultural irrigation. More than a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions stem from agriculture. Ironically, agriculture has also fallen victim to its consequences. 

95% of the world’s food is grown in the uppermost layer of soil, making topsoil one of the most crucial components of our food system. This layer is where nutrients and water are delivered to plants. When topsoil erodes, soil loses its ability to store nutrients and water that support plant growth, which can greatly compromise food production. We are also experiencing global water scarcity, exacerbated by water pollution caused by agricultural activities and water abstractions. By 2050, global water demand from agriculture is expected to increase by a further 19% due to irrigational needs. And in the coming years, climate change will bring about more extreme weather changes, fueling new challenges for agriculture.

Land deterioration, water scarcity, and climate change are all threatening agricultural production at a time when growth is needed most. The challenge for agriculture is to produce more food while producing it sustainably. 

The Significance of Sustainable Agriculture

The world population is expected to grow to over 9 billion by 2050, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that agriculture will need to produce almost 50 percent more food to satisfy global demand.

To do that, we need to improve and utilize sustainable agriculture management practices of land, water, and natural resources in a way that minimizes harmful impacts on the environment. This will ensure food security for present and future generations. 

At present, 40% of the global terrain has degraded and requires substantial restoration before it can sustain crops at scale. With the world facing a potential global water deficit of 40% by 2030, other challenges such as the recent pandemic and the Ukraine crisis make sustainable farming even more crucial than ever. 

Overcoming Challenges With Sustainable Farming Practices

To feed the world, agriculture needs climate-smart farming practices and partnerships that preserve land and soil health, and safeguard water resources to prevent further damage to the environment. 

Taking Care of the Soil

Intensive agricultural land management practices can disrupt soil structure and its complex underground microbial system. Unstable soil structure is susceptible to wind and water erosion, leading to surface runoff, soil erosion, and loss of soil biodiversity and fertility. Reducing tillage, planting cover crops, and crop rotation are examples of sustainable methods to promote healthy soil and more resilient crops. 

Water Management

Agriculture irrigation accounts for 70% of water use globally. Irrigation methods can greatly influence GHG emissions as they directly affect the moisture content in the soil. Increased or more frequent irrigation accelerates soil microbial activity and influences microbial metabolic processes; which can lead to elevated increases in carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) emissions as compared to rainfed or non-irrigated lands. Furthermore, over-fertilizing and excessive use of preventive pesticides contribute to water pollution. With surging population growth, climate change, and urbanization, agriculture will face increasing competition for freshwater resources. Sustainable models have to be built around water budgeting, wastewater recycling, and smart water management to ensure water security. 

Maximizing Biodiversity

Plants, soil, insects, and animals all depend on one another for food and habitat. Biodiversity keeps agroecosystems in balance and can vastly improve crop productivity and livestock breeds. Genetic diversity from many crop varieties and animal breeds will build more resilient farm ecosystems to cope better with the impacts of climate change. For example, the cultivation of multiple or mixed crops (polyculture) aims to mimic the diversity of natural ecosystems. This agricultural practice improves the soil and encourages biodiversity through pollination, biological pest and weed control, and reduces the need for pesticides. On a magnified scale, maximizing biodiversity is essential to secure a sustainable food supply for the world. 

Securing a Greener Future for Agriculture

Although agriculture’s current growth direction may be unsustainable due to its negative impact on natural resources and the environment, it holds one of the highest potentials for improving the management of natural resources, reducing GHG emissions, and ultimately, lessening the impact of climate change. Much can and must be done for this frontier that determines the very existence of our survival.

Case Study: RYNAN Climate Smart Rice Farming in Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta is home to vast agricultural industries and is one of the most abundant biodiversity systems in the world. Farmers struggle, however, to cope with worsening impacts of climate change and severe degradation of the ecosystems that threaten their livelihoods. 

In 2016, rice cultivation alone in Vietnam was responsible for emitting over 60 million tonnes of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. The common practice of continuously flooding the paddy fields in both rainy and dry seasons has produced massive emissions of methane gas. Large amounts of ammonia and nitrous oxide gases were also produced as a result of excessive fertilizer application by the farmers. 

RYNAN partnered with Mekong farmers in a pilot project to combat the negative impacts of current farming practices. Using alternate wetting and drying irrigation, irrigation consumption dropped more than 30%, resulting in over 40% reduction in methane gas emissions. RYNAN Smart Fertilizers enabled the use of only half of the usual fertilizer required without reducing yield. This helped farmers save on labor costs and mitigate problems of eutrophication and water pollution. Through artificial intelligence, the RYNAN Insect Monitoring Network automatically identified and provided the density of current and new insect species in the rice fields. This information delivered vital pest monitoring information, pest warnings, and forecasts to farmers. Rice-duck farming was also integrated as an eco-approach to farming rice. With ducks preying on pests, destroying weeds, and depositing their manure as organic matter in the fields, farmers greatly reduced the use of insecticides. This increased their yield and income by 30%. 

Watch RYNAN's Climate Smart Rice Farming in the Mekong Delta here. 

Learn more over here.

References:

Sustainable Agriculture, World Wildlife Fund

The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture | Systems At Breaking Point, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Synthesis Report 2021 Rome)

Agriculture at a crossroads, Global Agriculture

Matt McGrath, Nature loss: Insatiable greed degrading land around the world - UN, BBC News (27 Apr 2022)

Water in Agriculture, The World Bank (8 May 2020)

Water pollution from agriculture: a global review, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Executive Summary 2017)

Impact of Sustainable Agriculture and Farming Practices, World Wildlife Fund