Governments around the world are toying with prohibitions against the use of some fertilizers to reach their goals for greenhouse gas emission reduction. Proponents say organic production can feed the world. It sounds like a reasonable idea, especially when linked to the growing interest in enriching the soil through regenerative agricultural practices.
But those are very different farming practices. But as with most ideas offering a quick and easy solution to a perceived problem, the idea may have unintended consequences that work against boosting agricultural productivity and protecting our ecosystem for future generations
THE BOTTOM LINE
As pure and noble the environmental goals behind such thinking may be, the risk of unintended but wholly predictable consequences is arguably an equal (or perhaps even greater) concern. In a perfect but as yet non-existent world, soil-replenishing techniques and new farming practices might be able to sharply reduce the use of traditional fertilizers.
But we’re not there yet. Perhaps a better focus would be to seek greater opportunities for collaboration and cooperation across the commercial fertilizer industry, the organic community, and the regenerative movement.
No comments:
Post a Comment