Agriculture & Impact on the Planet

When we speak about agriculture and its impacts on the planet, we need refer to the intensive agriculture happening today, which is a real threat to our environment.

Appeared in the 50s, in USA, intensive farming continued to develop and appeared in Europe in the 60s. Increased profitability for producers, lower costs for consumers, followers of economic liberalism were in love with this new production system. But this process is full of negative externalities which are starting to negatives effects for our health and our planet in general.

Sources of pollution

Pesticides
The Netherlands is the third biggest European user of pesticides per hectare, behind Belgium and Italy, and the 10th largest user worldwide. Spread on crops to kill weeds (herbicides), fungi (fungicides) or nuisance insects (insecticides), pesticides contaminate soils and aquatic environments.

Part of the product is also lost in the atmosphere, by flotation or by evaporation. With winds or hidden in clouds, pesticide residues then fall back on soils and waters at big distances from the application area. Theoretically, pesticides are supposed to target the plant or animal species to be destroyed. However, by interfering in processes of metabolism, like photosynthesis, growth or reproduction, for instance, they can harm every type of species that has the same particularities as the target species.

Many studies now show their toxicity to humans, at a high scale, they can provoke cancers and malformations to farmers and their families, disappearance of bees, inversion of sex in gastropods or frogs, the disappearance of species...

Since not all pesticides have the same toxicity and persistence, the most dangerous products should normally be banned. The problem is that the toxicity studies are made by the manufacturers themselves, and the European Union does not check all these studies. Thus, when after several decades of use, the toxicity of a product or its accumulation in the food chain is proven, a new product takes over, sometimes just with a new name but same molecules.

Let's take the DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). Widely used since the beginning of the Second World War, it was denounced by scientists in the 1960s for its carcinogenicity (can provoke cancers) and reprotoxicity (can degrade the fertility) but began to be banned in western countries until the early 1970s; as it is not very degradable, it was classified in 2004 on the blacklist of persistent organic pollutants by the Stockholm Convention and it continues today to pollute our environment.

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Nitrates and phosphates
Intensive agriculture is responsible for the concentration of nitrates and phosphates in our soils, seas or rivers. This pollution comes on the one hand from the mineral fertilizers used for plants (they facilitate their growth) and on the other hand from animal excrement. As with pesticides, nitrates and phosphates enter the ground and then contaminate the water by infiltration.

The most visible consequence of this water pollution is probably the phenomenon of “eutrophication”. Due to the overabundance of nutrients, it is very easy for a plant to grow, especially green algae that are harmful for the planet. Indeed this green mass creates a screen that prevents the light from passing. Eutrophication then generates another phenomenon, that is dystrophication: the photosynthetic activity is reduced in the first meters under the surface, so oxygen becomes rare and living beings die.

According to a report from the European Ministry of Agriculture and the European Ministry of Ecology published in 2012, nitrogen inputs (nitrate compound) and phosphorus (phosphate compound) "have increased significantly from 1960s", since the beginning of intensive agriculture in Europe. Nitrates, normally, are in groundwaters in small proportions, 2-3 mg / l. But the study shows that in 1976, the concentration of nitrates was around 21.5 mg / l. https://www.eea.europa.eu/

If nitrates are more monitored and regulated than phosphates, it is because they present a big risk for human health. The can be the reason for cyanosis or cancers. A laboratory in England has defined the number of 50 mg of nitrate per liter as the limit beyond which water is not safe. Based on this value, the European Union established in 1991 the Nitrate Directive, which requires member states to monitor nitrate levels in their waters, to map "vulnerable areas" and establish action programs in these regions.

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Antibiotics and hormones
Since the 1980s, Europe has banned the use of hormones, which, among other things, accelerate the growth of animals and increase the size of consumable parts. However, European directives still allows the use of hormones for "therapeutic and zootechnical treatments". In practice, it is mainly a question of controlling reproduction, like the reduction of unproductive periods, for example. This is not without consequences for the environment. If they are in water, through animal waste, these hormones can indeed degrade the endocrine system of other species. Species of fish like trout can have problems for breeding if they are in contact with these substances.

Another example is the plant growth, which can be altered by hormones and create smaller or bigger plants due to changes in the growth process. They are partly responsible for several human health problems like phenomenon of precocious puberty, reproductive problems, hormone-dependent cancers...

Antibiotics were banned in the European Union in 2006. For the rest, these drugs remain massively used in breeding. In order to prevent animals getting sick, since the living conditions of many are horrific, antibiotics are then as prevention.

It is now known that the excessive use of antibiotics results in the emergence of resistant bacteria, which can not only transmit this resistance to other bacteria but also cross the barrier of species. For example, we can quote the transmission of a methicillin-resistant bacteria between humans and pigs. These bacteria can be transmitted by physical contact or through food which are very easy ways of transmission.

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Deforestation
The problem of deforestation is also very closely linked to agriculture and more closely to livestock.

The livestock sector is by far the largest human user of land. According to Greenpeace, 29% of the non-ice-covered land is used for grazing and 1/3 of the arable land is used for livestock feed. According to data from the University of Maryland, in 2014 alone, forests lost 180.000 km2 worldwide (about twice the size of Portugal).

In Asia, in South America or in Africa, this phenomenon affects the main green forests of the planet. More than half of all rainforests today are lost. Livestock is the main source of this problem and is well ahead of logging or mining. After 3 year of studies, a survey published in June 2009 in the Greenpeace journal, claims that cattle farming is 80% responsible for Amazon deforestation.

A large part of the forest area is thus transformed into grassland for grazing cattle and another part is used for the cultivation of feed grains, mainly transgenic soybean and corn.

The European Union is the fourth largest importer of cattle, 80% of which comes from South America. To feed its own cattle, Europe also imports a lot of soya, often transgenic, from Brazil or Argentina. Thus, meat consumption in Europe is a cause of deforestation in South America. And the consequences, even if it is far away from Europe, can be felt by European people.

Indeed, deforestation is partly responsible for global warming, which has a worldwide impact and one day will impact Europe and Netherlands.

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Greenhouse gases emissions
According to scientists, greenhouse gases emissions are responsible of the global warming, and agriculture is a main source of emissions. 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. But in fact, agriculture represent a bigger part in the sources of global warming.

This sector emits gases like CO2, which has a low warming impact, but also nitrous gases, azote and the most dangerous methane. Scientists consider that methane is 25 to 100 times more dangerous than CO2 and can stay 20 years in the atmosphere. This gas comes mainly from cows (74% from the gastric fermentation and 21% from the management of livestock effluents) and represent the second reason of global warming due to its emissions in a high level.

Finally, agriculture is responsible for a big share of azote emissions which can have a warming impact 300 times more important than CO2. Emissions of azote come mainly from manure and fertilizers that are used in big quantities and are very harmful for the planet.

In addition to these greenhouse gases, livestock is responsible for 64% of ammonia emissions. This poses two major problems. First, ammonia is an irritant, for the respiratory system of animals but humans as well, and can causes many diseases in livestock (chronic bronchitis, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis...) which can also affect the breeders. Then, dissolved in precipitation, ammonia contributes significantly to acid rain and ecosystem acidification. This acidification disrupts photosynthesis and destroys nutrients in soils and water, causing the loss of forests, lakes, rivers... Some aquatic species, very sensitive to PH, will disappear in the following years. A 1999 report on the state of Europe's forests indicated that 20% of the land is very acid, 2/3 of the forest is damaged and 21.4% defoliated by at least 25%.

All these impacts of the agricultural sector represent how companies and people think nowadays. Companies are obsessed with productivity and benefits, the two fundamental ideas from the capitalism way of thinking.

It only took a few decades for our agriculture to transform in an industrial production. Outdoor farming has given way to stabling systems, with cages, where weak animals are fed with chemicals, food supplements and medicines. Seasonal crops and agro-ecological techniques have been lost, in favor of monocultures filled with fertilizers and pesticides. Smaller peasant farms have become scarce, on the contrary, the number of ultra-mechanized factory farms have increased exponentially.

Today, 80 to 95% of agricultural production comes from intensive systems, which have largely proved their harmful effect on the environment.

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Solutions

According to scientists, the world in 2050 will need a 70% increase of the production to feed every human on this planet.

We all know that an increase with the same production process would mean a total destruction of ecosystems and biodiversity. So how can we produce more while taking environment and poor people into account.

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Limit food waste
The waste occurs at each stage of the food chain, from the cultivation of the product to its consumption: during the processing of the product, its transport, but also at the retailer, restaurants, homes.

In the poorest countries, the majority of losses occurs at the time of harvest (15 to 35% loss in the fields) and at the time of manufacture, transport and storage (10 to 15%).

In rich countries, waste is made, mainly, by the consumers. Indeed, we throw a lot (29 kg of discarded food per year per person in the trash), sometimes even products still packaged (7 kg).

It is therefore essential to provide the southern countries with the technologies to limit losses during harvesting, and in the northern countries, to adapt our consumption to avoid waste.

Adapt our diet to reduce impact on the planet
Each food has a higher or lower environmental impact. Everyone can act at their scale to transform their diet while helping the preservation of resources.

Above all, it is a question of having a diversified diet possible by applying two main principles:

• Consume a variety of fruits, vegetables, fresh, seasonal, locally produced and more respectful of the environment.

• Reduce or avoid the meat consumption considering the impact of this type of food.

Promote a local food production
In order to allow equal access to food, the experts propose to develop agriculture for everyone, in developing countries. It is a “self-production”, “self-consumption”. Agriculture directly linked to households. With this technic massive production would be avoided and only adapted amount of food would be produced. The surplus would be sold on local markets by farmers and their families

This would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transporting food from the producing country to the country of consumption.

Alternative modes of production

Organic agriculture
To limit pollution and the health impacts of chemical, some production methods such as organic farming are in development. Organic agriculture prohibits the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, as well as genetically modified organisms.

According to the objectives set by the Europe, the area of ​​organic agriculture will have to represent 6% of the national production in 2012 and 20% in 2020. In addition, Europe  wants to encourage the consumption of products from organic farming and create a more respectful food industry.

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High “environmental intensity agriculture”
Experimental work is also being conducted to invent a "high environmental intensity" (or "ecologically intensive") agriculture that does "more and better with less".

This agriculture is in favor of polyculture. That means to associate different cultures on the same agricultural surface and to cultivate different species successively on the same field to increase exchanges between plants. It promotes land fertility and the protection of genetic diversity.

Take advantage of the natural elements like worms, birds, mushrooms or insects. For example plowing the land can consume a lot of energy, while there is another natural way to do it: worms. They return the soil, facilitate absorption of water, the growth of roots and transform waste into fertilizer. By letting them doing this, we save energy and improve soil fertility.

Save bees and pollination because they are essential for pollinating the flowers of the plants we eat. Yet, in a few years, 25% of bees on the planet have disappeared. Experts explain this disappearance by the toxicity of pesticides, global warming and more generally by changes in the environment.

Feeding humanity in 2050 remains an open question today. We know that we will have to face several changes like population increase, depletion of fossil fuels or  climate change that will push us to adapt and find new production systems. The researchers are working on it. But as in all areas, change will be possible only if everyone participates, researchers, farmers and obviously consumers!

What do you do regarding making more sustainable food choices? By tagging us with #theconsciouschallenge you can share your ideas!

Want to contribute to our Ecological Footprint Bible? Submit us your scientific articles! Mail us at info@theconsciouschallenge.org

Sources :

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/09/scientists-reveal-how-much-world-s-forests-being-destroyed-industrial-agriculture
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1755-263X.2008.00011.x
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52017IP0098&rid=7
https://aceitedepalmasostenible.es/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/How-much-palm-oil-do-we-need-R.H.V.-Corley.pdf
http://www.fao.org/3/y4252e/y4252e06.htm
https://foodprint.org/issues/agriculture-energy-consumption/
http://vaclavsmil.com/wp-content/uploads/docs/smil-article-worldagriculture.pdf
https://www.idhsustainabletrade.com/impact/mitigation-of-deforestation/