Page 56 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 18

Innovate Afrika

regions, there has been no signifi- the use of chemical fertilizers. The
cant increase in crop production per seed companies that now dominate
unit of synthetic N fertilizer applied the global seed market have not and
(Graphic 2). In Canada, for instance, will not pursue plant breeding in this
farmers participating in the fertilizer direction. As pesticide manufactur-
industry’s “4R Nutrient Stewardship ers, they have a vested interest in
Programme” have actually ended the green revolution model. Change
up using more fertilizers and using has to come from revitalising and
them more inefficiently.Canada’s supporting the farmer-based seed
emissions from synthetic N fertiliz- and knowledge systems that are best Graphic 3. Synthetic N fertiliser
ers have accelerated in recent years, able to provide seeds and practices carbon footprint per capita
alongside use rates, making it one adapted to local conditions and able (tCO2e/capita)
of the top emitters of greenhouse to produce nutritious and abundant
gases from synthetic N fertilizers on food without chemicals. Similarly,
a per capita basis. farmer knowledge of organic fertil-
izers and alternatives to building soil Agribusiness corporations have a
Another key driver behind today’s fertility, which has been lost to much vested interest in the heavy use of
excessive use of N fertilizers is the of the world, needs to be rebuilt, synthetic N fertilizers-- from the
ongoing decoupling of crops and shared and implemented so that the giant N fertilizer companies like
livestock. A growing percentage of current dependency on chemical Yara and CF Industries, to the seed
the world’s livestock is now raised fertilizers can be overcome. and pesticide companies like Bayer
on factory farms, and feedlots that and Syngenta, to the corporations
dependent on industrial animal A global phase-out of synthetic N that control the trade in meat, dairy
feeds, often produced in other coun- fertilizers must also be accompa- and animal feed like Cargill and
tries. As a result, those farms now nied by a phase-out of industrial Bunge. The market for synthetic N
growing feed crops utilise synthetic livestock. Industrial feed, meat and fertilizers alone is worth over US$70
N fertilizers, rather than the animal dairy production is not only a major billion.[13] They will continue to
manure that would have traditionally driver of synthetic N fertilizer use, promote and defend synthetic N
provided their fields with nitrogen. but a huge source of greenhouse fertilizers at all policy-making levels,
The separation of livestock and gas emissions and a major killer of including at COP 26.
crops, and the concentration of forests and biodiversity.[12]
export production in certain parts People and the planet must come
of the world, has broken the soil Technical and economic obstacles before corporate profits. There
nutrient cycle, and greatly increased are not what is standing in the way needs to be a global phase-out of
the use of chemical fertilizers. of a global phase-out of synthetic N N synthetic fertilizers if we are to
fertilizers. It is the hold of the agri- end agriculture’s contribution to the
What needs to be done? business lobby on powerful govern- climate and other ecological crises.
ments that must be confronted and That phase-out must start now.
If the world stands a chance at broken to affect meaningful change.
effectively dealing with the climate The fertilizer industry, and its
crisis, industrial farming systems business and government allies, are
that depend on synthetic N fertiliz- peddling a false notion that emis-
ers and other chemical inputs must sions can be sufficiently reduced
be replaced with agroecological through a more precise application
farming systems that do not use of fertilizers, without any major
chemicals and local food systems in changes to the industrial model of
which animals and feed sources are agriculture and the structure of the
fully integrated. global food system. This is simply
not true, and a dangerous distraction
This phase-out of synthetic N fer- from the industry’s ongoing efforts
tilizers must begin by replacing the to ramp up fertilizer use, especially
green revolution varieties of crops now in Africa. Farmer applying fertilizer
with seeds that can thrive without

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