The Global Food Crisis: A Chance to Rethink Sustainable Agriculture

The global food system, largely influenced by multinational corporations, has proven to be unsustainable, riddled with wastage, and unequal. As it continues to contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, small farmers struggle with the ever-increasing inaccessibility of essential commodities and the world sees a rise in hunger rather than a decline.

A prime example of this dysfunction is the global fertiliser shortage. Triggered by events such as the war in Ukraine and escalating gas prices, fertilizer prices spiked. However, a study by GRAIN and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy unveils a concerning trend: top fertilizer companies’ profits nearly doubled from 2020 to 2021, and then tripled in 2022. This wasn’t due to increased sales but to “greedflation”. With heightened prices, small farmers, especially in low-income nations, now pay almost three times more than they did just a few years prior, plunging many into debt and posing a severe threat to domestic food security.

In response, nations like India, Kenya, and the Philippines have boosted farmer subsidies, and the European Union has prompted local fertilizer production. Yet, the very use of chemical fertilisers is intrinsically problematic. Responsible for soil degradation, air pollution, and about 2.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the repercussions of their widespread usage are undeniable.

Hence, it’s imperative for policymakers to consider alternative, eco-friendlier methods, such as agroecological technologies. These sustainable practices, including crop rotation and natural fertilisers, although underutilised, offer a promising pathway to maintain high yields without the detrimental impacts of chemical fertilisers. Rapid shifts, however, can be counterproductive, as seen in Sri Lanka’s sudden ban on chemical fertiliser imports in 2021, which led to a significant food shortage.

Sadly, most financial backing, both from public and private sectors, continues to support the usage of chemical fertilisers. For instance, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) champions an industrial agriculture model reliant on chemical fertilisers. But independent assessments indicate that AGRA is not achieving its mission of enhancing yields and income for countless small African farmers.

To genuinely address the planet’s environmental challenges, a complete overhaul of the food system is necessary, emphasizing sustainability and fairness. Diminishing our dependence on chemical fertilisers could convert the present food dilemma into a real prospect for change.