More than half of the fertiliser currently poured on to crops in many countries is wasted, according to a new study. About 60 per cent of the nitrogen applied to crops worldwide is not needed, as well as about half of the phosphorus, an element whose readily available sources are dwindling.
Cutting waste even by modest amounts would also feed millions, the authors found: between one-third and a half of the viable crops and food produced from them around the world are wasted, in the developing world usually because of a lack of infrastructure such as refrigerated transport, and in the rich world because of wasteful habits.
The study suggested that a focus on staple crops such as wheat and rice in key countries, including China, India, the US, Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan and Europe, would pay off in terms of producing more food for the world’s growing population. Most forecasts are that the world will number more than 9 billion people by 2050, up from about 7 billion people today.
Looking after water could also yield vast dividends, the report found: if the water used for irrigation was pinpointed more efficiently to where it is needed, then much more could be grown, but currently much of it is sprayed uselessly over crops.
But the research also found that at least 4 billion people could be fed with the crops we currently devote to fattening livestock.
Paul West, lead author of the paper, said: “Agriculture is the main source of water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and habitat loss, yet we need to grow more food.” He advocated “focusing on areas, crops and practices with the most to be gained”, as the first step for governments, companies and NGOs, with a focus on China, India, the US, Brazil, Indonesia and Pakistan.
West said that the report gave cause for optimism, showing that the world’s growing population could be adequately fed in the future if basic measures are taken to look after food supply.
The study also noted that preventing the waste of meat was vital, as the disposal of a single kilogram of beef was equal to the waste of 24 kg of wheat, in terms of the effort — water, fertiliser, greenhouse gases, cropland needed — that had gone into its production. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2014
