Sustainable Agriculture - SANTFA

Sustainable Agriculture

Mrd. (Milliarde) is German for Billion

1 Ac

0.5 Ac

0.4 Ac

Agricultural Production must

increase 70% over current

production rates in order to provision

9 Billion People

FARM MORE LAND!35% of the Earth’s Terrestrial Surface is under Cultivation

We are Losing Farmland

We are losing roughly 25,000 acres per year

(globally)

30% to Urbanization

&

70% toSoil Degradation

The Challenge:

To nearly double agriculturalproduction on less land.

AND…

It must be done in a sustainable manner.

The Solution:

This means using our existing resources efficiently.

The Resources:

This means using our existing resources efficiently.

The Resources:

NPK8TH MOST ABUNDANTELEMENT ON EARTH

The Resources:

P

PHOSPHORUS

IS A LIMITED RESOURCE

Impurities Found in Phosphate Fertilizers

Other Minerals: Iron Nickel Molebdenum

Toxic Elements: Aluminum Cadmium ** Lead Mercury Chromium

**Cadmium and Uranium from agronomic sources have been documented as present in our food chain

and causative agents of disease (Dissanayake, 2007).

Radioactive Elements: Uranium-238** Uranium-234** Thorium-230 Radium-226 Radon-222 Lead-210 Polonium-210

PHOSPHOGYPSUMSince 1960 we have produced over 400,000,000 MT (almost one TRILLION pounds) of phosphogypsum. It is stored in exposed stacks and subject to wind and water erosion. These stacks cover hundreds to thousands of acres across the US.

For every 1 ton of phosphoric acid produced

5 tons of radio active waste are produced.

3.10%

0.35%0.44%

0.003%

5.21%

0.14%

0.01%8.17%

0.25%

2.11%

0.04%

70.42%

0.34%

1.83%

0.25%

2.11%

2.54%

0.08% 0.14%

1.97%

0.70%

Percent of World Phosphate Reserves by Country Algeria

Australia

Brazil

Canada

China

Egypt

India

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Mexico

Morocco and Western Sahara

Peru

Russia

Senegal

South Africa

Syria

Togo

Tunisia

United States

Other Countries

The Politics & Economics of Phosphorus

King of MoroccoMuhammad VI

The Politics & Economics of Phosphorus

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Depletion Rate of US Phosphate Rock Reserves

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Phosphate Rock Prices

P-rock (U.S.)

Morocco

Peak Global Production for Phosphate Rock

Australia 2013

The Challenge

• We need to grow more food on less land.

• We are running out of Phosphorus.

• High Input Systems cause environmental damage.

• High Inputs are inherently inefficient.

• Less than 20% of the Phosphorus we apply to our fields actually winds up in plant tissue.

What is the Solution?

SUSTAINABLY INCREASEAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

• Restore Lost Farmland• Improve the overall drought tolerance of

the agricultural ecosystem• Increase soil stability• Improve the Water-Holding Capacity of

our Soils• Prevent Erosion

SUSTAINABLY INCREASEAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

• No-Till• Cover Crops• Crop Rotations• Reduce Inputs

CONVERTING OUR ENTIRE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM TO A SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM

• Microbial Inoculants THAT WORK

• Change the Way we Breed Crops

CONVERTING OUR ENTIRE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM TO A SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM

• Microbial Inoculants THAT WORK

• Change the Way we Breed Crops

CONVERTING OUR ENTIRE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM TO A SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM

They concluded…

“..potentially all crops, no matter where they are grown could benefit from optimization of their microbial partners.

The time is right to enlist the capabilities of the microbial world to help solve this pressing human problem.”

Microbes (AMF)…

•Cycle Nutrients

•Increase the nutritional value of crops

•Protect plants from disease

•Build soil quality & Structure

•Increase plant nutrient use efficiency

•Can replace harmful chemicals

AGRICHEMICALS

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Agro Prairie

Spo

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r 5

0m

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ilAMF vs. NON-AM Fungi

NON

AMF

AFTER Non-Targeted ControlAgro Ecosystem Non-Targeted Control

Optimized SystemAgro Ecosystem

Global Warming

QUESTIONS