VINACHEM

A large group of global agriculture and food chain experts have called for greater collaboration across the fertilizer industry to ensure future food security for a growing global population while reducing agriculture’s impact on soils and the wider environment.

The 'Future of Fertilizer' report, commissioned by Anglo American and compiled by Deloitte, interviewed 74 industry experts from around the world to better understand what needs to change to ensure we can feed the world responsibly in 2050.

The report comes ahead of the annual conference of the International Fertilizer Association (IFA) whose CEO, Alzbeta Klein, was asked what she believed the focus of the annual conference would be in 25 years’ time. She said: “2050 will be more than just a meeting about fertilizers. It will be a global summit on the future of humanity’s relationship with food, nature and technology.”

Tom McCulley, CEO of Anglo American’s Crop Nutrients business, said: “There is no doubt in our minds that the future of agriculture has to be different if we are to produce more, better quality food more sustainably than we do today.

“The field of agriculture experts interviewed for this report – drawn from farmers to policymakers and major food-producing companies – agree with that reality. Together, they overwhelmingly concluded that we need to stop thinking about crop yields in isolation and instead focus on the long-term impact of many widely used fertilizers on our soils, the emissions from fertilizer production and use, and the nutritional value of the food we eat to ensure future generations have the legacy they deserve.”

Key insights from the report include that fertilizers, and the nutrients they provide, will continue to underpin agricultural success but their application must become more sustainable to preserve precious natural resources for the long term.

Specifically, the agricultural industry must stand up to redefine the metrics for success in the agricultural sector and better manage the often-competing balance of yield, soil health and responsible farming practices. Scalable crop nutrition solutions that efficiently use available nutrients across a broad range of crops to maximise return on investment must be a priority in this evolution – an important step away from historical wasteful practices, damaged soil and unnecessary emissions.

The report states that by embracing these shifts and seizing the opportunities they present, the sector can ensure that future fertilizer practices not only meet the growing demand for food but also contribute positively to the planet and future generations that will demand more and better-quality food.

Duncan Wanblad, Chief Executive of Anglo American, introduced the report by commenting: “The future of fertilizers must be one where crop solutions both nourish people and sustain the planet, building on the incredible successes of food production since the mid-20th century. Greater use of sustainable fertilizers has a vital role in increasing crop yield and resilience in parallel with protecting nature and improving soil health.”

The report also concluded that solutions and incentives needed to be tailored to the real day-to-day needs of farmers and that greater levels of trust and adoption of innovation are needed across the industry.

Those interviewed agreed that by 2050, regulation and financial incentives will have driven a transition in responsible agricultural practices, that will increasingly prioritise the importance of soil health. Achieving these changes will require the fertilizer industry itself to collaborate, focus on issues beyond yield, work more closely with farmers and internalise the environmental costs of fertiliser across the food value chain.  – Source: World Fertilizer