Fight for Famine

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Over 200 million people face starvation in the Sub-Saharan African region. Which makes us wonder: where is the necessary food to feed these empty bellies? We can possibly find the answer by using agriculture, which plays a valuable role in providing food supply that is safe, nutritious, and affordable. The Nature Publishing Group and some scientists think that chemical fertilizers will solve the famine, but chemical fertilizers can bring negative effects to the agriculture world. Further, alternative methods such as no-till farming and digital soil maps not only increase crop yield, but also do so in a safe manner.

The world population is constantly growing, which means more food is required to feed this population. There are multiple reasons why Africa suffers from famine and widespread malnutrition. One of the reasons is from droughts ruining their harvest and taking away their drinking water. Another main reason is because of their crop soils lacking nutrients. Regardless of the main cause, there are possible solutions to this issue. The only problem is which one is the best answer?

In a recent Nature article, “Food for thought” the idea that chemical fertilizers are the best solution for this problem has been suggested.  The rough times that Africans are undergoing cannot afford to wait for a long-term effect, so in the short-term they need access to chemical fertilizers.  Opposed to the other methods of agriculture, the “quick and easy gains of fertilizers free up farmers' time, and can turn a subsistence existence into a commercial operation, offering a potential way to escape the crushing cycle of poverty.” Africa wouldn’t be the first continent to benefit from chemical fertilizers; Europe, North America and Asia have all seen a positive boost to their agriculture enterprise as well. “Food for thought” points out that there are alternative agriculture methods, but using chemical fertilizers could make the difference of a starving child.

Even though chemical fertilizers¹ is a short-term solution we must be aware of the long-term effects that chemical fertilizers bring forth. First, we will start off by the question: what is a chemical fertilizer? A chemical fertilizer is a quick-acting, short-term soil amendment used to increase plant growth. Yes, chemical fertilizers do help boost crop yield, but in the process of doing so they also harm your crop fields. Chemical fertilizers cause deterioration of soil friability and create hardpan soil, destroy beneficial soil life, alter vitamins and proteins contained in the soil, prevent plants from absorbing needed minerals, and put crops at a higher risk of disease. Since acids are a main component of chemical fertilizers they tend to increase the acidity of the soil, which affects what kind of organisms can live there as well. Not only does the use of chemical fertilizers ruin the crop soil, they also harm the environment around you. Their use can pollute water supplies and generate significant greenhouse-gas emissions. The most surprising harmful effects associated with chemical fertilizers can even link back to affecting your health. For example, the use of nitrogen fertilizers and lack of elements have been related to fungal and bacterial diseases. Using chemical fertilizers might also affect the amounts of vitamins you are receiving in your daily intake. One case in particular is using large amounts of chemical fertilizers, lowering the amount of vitamin C in oranges. So even though chemical fertilizers can bring an increase to food production, the effects on the crops, environment, and your health is an issue within itself.

Just because chemical fertilizers are unhealthy for many reasons, doesn’t mean all agricultural methods fall under the same path.

No-till farming² should be considered as an alternative method. “Food for thought” states that no-till farming can be cheaper than the use of chemical fertilizers, which is obviously an advantage. Although this is true, no-till farming is still rarely used because it adds to the farmers’ hard labor. Although scientists have found that switching to no-till farming increases crop yield, it also helps the environment. Unlike fertilizers, which are converted to nitrous oxide potentially creating a greenhouse gas, no-till farming, which does not cause soil disturbance, will decrease the Global Warming Potential. The reason why chemical fertilizers have this effect and no-till farming doesn’t is because soil disturbance stimulates the activity that converts fertilizers into gases. No-till farming, on the other hand, doesn’t disturb the soil, meaning it doesn’t release any harmful gases.

Another alternative method that could possibly be a future solution is the new development of digital soil maps. A digital soil map is a tool used to produce digital maps that assist us in predicting soil properties. Scientists have developed the first digital soil map covering 42 countries in sub-Sahara Africa. These maps will come in great use in the increase crop production by providing up-to-date information on properties of soils and improve degradation. “The map will be made from satellite measurements of soil nutrients, moisture and organic matter.” Digital soil maps will come in great use when planning for future crops. Farmers can use these maps to observe predictions of soil in potential cropland by the soil properties predictions made my scientist. While digital soil maps won’t directly increase crop production it will be great help to farms in choosing new crop locations.

As previously stated, the population will continue to grow. Food production has to increase along with population in order for starvation to remain at a low percentage. As the future approaches, technology needs to increase to provide new crop varieties. These crop varieties need to offer higher yields that use less water and fertilizers. These new varieties should be more resistant to drought, heat, and pests as well. As a developing nation full of different research methods we will be able to continually increase our knowledge and provide new high-tech seeds to low-tech farming practices.

After seeing the harmful effects it is easy to say that if sub-Saharan Africa decides to continue the spread of chemical fertilizers they will only be hurting themselves in the long run. Greenhouse gases and depletion of soil can be prevented through several other methods. New methods are being approached everyday with new research and technology. These methods will better the world around us and put an end to the famine in Africa.


Works Cited
1. "No-Till Farming Lowers Global Warming Fears." Southwest Farm Press 31.21 (2004): 23.
2. Miller, Crow and Elizabeth. “Why organic farmers disapprove of chemical fertilizers.” Countryside & Small Stock Journal. (2007): 65-66.