Fewer emissions, greater food production possible: study
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Norwegian University of Science and Technology – A study from Norway suggests that reducing greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture doesn’t necessarily mean having to reduce food production.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology looked for solutions to reduce agriculture’s footprint as the sector is responsible for one-third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions as well as reducing biodiversity and using large amounts of water.
“That is why we need to take action. Agriculture in Europe must become more sustainable. The problem is that the measures being implemented today, such as protecting certain areas or allowing forests to regrow, are competing with food production for areas of land,” said Francesco Cherubini, professor and Director of the Industrial Ecology Programme at NTNU.
Cherubini also explained that there is little room in Europe to intensify agriculture on the continent. As a result, moving production to areas better suited for crop production, and letting areas less suited for it regrow with trees and natural vegetation, would be the only way to increase output and decrease emissions.
By allowing natural vegetation to regrow in these ‘sub-optimal’ areas, while also optimizing production on better agricultural land, the study shows that emissions from agriculture can be reduced by up to 40 per cent. Pressure on biodiversity can be reduced by 20 per cent, while food production is maintained.
“Allowing natural vegetation to return to areas with poor crop yields benefits the carbon balance and increases biodiversity,” said Cherubini.
Crop yields can be increased by between 10 and 20 per cent through this kind of extensive farming. However, this requires changing the methods used and producing varieties of crops that yield the most calories per square metre, like corn, wheat and barley. However, researchers also recommend growing crops already familiar in the area.
“But it requires collaboration among the countries of Europe,” Cherubini added.
