Overconsumption and soil health

Mar 14, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,
The recent discussion on soil depletion reminds me of the famine experienced in the western United States in the past. History has shown us that over farming the land and not allowing it to rest, results in a period where it doesn’t bring forth enough produce. If we also look at the per capita consumption of produce from the farms, it is clear that there isn’t an even distribution of produced goods; and overconsumption and waste have resulted in an increased gap between those who have and those who have not.
If we keep a long-term perspective in mind, our contribution to the resolution of this global problem must first start with the reduction of waste in our supply chain for agricultural products. In addition, the rotation of our farmed lands to ensure rest and rejuvenation will help with its longevity. Some are of the opinion that chemical fertilisers are still needed. This may be so in the short term, but this method accelerates the extraction of nutrients from the soil, leading to a shorter timetable where resting the land is necessary. Keeping traditional agricultural methods in place, where cattle and other grazing livestock is added to the land rotation to maintain the organic strength and health of the land will ensure a longer and sustainable useful life of the soil being used for agricultural purposes.
As mentioned, food waste continues to be prevalent and Nigeria is a good example of where there is opportunity. They rank in the lower half of food consumption, yet are at the top of the list of countries that waste food in Africa. On a global scale, over 30% of food is wasted. Compared to 10% of the world suffering from hunger and 30% of people who have a lower level of quality of food.
However, it should be noted that studies have also shown that the world produces enough food to feed more than the current population of the earth. Thus confirming that we are overproducing. As stated earlier, the current farming methods have led to soil depletion due to over usage of the land and aggressive nutrient extraction. Reverting to traditional methods of farming with an emphasis on land rotation and organic methods for sustained longevity of the useful life of the land will ensure that first and foremost our people remain healthy and secondly, that we get top dollar for our produce on the world market. We must place the health of our people at the forefront of our decision making.
Best regards,
Mr. Jamil Changlee
Chairman
The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

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