Natural resources are finite. Their preservation is crucial for the future of humanity. Nevertheless, the world's population is growing, while natural resources are dwindling. The alarm will be sounded again during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012 (Rio +20), twenty years after the initial alert. What are the risks still threatening our natural resources and what solutions are within our reach? Is there a benefit to saving natural resources? The answer is yes.
Worldwide, 71% of available water (rain, soil reserves) is used for crop irrigation. Its scarcity, combined with a growing population, creates a challenge which must be overcome: to double food production by 2030, while consuming less water - despite the many constraints, such as urbanization, industrialization and climate change.
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While the amount of cultivated land has remained constant over the past twenty years, their use has become increasingly intensive in order to increase yields.
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For the last 20 years, the international community has been working to halt biodiversity loss and thus maintain the benefits it provides to human activities, especially agricultural systems. These benefits range from soil fertility to carbon storage, through pollination and pest control.
Read moreThe old adage “more input = more yield" is no longer valid. Now, we would say "judicious input = productivity preserved in the long term." This does mean we have to eliminate chemical inputs but to optimize their use in a process of whole farm management. Conserving water, soil and biodiversity will ensure long-term economic returns.
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