Healthy soils + clean water = more food

Food security , depleting water table and poor soils are a burning issue today in an ever expanding and populating world. The challenge is to grow enough food for the world in the coming decades with the limited resources we have. Unless we think out of the box  solutions  we will never be able to achieve the  “food and water for all” goal. Overexploitation of groundwater has to be curbed and surface water managed more judiciously in coming decades for a water secure world.

Some revolutionary ideas  to grow more food are being tried by plant scientists , food and agricultural researchers and farmers all over the world . Can we build  efficient space saving green houses in the desert where the sun rays  around the year will photosynthesize crops. Using seawater to water the crops  or create a humid environment can also be a viable option and is being tried at ABU DHABI. Precision agriculture by giving exact dose of nutrients and water to crops  is also being investigated  to avoid overuse and wastage of fertilizers and water. Converting C3 plants to C4 plants is the next big idea to get  more rice and other cereals  which is the staple food of almost half the world. C4 plants are photosynthetically more efficient as they use less water and evaporation loss is also slower in such plants.

We are all aware of the health hazards  and depleting nutrients in soil caused due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers in our farms. It has now become imperative to think of alternatives to enhance plant growth and productivity. Microbes are a wonderful creation of nature and can be harnessed for making our soils nutrient rich. Cocktails of microbes are being discovered and tried  in soils and the results are encouraging as they reduce the need for phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers, protect plants against disease causing organisms and also boost yields. Bio soils enhancers  which are self sustaining are being sold to farmers for field trials.

Food production is also hampered by the poor  growth in soils which are nutritionally poor. A  innovative idea in enhancing soil nutrients is  by making and using Biochar extensively. Charcoal made from burning waste in high temperatures and low oxygen  is called biochar and it provides soil with vital nutrients as well as sequesters carbon,  attracts  growth promoting microbes and also helps soil hold more water. What kind of waste material will make good biochar is a topic of research these days.

The possibilities of addressing  world hunger through science and smart use of technology,  innovative  scientific methods and  good management practices is a real possibility. The question is  for the young global citizens of the future to answer. Are we ready to work for THESE GLOBAL CONCERNS???