[Agri Alert-128]Can Organic Farming Reduce Global Warming?

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Agri-Alert 128 01.08.07 Let us grow foOd, not money Let us work towards a Green Orissa. CAN ORGANIC FARMING REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING? Global warming has become a hot topic that is being discussed with fervor among all echelons of society. All are feeling the heat, literally. On the one hand there is a growing

awareness that human activity is contributing significantly to the process. Others are of the opinion that this is a part of a natural cycle that has presented itself many a times in the past. There is also a group that frowns upon the publicity being granted to the process and claims it is being done to earn the various incentives of carbon trading that feature in the Kyoto Protocol. Whatever may be the reason it cannot be denied that the production of greenhouse gases; carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, ozone, CFCs, HFCs, PFCs and sulphur hexafluoride have increased at a galloping pace due to unsustainable development. Some of these gases are not natural and can be attributed purely to the industrialisation process. What is global warming? The greenhouse gases have the ability to capture and store heat in the atmosphere leading to an increase in surface temperature in what is known as the greenhouse effect. It is estimated that the increase in temperature maybe from 2 to 6 degrees Celsius within the next few decades. This would lead to the melting of the polar ice caps, rise in oceans and changes in climate patterns affecting all activity on earth. While carbon dioxide (CO2) is a widely recognised villain, the role of methane and nitrous oxide far exceed that of this gas. Nitrous Oxide (N2O) absorbs 270 times and methane (CH4) 21 times more heat per

molecule of CO2. From where do these gases come from? CO2 is released into the atmosphere by the burning of solid waste, wood and wood products, and fossil fuels. N2O emissions occur during various agriculture and industrial processes and when solid waste and fuel are burnt. Methane is emitted when organic waste decomposes, whether in landfills or in connection with livestock farming. It is also released by paddy cultivation which requires standing water in the fields. Rain fed rice cultivation releases far less methane. China, India and other rice producing countries in Asia are blamed for generating up to 15 times more methane than

the Western countries. How does modern agriculture contribute to global warming? Modern agriculture with its unsustainable practices, the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, the burning of fossil fuels for its various inputs and processes, mono cropping, deep ploughing, use of farm machinery, pumping irrigation contributes significantly to global warming. As per a study, modern agriculture is responsible for 25% of the worlds CO2 emissions, 60% of CH4 and 80% of N2O. The last is primarily due to the use of urea as a fertiliser. Modern agriculture is energy intensive. Farm machinery, pumped irrigation and transport necessitates the burning of a lot of fossil fuels which significantly adds to the build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The regular use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides destroy the natural ability of the soil to absorb both carbon and nitrogen. Worldwide around 70 million tonnes a year of nitrogen are now applied to crops. The denitrifying soil bacteria act on this to release half a million tonnes a year of nitrous oxide. The cattle are today fed with non

natural high protein food to fatten them and to increase the yield of milk. This non natural food leads to excessive enteric fermentation leading to a very high emission of methane. Cattle also denude grasslands thus reducing the green cover than helps absorb CO2. Agriculture in itself, by claiming land from natural forests and grasslands, and converting it to modern agricultural practices contributes to deforestation which has a negative impact on the local climate. How does organic farming check global warming? This is achieved by; 1. Improving the condition of the soil which results in more carbon retention and capture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen from the atmosphere. This is achieved by handling organic matter, which is primarily carbon, and which leads to carbon sequestration. 2.

Eliminating the need for energy-costly chemical fertilisers, especially nitrogen present in urea, which requires massive amounts of energy to synthesize. 3. Reducing the need for energy guzzling farm machinery. By restoring the ground water level organic farming also reduces the need for pump irrigation. 4. Organic methods entail less or no tilling which increases the accumulation of organic carbon in the soil. 5. Procedures like the SRI method of rice cultivation require no standing water in the fields reducing methane emissions. 6. A multiple crop approach that provides cover crop and the incorporation of crop residues dramatically alters the carbon storage of arable lands. 7. Under organic farming soil with organic manure preserves moisture better than soil receiving chemical fertilisers. Water in the soil acts as a sink to absorb greenhouse gases. The CO2 dissolved in water is taken up by the plants and micro organisms. 8. Organic farming is even better than afforestation as plantation trees take up a lot of water and nutrition for their needs. They also render soil acidic and saline. 9. Organic farming absorbs heat as it helps produce a top layer of soil humus. Whereas chemical fertiliser treated soil releases a tremendous amount of heat hardening the soil. The

hardened soil reflects the sun's heat making the air noticeably warmer not to mention the release of heat through hydration. A study by The Rodale Institute, USA, titled FST, which compared data from modern and organic farming for 23 years confirmed that organic methods of agriculture are far more effective at removing CO2 from atmosphere and also in checking the emissions of nitrous oxide and methane. It comes to the conclusion that organic farming could reduce the atmosphere CO2 by 1.1 trillion pounds per year. "Organic farming for carbon capture is also compatible with other environmental and social goals other environmental and social goals such as

reducing erosion, minimising adverse effects on native ecosystem, and improving farmers livelihoods. Compared to forests...agricultural soils may be a more secure sink for atmospheric carbon since they are not vulnerable to logging or wildfire." "(Organic farming) is a step towards solving global warming that brings with it a wealth of other environmental benefits." Conclusion: The Orissa Scenario. Global warming has left a definite impact on the State of Orissa. The summers are unbearably hot with the mercury rising to 52 degree Celsius in industrial towns. The

weather pattern has been severely affected. Cyclones and thunderstorms have wreaked havoc. The sea levels are rising alarmingly threatening coastal towns. Unfortunately the majority of the cultivable land here is under conventional agriculture. The link between this form of cultivation and global warming is known to only a handful of scientists and activists, let alone the farmers. We need to create awareness on this vital aspect and try to promote organic methods of cultivation. We hope this small article will boost the morale of those involved in and propagating various methods of organic cultivation. Organic farming is not merely a set of rules to be

followed in the field but is a holistic mindset that promotes values that benefit all aspects of life and society. It is a change in attitude that is important to check the complex phenomenon of global warming. *******************************************************************-- Living Farms , Regional Resource Centre of DRCSC Plot No.1181 / 2146, Ratnakarbag-2, Tankapani Road,Bhubaneswar - 751018,Orissa.Ph-->0674-2430176Mob -->9938582616www.drcsc.org

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