En-en adult card 8 agriculture: Difference between revisions

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== Explications ==
== Explanation ==


L'agriculture utilise très peu d'énergie fossile, au regard des émissions d'autres GES dont elle est responsable. Elle est responsable de 80% de la déforestation. En effet, il faut des grandes surfaces pour cultiver, surtout pour nourrir les animaux d'élevage.
Agriculture uses very little fossil energy, compared to the emissions of other GHGs for which it is responsible. It is responsible for 80% of deforestation. Indeed, large areas are needed to grow crops, especially to feed farm animals. Agriculture is a human activity that began as soon as the climate stabilised, at the beginning of the Neolithic period 10,000 years ago, after the last deglaciation, which itself lasted 10,000 years. Since then, the impact of human activity on its environment has been growing: it has domesticated plant species (today, domesticated rice is no longer able to reproduce without human intervention), it has deforested to expand the cultivated areas, depriving animal species of their natural habitat, and since the Green Revolution (green for agricultural, not for ecological!), it has begun to use [[En-en adult card 7 125 pesticides|pesticides]] and inputs that are harmful to the environment and to itself.
L'agriculture est une activité humaine qui a commencé dès que le climat s'est stabilisé, au début du Néolithique il y a 10.000 ans, après la dernière déglaciation qui a elle-même duré 10.000 ans. Dès lors, l’impact de l’activité humaine sur son environnement n’a cessé de croître: il a domestiqué des espèces végétales (aujourd'hui, le riz domestiqué n’est plus capable de se reproduire sans l’intervention de l’homme), il a déforesté pour étendre les surfaces cultivées, privant les espèces animales de leur habitat naturel, et depuis la révolution verte (verte pour agricole, pas pour écologique !), il a commencé à utiliser des [[Fr-fr_expert_carte_125_pesticides|pesticides]] et des intrants nocifs pour l’environnement et pour lui-même.


== Conseils pour l'animation ==  
== Facilitation tips ==  


Conseils pour l'animation
Facilitation tips (to be amended)


== Autres lien possibles ==
== Other possible links ==


=== Lien conséquences ===
=== Consequences ===
* [[Fr-fr_adulte_carte_12_puits_de_carbone|Puits de carbone]] Ce n'est pas grave si ce lien n'est pas fait, mais il est vrai que l'agriculture peut améliorer la capacité de stockage via la photosynthèse. C'est le principe des 4 pour 1000 (si on augmentait ne serait-ce que de 4/1000 la capacité du sol à séquestrer du carbone, on aurait un impact important sur le {{CO2}}).
* [[En-en adult card 12 carbon sinks|Carbon Sinks]] It doesn't matter if this link is not made, but it is true that agriculture can improve storage capacity through photosynthesis. This is the 0.4 per cent principle (if we increased the soil's capacity to sequester carbon by even 4/1000, we would have a significant impact on CO2).
* [[Fr-fr_adulte_carte_25_biodiversité_terrestre|Biodiversité terrestre]] On pense ici surtout aux pesticides (notamment au round-up ou aux néonicotinoïdes). Pas de lien avec le climat, mais relation intéressante à faire
* [[En-en adult card 25 terrestrial biodiversity|Terrestrial Biodiversity]] Here, we are thinking mainly of pesticides (especially round-up or neonicotinoids). No link with the climate, but an interesting relation to make.


== Pour aller plus loin ==
== To go further ==


=== Empreinte de l'élevage ===
=== Footprint of animal husbandry ===
Une grande partie de l'impact de l'agriculture est du à l'élevage. Cependant, il est très difficile d'avoir un pourcentage de gaz à effet de serre qui font concensus pour beaucoup de facteur :
Much of the impact of agriculture is due to animal husbandry. However, it is very difficult to have a percentage of greenhouse gases that is agreed due to many factors:
* Quel pouvoir réchauffant choisir (PRG): le méthane est le principal gaz réchauffant du à l'élevage. Si on regarde sur un horizon 20 an, il a un PRG de 84, mais de 28 sur un horizon 100 an, on a donc un facteur trois de différence.<ref>[https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/WG1AR5_all_final.pdf#page=730 Page 714 du 5ième rapport, groupe de travail 1 du GIEC]</ref>
* Which Global warming potential (GWP) to choose: methane is the main warming gas due to livestock farming. If we look at a 20-year horizon, it has a GWP of 84, but of 28 only over a 100-year horizon: a difference of a factor of three.<ref>[https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/WG1AR5_all_final.pdf#page=730 Page 730 of IPCC fifth assessment  report, working group #1] </ref>
* Des partenariats avec différents institutions privés<ref>[http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/150555/icode/ FAO, ''New effort to harmonize measurement of livestock’s environmental impacts'']</ref> qui ont des intérêt à ce que ce nombre soit plus ou moins elevé comme :
* Partnerships with various private institutions <ref>[http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/150555/icode/ FAO, ''New effort to harmonize measurement of livestock’s environmental impacts'']</ref> who have a vested interest in this number, such as :
** The European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC)
** The European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC)
** the European Vegetable Oil and Proteinmeal Industry (FEDIOL)
** the European Vegetable Oil and Proteinmeal Industry (FEDIOL)
Line 35: Line 34:
** the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
** the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).


Au final, les deux nombres que l'on retrouve le plus souvent sont :
At the end of the day, the two numbers most often found are:
* 18% des émissions total d'après le rapport de 2007<ref>[http://www.fao.org/3/a0701e/a0701e.pdf FAO, ''Livestock's long shadow'', page xxi, 2007]</ref>
* 18% of total emissions according to the 2007 report <ref>[http://www.fao.org/3/a0701e/a0701e.pdf FAO, ''Livestock's long shadow'', page xxi, 2007]</ref>
* 14.5% des émissions total d'après le rapport de 2012 <ref>[http://www.fao.org/3/i3437e/i3437e.pdf FAO, ''Tackling climate change through Livestock'', page xii, 2012]</ref>
* 14.5% of total emissions according to the 2012 report <ref>[http://www.fao.org/3/i3437e/i3437e.pdf FAO, ''Tackling climate change through Livestock'', page xii, 2012]</ref>


=== Notions clefs ===
=== Key concepts ===
* La clef de répartition du GIEC affecte logiquement à l’industrie l’agro-industrie (engrais, produit de traitement des cultures, herbicides, machinisme agricole) et agroalimentaire. Mais cela n’aide pas à estimer les effets positifs que pourrait avoir un système basé sur l’agroforesterie , un raccourcissement des circuits de distribution et une forte baisse de la consommation de produit alimentaires transformés industriellement.
* The IPCC distribution key logically assigns to industry the agro-industry (fertilisers, crop treatment products, herbicides, agricultural machinery) and the agro-food industry. But this does not help to estimate the positive effects that a system based on agroforestry, shorter distribution channels and a sharp drop in the consumption of industrially processed food products could have.
* L’utilisation massive d’engrais chimiques et de pesticides détruisent progressivement, mais certainement, microflore et microfaune des sols.  
* The massive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides gradually, but certainly, destroys the micro-flora and micro-fauna of the soil.
* Les vers de terre disparaissent alors que se sont de véritables petits laboureurs favorisant la pénétration des racines et améliorant la perméabilité des sols et le renouvellement des nappes phréatiques. D’autre part, ils se nourrissent des résidus des cultures précédentes et les transforment en humus, forme stable de la matière organique et véritable éponge capable de stocker une grande quantité d’eau et de la restituer en période de sécheresse. De plus l’humus stocke les éléments minéraux pouvant être utilisés par la plante.  
* Earthworms are disappearing, whereas they are real small ploughmen favouring root penetration and improving the permeability of the soil and the renewal of the water tables. On the other hand, they feed on the residues of previous crops and transform them into humus, a stable form of organic matter and a real sponge capable of storing a large quantity of water and releasing it in times of drought. Moreover, humus stores the mineral elements that can be used by the plant.
* Les champignons disparaissent aussi sous l’effet des engrais et des produits de traitement chimiques, alors qu’ils sont des intermédiaires vivant en symbiose avec les plantes. Ils servent de prolongement aux racines, allant chercher eau et sels minéraux et les échangeant contre des molécules organiques produites par la plante.
* Fungi also disappear under the effect of fertilisers and chemical treatment products, although they are intermediaries living in symbiosis with the plants. They act as an extension of the roots, fetching water and mineral salts and exchanging them for organic molecules produced by the plant.


=== Stocker du carbone grâce à l'agroforesterie ===  
=== Storing carbon through agroforestry ===  
La disparition des verts de terre et des champignons ainsi que des labours profonds et fréquents, la mise à nue des terres entre deux cultures pendant une longue période, accélèrent la décomposition de la matière organique. Les sols agricoles dans une agriculture à base d’intrant chimiques sont producteurs net de carbone et s’appauvrissent régulièrement en matière organique. Alors que l’agroforesterie permet une augmentation annuelle de '''4‰''' (4 pour 1000)<ref>[https://www.4p1000.org/fr Site officiel de 4 pour 1000 ]</ref> du taux de matière organique contenue dans le sol. Celui-ci devient alors un '''[[Fr-fr_adulte_carte_12_puits_de_carbone|puit de carbone]]'''.
The disappearance of earthworms and fungi, as well as deep and frequent ploughing and the nakedness of the land between two crops over a long period of time, accelerate the decomposition of organic matter. Agricultural soils in chemical-input agriculture are net producers of carbon and regularly deplete organic matter. While agroforestry provides an annual increase of 4‰ (4 per 1000)<ref>Official web [https://www.4p1000.org/ Site "4 pour 1000" initiative] </ref> in the level of organic matter in the soil. The soil then becomes a '''[[En-en adult card 12 carbon sinks|carbon sink]]'''.


Une généralisation de ces techniques ferait de l’agriculture, pour un coût très faible voir nul, '''le puit à carbone le plus sûr et le moins cher'''. Il procurerait une alimentation beaucoup plus saine et maintiendrait, voir développerait une paysannerie, base de l’autonomie alimentaire dans de nombreux pays. La biodiversité s’en trouverait très largement favorisée.  
Widespread use of these techniques would make agriculture '''the safest and cheapest carbon sink''' at very low or zero cost. It would provide a much healthier diet and would maintain and even develop a peasantry, the basis of food autonomy in many countries. Biodiversity would be greatly enhanced as a result. The shortening of circuits would reduce energy consumption. The same applies to a decline in the agri-food industry, which would also improve the health of our fellow citizens<ref>[https://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2019/05/30/comment-l-alimentation-ultratransformee-affecte-notre-sante_5469345_1651302.html Mathilde Gérard et Pascale Santi ''Comment l’alimentation ultratransformée affecte notre santé'', Le Monde, 30 mai 2019]</ref>. A major source of pollution would disappear.
Le raccourcissement des circuits diminuerait la consommation d’énergie. Il en est de même d’une régression de l’agroalimentaire qui en outre améliorerait la santé de nos concitoyens <ref>[https://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2019/05/30/comment-l-alimentation-ultratransformee-affecte-notre-sante_5469345_1651302.html Mathilde Gérard et Pascale Santi ''Comment l’alimentation ultratransformée affecte notre santé'', Le Monde, 30 mai 2019]</ref> . Une source importante de pollution disparaîtrait.


Les emplois perdus dans l’agro-industrie et l’agroalimentaire seraient largement compensés par ceux générés par l’agroforesterie beaucoup plus gourmande en main d’œuvre qu’une agriculture à base d’intrants chimiques.
The jobs lost in agribusiness and agro-industry would be largely offset by those generated by agroforestry, which is much more labour-intensive than chemical-input agriculture.


Parallèlement une réduction sensible de la consommation de viande diminuerait fortement les surfaces consacrées à la production de céréales destinées à l’alimentation animale (bovine, porcine et volaille principalement). Cela compenserait le plus faible rendement des cultures en l’absence d’intrants chimiques.
At the same time, a significant reduction in meat consumption would sharply reduce the areas devoted to the production of cereals for animal feed (mainly cattle, pigs and poultry). This would compensate for the lower crop yields in the absence of chemical inputs.


Au total, nous aurions :
In total, we would have :
* une '''alimentation''' beaucoup '''plus saine''' produite par des agriculteurs fiers de leur métier,
* much '''healthier food''' produced by farmers who are proud of their work,,
* une population en meilleurs '''santé''' (diminution en particulier des maladies cardiovasculaires et des cancers) car consommant moins de viande et des aliments ne contenant pas de résidus chimiques,
* a '''healthier''' population (reduction in particular of cardiovascular diseases and cancers) as a result of eating less meat and food that does not contain chemical residues,
* des sols devenant un important '''puit de carbone''' par remontés du taux de matière organique dans les sols (4‰/an),
* soils becoming an important '''carbon sink''' by increasing the level of organic matter in the soil (4‰/year),
* un basculement d’emplois industriels (agrochimie, machinisme agricole, agroalimentaire) vers des '''emplois agricoles''',
* a shift from industrial jobs (agrochemicals, agricultural machinery, agri-foodstuffs) to '''agricultural jobs''',
* une diminution des emballages alimentaires,
* a reduction in food packaging,s,
* une forte '''diminution de la consommation d’énergie''' par l’ensemble du secteur,
* a strong '''decrease in energy consumption''' by the whole sector,,
* une '''baisse''' de la production de '''[[Fr-fr_adulte_carte_9_autres_ges|méthane]]''' par diminution du nombre de ruminants,
* a '''decrease''' in '''[[En-en adult card 9 other ghgs|methane]]''' production by reducing the number of ruminants,
* la '''disparition''' de la production du '''protoxyde d’azote''' liée aux engrais azotés,
* the '''disappearance''' of '''nitrous oxide''' production linked to nitrogen fertilizers,
* une dynamisation de la '''[[Fr-fr_adulte_carte_25_biodiversité_terrestre|biodiversité terrestre]] et [[Fr-fr_adulte_carte_27_biodiversité_marine|marine]]''' (disparition des algues vertes et du déséquilibre écologique dont elles sont le symptôme) .
* a boost to '''[[En-en adult card 25 terrestrial biodiversity|Terrestrial]] and [[En-en adult card 27 marine biodiversity|Marine Biodiversity]]''' (disappearance of green algae and the ecological imbalance of which they are a symptom).


== Références ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />

Revision as of 21:19, 2 February 2021

Card #8: Agriculture

Causes Consequences
Front of the card "Agriculture"


Agriculture does not emit a lot of CO2, but is responsible for the emission of large quantities of methane
(from cows and rice paddies) and of nitrous oxide (from fertilizers).
In all, agriculture amounts for 25% of GHGs if we include induced deforestation.

Explanation

Agriculture uses very little fossil energy, compared to the emissions of other GHGs for which it is responsible. It is responsible for 80% of deforestation. Indeed, large areas are needed to grow crops, especially to feed farm animals. Agriculture is a human activity that began as soon as the climate stabilised, at the beginning of the Neolithic period 10,000 years ago, after the last deglaciation, which itself lasted 10,000 years. Since then, the impact of human activity on its environment has been growing: it has domesticated plant species (today, domesticated rice is no longer able to reproduce without human intervention), it has deforested to expand the cultivated areas, depriving animal species of their natural habitat, and since the Green Revolution (green for agricultural, not for ecological!), it has begun to use pesticides and inputs that are harmful to the environment and to itself.

Facilitation tips

Facilitation tips (to be amended)

Other possible links

Consequences

  • Carbon Sinks It doesn't matter if this link is not made, but it is true that agriculture can improve storage capacity through photosynthesis. This is the 0.4 per cent principle (if we increased the soil's capacity to sequester carbon by even 4/1000, we would have a significant impact on CO2).
  • Terrestrial Biodiversity Here, we are thinking mainly of pesticides (especially round-up or neonicotinoids). No link with the climate, but an interesting relation to make.

To go further

Footprint of animal husbandry

Much of the impact of agriculture is due to animal husbandry. However, it is very difficult to have a percentage of greenhouse gases that is agreed due to many factors:

  • Which Global warming potential (GWP) to choose: methane is the main warming gas due to livestock farming. If we look at a 20-year horizon, it has a GWP of 84, but of 28 only over a 100-year horizon: a difference of a factor of three.[1]
  • Partnerships with various private institutions [2] who have a vested interest in this number, such as :
    • The European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC)
    • the European Vegetable Oil and Proteinmeal Industry (FEDIOL)
    • the International Dairy Federation, (IDF)
    • the International Meat Secretariat (IMS)
    • the International Egg Commission (IEC)
    • the International Poultry Council (IPC)
    • the International Federation for Animal Health (IFAH)
    • the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

At the end of the day, the two numbers most often found are:

  • 18% of total emissions according to the 2007 report [3]
  • 14.5% of total emissions according to the 2012 report [4]

Key concepts

  • The IPCC distribution key logically assigns to industry the agro-industry (fertilisers, crop treatment products, herbicides, agricultural machinery) and the agro-food industry. But this does not help to estimate the positive effects that a system based on agroforestry, shorter distribution channels and a sharp drop in the consumption of industrially processed food products could have.
  • The massive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides gradually, but certainly, destroys the micro-flora and micro-fauna of the soil.
  • Earthworms are disappearing, whereas they are real small ploughmen favouring root penetration and improving the permeability of the soil and the renewal of the water tables. On the other hand, they feed on the residues of previous crops and transform them into humus, a stable form of organic matter and a real sponge capable of storing a large quantity of water and releasing it in times of drought. Moreover, humus stores the mineral elements that can be used by the plant.
  • Fungi also disappear under the effect of fertilisers and chemical treatment products, although they are intermediaries living in symbiosis with the plants. They act as an extension of the roots, fetching water and mineral salts and exchanging them for organic molecules produced by the plant.

Storing carbon through agroforestry

The disappearance of earthworms and fungi, as well as deep and frequent ploughing and the nakedness of the land between two crops over a long period of time, accelerate the decomposition of organic matter. Agricultural soils in chemical-input agriculture are net producers of carbon and regularly deplete organic matter. While agroforestry provides an annual increase of 4‰ (4 per 1000)[5] in the level of organic matter in the soil. The soil then becomes a carbon sink.

Widespread use of these techniques would make agriculture the safest and cheapest carbon sink at very low or zero cost. It would provide a much healthier diet and would maintain and even develop a peasantry, the basis of food autonomy in many countries. Biodiversity would be greatly enhanced as a result. The shortening of circuits would reduce energy consumption. The same applies to a decline in the agri-food industry, which would also improve the health of our fellow citizens[6]. A major source of pollution would disappear.

The jobs lost in agribusiness and agro-industry would be largely offset by those generated by agroforestry, which is much more labour-intensive than chemical-input agriculture.

At the same time, a significant reduction in meat consumption would sharply reduce the areas devoted to the production of cereals for animal feed (mainly cattle, pigs and poultry). This would compensate for the lower crop yields in the absence of chemical inputs.

In total, we would have :

  • much healthier food produced by farmers who are proud of their work,,
  • a healthier population (reduction in particular of cardiovascular diseases and cancers) as a result of eating less meat and food that does not contain chemical residues,
  • soils becoming an important carbon sink by increasing the level of organic matter in the soil (4‰/year),
  • a shift from industrial jobs (agrochemicals, agricultural machinery, agri-foodstuffs) to agricultural jobs,
  • a reduction in food packaging,s,
  • a strong decrease in energy consumption by the whole sector,,
  • a decrease in methane production by reducing the number of ruminants,
  • the disappearance of nitrous oxide production linked to nitrogen fertilizers,
  • a boost to Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity (disappearance of green algae and the ecological imbalance of which they are a symptom).

References

  1. ↑ Page 730 of IPCC fifth assessment report, working group #1
  2. ↑ FAO, New effort to harmonize measurement of livestock’s environmental impacts
  3. ↑ FAO, Livestock's long shadow, page xxi, 2007
  4. ↑ FAO, Tackling climate change through Livestock, page xii, 2012
  5. ↑ Official web Site "4 pour 1000" initiative
  6. ↑ Mathilde Gérard et Pascale Santi Comment l’alimentation ultratransformée affecte notre santé, Le Monde, 30 mai 2019
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