A Food Systems Approach to Natural Resource Use PDF

A Food Systems Approach to Natural Resource Use - Measuring an Efficient & Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Food Systems Romy Chammas MS.c Summer 2024  Sustainable Use of Renewable Resources...

A Food Systems Approach to Natural Resource Use - Measuring an Efficient & Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Food Systems Romy Chammas MS.c Summer 2024  Sustainable Use of Renewable Resources In order to guarantee food supply for future generations, it is important that renewable resources are managed sustainably. The word ‘sustainable’ implies that the use of the natural resource can continue because it is not degraded or depleted beyond continued use or replenishment. This means that, within human time scales, the natural resources return to their previous stock levels by: Natural processes of growth. Example: marine fish stocks Replenishment. Example: rainfall to replenish aquifers  Measuring Resource Efficiency in Food Systems Table 3 provides an overview of how the efficiency of use of various natural resources can be defined, as well as their sustainable use (for renewable resources). Note: Blue water is fresh surface water and groundwater, that is the freshwater lakes, rivers, and aquifers. Green water is the water stored in the soil and potentially available for uptake by plants or the water that temporarily stays on top of the soil or vegetation (rainwater).  Measuring Resource Efficiency in Food Systems A food system is considered more resource-efficient when: More food is produced and consumed with the same amount of resources. When the same amount of food is produced with fewer resources. (UNEP, 2011b)  Measuring Resource Efficiency in Food Systems Higher resource-use efficiency can be achieved in various ways: ✓ More efficient production (also called decoupling) ✓ Reducing food demand and consumption in various ways: dietary changes towards less resource-demanding products and reducing overconsumption of resource-intensive calories Resource efficiency is a key aspect of sustainable food systems, but ‘sustainable food systems’ is a broader concept that also includes economic and social dimensions (other than just environmental dimensions). Decoupling  Measuring Resource Efficiency in Food Systems In some cases, increasing resource efficiency can be achieved by addressing a single parameter, such as by increasing water-use efficiency by reducing leakages from irrigation systems. In food systems, the situation is usually more complex because more resources need to be considered simultaneously. An increase in crop yields leads to higher efficiencies for other resources, such as for land, water, and fossil fuels, as well as for human labor in the case of manual cultivation.  Combining Resources Farmers and, to varying degrees, other food system actors have long had to deal with the question of how to optimize various inputs, including natural resources, labor and capital goods, in order to reach an optimal outcome of their hard work. Historically, important inputs that could be influenced were: Labor (with the possibility to switch to animal traction) Type of crop and seeds (amount, variety) Land, water, and manure Simultaneously, farmers had to cope with unknown variables such as weather and pests.  Combining Resources Currently, new inputs such as fertilizers, fossil fuels, and pesticides have become part of the equation. When assessing resource efficiency, notably in agriculture, it is essential to assess the efficiency of the total combination of natural resources. Judging the efficiency of one resource only will lead to erroneous conclusions.  Combining Resources Example: Assume a soil with low inherent soil fertility (and most soils are indeed low in nitrogen). A dose of nitrogen fertilizer of 20 kg of nitrogen per hectare will in most cases increase crop yield. If the dose is increased to 40 kg of nitrogen per hectare, crop yields will increase again, but a little less. The nitrogen efficiency of the second dose will be lower than that of the first dose (defined, for example, as nitrogen in crop/nitrogen applied). Also, the additional crop production of the second step will be lower compared to the first step. With each additional application, the nitrogen efficiency will further decline. Moreover, nitrogen losses to the environment might increase.  Combining Resources For the nitrogen fertilizer, no use or very limited use is the most efficient. For land, water, seed input or labor, higher inputs of nitrogen typically lead to higher efficiency. The crop yield might double when nitrogen fertilizer dose goes from 0 to 20 kg nitrogen per hectare, without additional input of land, water, or labor, such that all these resources are used more efficiently. The same is also true for a higher input of other resources. If phosphorus is limiting crop production, additional input of phosphorus might make the input of nitrogen more efficient. This is not a plea for the unlimited application of fertilizer, but the crucial point is that the effect of the combined inputs of the various natural resources needs to be assessed.  Overview of Interactions Between Food System Activities, Natural Resources, and Food Security Figure 3: shows a conceptual framework of the interactions between food system activities, natural resources, and food security. It identifies a number of socio-economic drivers which affect the socio- economic conditions within which the array of food system actors operate. Driven by a range of motives, such as food production and profit, the activities of these actors affect the natural resources: Directly, usually by depleting them Indirectly, by driving other environmental processes such as greenhouse gas emissions leading to climate change  Summary and Conclusions In our interconnected and complex world, acknowledging the critical roles of food producers, processors, packers, transporters, retailers, and consumers is an important step in identifying pathways to address the challenges regarding natural resources, while simultaneously improving food security.  Summary and Conclusions The food system concept relates all the food system activities (growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, consuming, and disposing of food and food-related items) to the outcomes of these activities. These outcomes affect food security, socio-economic issues, and the environment. A food system also encompasses the interdependent sets of enterprises, institutions, activities and relationships that collectively develop and deliver material inputs to the farming sector, produce primary commodities, and subsequently handle, process, transport, market and distribute food to consumers.  Summary and Conclusions Food systems differ in terms of the actors involved and their relationships and activities. In all cases, they need to become ‘sustainable’: ‘A sustainable food system is a food system that delivers food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for future generations are not compromised.’ (HLPE, 2014a)  Summary and Conclusions As with many human activities, food system activities are leading to a number of – largely unintended– environmental effects. Besides an efficient use of resources, a sustainable use of renewable resources is critical to ensure food security for future generations.  Summary and Conclusions Food system actors are confronted with difficult resource management decisions when seeking ways to improve the efficiency with which they are used. The combined effects of their activities in the environment must be taken into account to ensure effective and durable environmental and economic co-benefits.