Air Pollution and Food Production: Concurrent Relation between the Two
Over the last century, Exponential growth in the world population has given momentum to food production. According to FAO Statistics, during 1961–2014, the world population rose by 136 %, whereas the production of grain and meat increased by 188 ad 345 % respectively. To achieve the desired yield, farming was accompanied by synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and machinery.
With the growing agricultural industry, air pollution has reached its highest levels with the emission of gases and animal waste. Meanwhile, atmospheric pollution is making the matter worse with the accumulation of toxic air pollutants, particulate matter, dust, and heavy metals in the food chain. Resultantly, it directly harms plants and animals and also reduces the labor force due to health concerns.
This article discusses the two-way relationship between agricultural production and environmental contamination.
Air Pollutants
Air pollutants exist primarily as Primary pollutants and Secondary pollutants. Primary pollutants are emitted directly into the atmosphere; named, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter. According to a report from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector contribute approximately a quarter of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Secondary pollutants include ground-level Ozone (O3), a short-lived pollutant that is formed when nitrogen oxides, produced in combustion processes, react with air pollutants, including vehicle exhaust, oil refining, petrochemical, and bushfires. It is also formed from Methane released from agriculture. Ozone penetrates plant structure and compromises their ability to grow. Besides, other minor and individual pollutants affect air quality more or less in the same way.
How food production causes air pollution
According to field experiments, the agricultural industry contributes to air pollution in form of the emission of major pollutants such as Ammonia (NH3), GHG, and particulate matter from crop cultivation along with other minor pollutants. Whereas chemical reactions of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons produce Ozone. Article on Air Pollution, food production, and food security discusses air pollution in the food chain from production to trade. GHG emission starts with land use where aerobic decomposition of biomass produces CO2 emissions and anaerobic decomposition releases methane. Ammonia is a predominant air polluter used as a fertilizer in fields and livestock waste.
Machinery
On the other hand, machinery required in farming requires energy. It releases tones of CO2 which makes an addition to GHG emissions. The more fossil fuel is burnt to operate machines, the greater is the generation of aerosols.
Synthetic fertilizers
Extensive agricultural production requires intensive input to meet the demands and needs. The manufacturing of synthetic fertilizers requires an excessive amount of energy and this contributes to GHG emissions too. Fertilizers produced in industries contain hazardous material. When they are discharged from the industry they cause environmental pollution.
Food Processing
It does not stop here. Food, when after production, sent for processing to industries, makes another link to air pollution. What unique thing about this link is that this sector has indoor dust factors that can lead to high levels of bacteria and occupational agents. Such an environment can affect the productivity of workers.
Trade
Besides, the food produced in one place needs to be transferred to other parts of the globe. Moreover, the increase in the pace of urbanization demands more and more food. This has led to growth in the trade of agricultural products from producer countries to the importing ones, which has further increased the amount of air pollution. Due to this imbalance, the pollution problem is greatly faced by producer countries.
Impacts of air pollution
Air pollution reciprocally contributes towards the deterioration of food production. Air pollutants enter the soil. In the atmosphere, the reaction of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide with water vapors form acid rain which eventually falls on the ground and harms plants and people. Moreover, Ozone damages the plant greatly. It is absorbed by plants and forms free radicals to attack its cell membranes.
Resultantly, a cell is injured and irregular spots are formed that hinder the flowering and growth of crops. This causes a great yield loss globally of rice, wheat, maize, and soybean especially. According to Katrina Sharps, spatial data analyst at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology at the Environment Centre Wales, “Crop losses due to Ozone may reduce the likelihood of meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030.”
This grave issue requires serious consideration from industry, governments, and farmers too. This is a global issue that tends to harm yield even more.
Marine Life
Sealife is greatly affected by air quality and the waste disposed of by industries which endangers fish species and causes them to extinct. Aquatic life is globally responsible for 20% of protein consumption. Pollution from the environment is transferred to food by polluting animals and sea life. Fish consumed by birds or animals causes the pollution to be transferred to food indirectly.
Conclusion
The two-way relation between air pollution and food production not only affects the food industry or air quality, but it has great potential to damage the earth as a whole. Anything, when done in excess amount, shows consequence at some stage from where the return is no longer possible. We still have got time to change our consumption and production habits. The first step that can be taken towards curbing this issue is to reduce emissions from combustion and move towards cleaner energy resources. Multiple pieces of research need to be done on Ozone formation and its effects on different crops. Last but not the least, governments of the world play a crucial role in eradicating such matters. Research is never fruitful until it is brought into action by the government.
