Fossil Fuels in Farming and Food: The Energy Agriculture Double Bind
Context
Modern agricultural systems remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels across various stages of production, including cultivation, fertiliser manufacturing, irrigation, food processing and distribution.
The rising cost of fossil fuels, coupled with the environmental consequences of their continued use, creates a dual challenge for food security and farmers’ livelihoods. This highlights the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels without adversely affecting agricultural productivity and farm incomes.
Key Highlights
- Natural gas serves as an important raw material and energy source for nitrogenous fertiliser production, while diesel is widely used to operate agricultural machinery and irrigation pumps.
- Cold storage facilities, transportation networks and agrochemicals add to the energy requirements, production costs and associated emissions of the agricultural sector.
- Transferring rising energy costs directly to farmers can negatively affect agricultural production and household incomes.
- A successful energy transition requires alternative energy sources, improved fertiliser use efficiency and changes in cropping systems rather than relying solely on increasing fossil fuel prices.
Key Concepts
- Haber Bosch Process: An industrial process through which atmospheric nitrogen is combined with hydrogen under high temperature and pressure to produce ammonia. It forms the foundation of most modern synthetic nitrogen fertilisers.
- Urea Subsidy: Government financial support that reduces the price of urea paid by farmers compared to its production or import cost. An imbalance in nutrient pricing can encourage excessive use of urea.
- Fertiliser Use Efficiency: The amount of nutrient uptake by crops or agricultural output obtained per unit of fertiliser applied. It can be improved through balanced nutrient application, soil testing, appropriate timing and precision-based fertiliser use.
- PM KUSUM: A government scheme that promotes the use of solar energy in agriculture by supporting solar powered irrigation pumps and the solarisation of agricultural power systems. Its implementation should also account for the need to prevent excessive groundwater extraction.